Research on the characteristics of pole-stage trees enables the prediction of their growth dynamics and qualitative development after thinning, and constitutes an important part of the management of (naturally regenerated) heterogeneous stands. This article presents the results of a study on the morphology of beech [Fagus sylvatica] and sessile oak [Quercus petraea] poles in multistorey stands (mixed stands and beech only stands) in northern France, where the aim is to implement sustainable management based on the prediction of the short-term (5-8 years) response of the poles to liberation felling. The first stage of the process was to define the morphotypes of poles present of each species by compiling detailed descriptions of over 800 beech poles at 12 sites and over 400 oak poles at 7 sites. A typology key is presented for each species, which shows 8 morphotypes for beech and 5 for oak. The second stage of the study (only reported for beech, and only for 1 year after treatment) put in place experiments to follow the growth dynamics and quality development of poles of the defined different morphotypes that had been liberated by felling, from which the plan is to develop response models for the different morphotypes.