Forestry. A Big Thanks

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1 Forestry Jeffrey S. Ward, Station Forester The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station A Big Thanks Thomas E. Worthley - Assistant Extension Professor 1

2 Established in 1875 Services Applied research Insect & disease identification Monitor for alien pests/ new diseases Soil testing Lectures 2

3 Forestry research started in 1901 Forest ecology 3

4 Silviculture Overview History of Connecticut s forest Forestry Ecology Management Measurement 4

5 A Short History of the Connecticut Forest Cathedral Pines (1914) 5

6 Changes in the Connecticut forest Percent (%) of land area Forested area Population Population (millions) 0 CAES Year 0.0 6

7 Colebrook (1912) Source: Harvard Forest 7

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9 East Hartford (1905) 9

10 Annual acres burned (thousand) Fire rotation (years) 10

11 Connecticut s forest is changing Our oaks are decreasing Our maples are increasing 11

12 Increased population stresses forest Percent (%) of land area Forested area Population Population (millions) 0 CAES Year 0.0 New Threats 12

13 Diversity the strength of our forests Ecological Aesthetic Economic 13

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18 Painting: Charles Frace 18

19 Overview History of Connecticut s forest Forestry Ecology Management Measurement 19

20 FORESTRY Ecology Management Measurements FOREST A general working definition Three dimensional ecological system Above and below ground Dominated by woody vegetation (trees and shrubs) Dynamic interaction with atmospheric, mineral and biological components in the landscape Layered structure with functional parts All forests have: Composition, Structure and Function that are identifiable and quantifiable, and change with time. Adapted from: FOREST ECOLOGY by Barnes, Zak, Denton and Spurr 20

21 Overstory Understory Shrub layer Roots/Soil Ground layer Each species is adapted for: Specific light intensity (level) Soil moisture range Atlantic white cedar vs. chestnut oak Soil fertility range pitch pine vs. white ash Climate temperature, seasonal precipitation humid continental vs. Mediterranean Disturbance regime type, intensity, frequency 21

22 Why does forest composition vary across sites? Abiotic factors Light Moisture Soil Disturbance Biotic factors Competition/space Browsing Insects/diseases Invasives Oranges and redwoods don t grow in Connecticut 22

23 What a tree needs - Abiotic Light Moisture Soil Light Each layer of tree canopy intercepts additional light 23

24 Shade tolerance the ability to survive and grow in the understory Shade intolerant (needs full sunlight) Tulip-poplar Paper/gray birch Hard pine Aspen Black cherry Sassafras Ash Pin cherry Midtolerant (partial sunlight) Black/scarlet oak Hickory Red/white/ chestnut oak White pine Black/yellow birch Shade tolerant (forest shade) Hemlock Sugar maple Beech Basswood Pepperidge Striped maple Red maple (~) Mtn. Laurel Ferns Regeneration strategies Species are adapted to different disturbance rates High stakes poker (shade intolerant) fast growth rate/ no reserves high mortality 401K / investor (midtolerant) moderate growth rate/ some reserves average mortality Miser (shade tolerant) slow growth rate/ large reserves low mortality 24

25 Water Soil 25

26 Limiting factors (soil nutrients) Nutrients Macro - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium Minor calcium, iron, sulfur, magnesium Trace minerals Harvesting releases nutrients incorporated in branches and twigs, but also tie-up nitrogen. C HOPKN S CaFe MnMg B CuZn Mo What a tree needs - Abiotic Light Moisture Soil 26

27 Biotic Limiting Factors Competition Browsing Insects/diseases Invasives Large red maple Who Wins? Small red oak 27

28 Limiting factors (browsing) Browse damage 16-yr-old sugar maple seedlings 28

29 Insects / diseases Invasive Plants Why Should You Care? 29

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31 41 57% reduction 31

32 FORESTRY Management FOREST MANAGEMENT Disturbance You Control Set preliminary goals Determine what you have Adjust goals to what is possible 32

33 Doing Nothing is a Choice However, CHANGE HAPPENS! When we do nothing Change is Uncontrolled Forests are not dioramas Trees die Hayley Sheldon Hayley Sheldon 33

34 New trees grow 34

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37 Succession Happens 37

38 SUCCESSION (somewhat) orderly and predictable transition of species mix over time. Depends on the history of disturbance and Wind or harvest Fire or clearing Disease/insect the source or origin of new growth Seed or Sprout Shade intolerant Short life span In General: Shade tolerant Longer life span Gray birch Cherry sp. Cedar (juniper) Tulip, Ash Red Oaks Hickory White pine White oaks Red maple Black birch Sugar Maple Yellow Birch American beech Hemlock Vertical Stratification: Height is NOT an indicator of tree age, nor is tree diameter. Ultimate canopy position is determined by species characteristics. Canopy closure (20-years-old) Oaks/maples have similar heights Maturing stand (80-years-old) Oaks have overtopped maples 38

39 You can not age a tree by it s size 132-years old 75-years-old 7.5 inches 17.7 inches Type Disturbance regime high vs. low Intensity stand replacement to single tree Frequency yearly to every couple of centuries Most species have strategies for more than one combination (American beech and northern red oak) 39

40 Type Low (understory) disturbance High (overstory) disturbance Intensity Single tree mortality Stand replacement Single tree Small group Stand removal 40

41 Frequency Drought Moderate 10 years Severe 50 years Hurricane Moderate 20 years Severe years Fire 1900 every 7 years 2000 every 3000 years Disturbance Most harvest types mimic a natural process Shelterwood moderate groundfire Group selection microburst damage Single tree selection slightly accelerated succession Clearcut tornado, hurricane or intense wildfire Some Disturbances Are Not Mimics Diameter limit High-grading Selection They should be avoided 41

42 FOREST MANAGEMENT Disturbance You Control Set preliminary goals Determine what you have Adjust goals to what is possible Goal(s) for site Maximizing timber/firewood products Producing abundant clean water Restoring native groundlayer/shrubs Obtaining forest regeneration (tree seedlings) Increasing animal diversity Other 42

43 What future conditions are desired? 43

44 FORESTS and how foresters see them FORESTS are comprised of STANDS STANDS are comprised of TREES, and other components. A STAND is the essential unit of management (silviculture) Defined as: a contiguous group of trees sufficiently uniform in species composition, age class, spatial arrangement or condition so as to be a homogeneous and distinguishable unit. A forest is essentially a collection of stands. 44

45 Inventory What do you have to work with? 45

46 Planning Prioritization What are highest priorities? What practice/area will have biggest impact? (opportunities) Are where immediate threats/problems? What are available resources? Setting goals and then adjusting 46

47 How to achieve desired future conditions? Modify forest vegetation! Doing nothing will result in change, but uncontrolled change Doing Nothing is a Choice However, CHANGE HAPPENS! When we do nothing Change is Uncontrolled 47

48 What actions should you take & when? Silvicultural prescriptions describe treatments or actions to take, to achieve a stated "desired future condition" or objective, derived from landowner goals and forest inventory information. FORESTRY Ecology Management Measurements 48

49 Time to head to the woods Credit: CT DEEP Measurements 49

50 Tree Identification Management >5 50

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