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Precommercial thinning could be a valuable tool for climate change adaptation, as it can promote stand diversity while increasing productivity. Softwood and hardwood stands are usually thinned following different methods, and we lack recommendations for application in mixedwood stands. We evaluated the effects of precommercial thinning on the growth and composition of balsam fir (Abies balsameaL.)–birch stands dominated by paper and yellow birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh. and Betula alleghaniensis Britt.), comparing methods and production objectives (systematic release-softwood, systematic release-mixedwood, crop-tree release-mixedwood, and crop-tree release-hardwood) in Québec (Canada). Precommercial thinning increased tree-level and stand-level growth, especially for both birches. Compared to the non-thinned control, thinning increased tree diameter at breast height annual increments by 60 …