Forest Ecology & Management. Texas Master Naturalist Program

Transcription

1 Forest Ecology & Management Texas Master Naturalist Program

2 Texas Forest Service Mission Statement: To provide statewide leadership to assure the state s trees, forests, and related natural resources are protected and sustained for the benefit of all.

3 What does TFS do? Wildland Firefighting, Oak Wilt Technical Assistance, Forest Stewardship, Urban Forestry, Seedling Nurseries, Environmental/Public Education, whatever our boss asks us to do

4 Texas Forest Service Partnerships US Forest Service NRCS Texas Agrilife Extension Service Texas Parks and Wildlife LBJ Wildflower Center ISA Texas Many more that I can t remember

5 So, what is forestry? This is what many people think of traditional forestry

6

7 Forestry The science, art, and practice of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests in a sustainable manner to meet the desired goals, needs, and values. (as defined in the SAF Forestry Career brochure)

8 I. Forest Ecology II. III. IV. Forest Management Forest Issues Diagnosing Oak Wilt

9 Forest Ecology Diversity Forest Communities Succession Disturbance

10 Diversity: What, Where, & How Many? Anywhere from 220 to 300 tree species in Texas (~40% of all US species) ~500 species of grasses (most in US) Wildlife in Texas ~540 bird species (75% of all US species) 78 species of mammals (TPWD Fact Sheets) 17 National Wildlife Refuges (470,000 acres)

11 Diversity Trees cover?????% of Texas 60 million acres of forests & woodlands 12 million acres of forest just in E. Texas Who owns the forests? Of the 12 million acres of forest in E. Texas, 63% are privately owned (NIPF), 29%- industry/investment, 8%- public USDA Forest Service- 750,000 acres of National Forest & Grasslands in TX

12 Forest Changes How have Texas forests changed? East Texas has gained almost 2 million acres of forest since 1935 Since 1992, NE Texas gained 270,000 acres of forest (reverted pasture) Since 1992, SE Texas lost 159,000 acres of forest (urban sprawl)

13 Forest Communities The forest is a dynamic, complex, and constantly changing ecosystem. -TX Master Naturalist Curriculum Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people. -Franklin D. Roosevelt

14 Communities or Eco-regions Ecotypes or natural regions Climate (hardiness), precipitation, soils (texture, nutrients, ph), elevation, slope, aspect, etc.

15 USDA Plant Temperature (Hardiness) Zones

16 Annual Minimum Temperature

17 Average Annual Precipitation

18 Elevation

19

20 Texas Rivers 11,247 named streams (USGS) 15 major rivers Over 100,000 miles in total length Brazos Colorado Red River Sabine Rio Grande Neches Trinity

21 Major Forest Regions of Texas Pineywoods Post Oak Savannah Live Oak- Juniper Cross Timbers Mountain Forests

22 Forests of Texas Oak-Pine & Bottomland Hardwood Forest Types of North America Upland Forest Types Both mesic & xeric sites E. Texas Pineywoods, Central Texas Live Oak/Juniper woodlands, & Post Oak savannah Guadalupe & Chisos Mountains Bottom land Forests Mesic creeks, river bottoms, & swamps Big Thicket Preserve Neches River bottom

23 East Texas Upland Forests Trees Oaks Post, Blackjack, Southern Red, Water, & Black Oak Pines Longleaf Pine (South), Shortleaf Pine (North), Loblolly Pine Other Hardwoods Black Hickory, Elm, Sweetgum, Sassafras, Red Mulberry Shrubs Yaupon Holly, Sparkleberry, Winged Sumac, Wax Myrtle Vines Greenbrier, Muscadine Grape, Virginia Creeper, Cross Vine

24 East Texas Bottomland Forests Trees Oaks White, Swamp Chestnut, Cherry Bark, Willow, Water, & Overcup Oak Other Hardwoods American Hornbeam, Red Maple, Blackgum, Green Ash, River Birch Baldcypress, Water Tupelo, Water Elm, Swamp Privet Shrubs PawPaw, Buttonbush, Possumhaw Holly, Privet Vines Supplejack, Peppervine, Honeysuckle

25 Other Texas Forests Pecan-Elm Forest (Brazoria County) Ponderosa Pine- Douglas Fir Park/Forest (Culberson County) Live Oak-Mesquite- Ashe Juniper Parks (Llano County)

26 Forest Succession Succession is the vegetative change in community composition and structure through time. Stages of succession Disturbance (Land cleared of vegetation) Primary (The first plants show up) Secondary (Trees start to dominate) Climax (Vegetative restructuring levels off)

27 Forest Disturbance Ice storms, tornados, inclement weather Southeast Texas hurricane damage, September 2005 Insects, disease, & invasive plants Wildfire Humans

28 Hurricane Rita vs. The Forest 17 East & Southeast Texas counties impacted 771,000 acres of timber damaged/affected $462 million of standing timber damaged Increased chance of insects & disease Salvage Reforestation

29 Southern Pine Beetle Infestation

30 Oak Wilt

31 Fire And The Forest Natural fire regimes (lightning & humans) Fire scars on trees Fire evidence in forest floor Influence of fire on ecosystems Frequency & intensity of fire may determine the characteristics of a forest Stages of succession Wildlife Insects & Disease

32

33 Fire and Man Meet

34 Some Texas Invasive Species Chinaberry Chinese Tallow Soapberry Borer Asian Dodder

35 Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) An Invasive Species Analysis Established in Texas early 1900 s as potential crop for soap Fast seed producer & adaptable to various soil types Out-competes native plant types Represents almost 25% of total tree cover in Houston area* 80% of total tree cover in SW Houston area (Harris, Fort Bend, Brazoria, & Galveston Co.) Hwy 288 Ag/Range lands* *From Houston s Regional Forest. USFS, TFS. September 2005

36 Humans Urban Sprawl / Land Fragmentation Clearing forest for cropland Clearing forest for ranching

37 Forest Management

38 Environmental Schools of Thought Preservation: Involves hands-off management, very restrictive, intends to keep land basically untouched (i.e. wilderness areas). Let nature takes it s course. Conservation: Involves science-based management, and theory of multiple-use sustained yield (USFS).

39 Wilderness Areas in Texas

40 Forest Management

41 Forest Managers Service Forester Forestry Consultant Forest Entomologist Urban Forester Procurement Forester Timber Buyer Industry Forester Forest Pathologist

42 Reasons for Forest Management Recreation Aesthetics Wildlife / Hunting Ranching Timber production

43

44 Reforestation Natural Regeneration Natural seeding (seed tree) Artificial Regeneration Hand planting Machine planting

45

46 Forestry Tools Diameter tape Loggers tape Biltmore stick Compass Clinometer Increment borer

47 Forestry & Technology GIS & GPS Laser-based tools Chemical advancements Genetics

48

49 Forest Issues

50 Forest Benefits & Facts What issues lie ahead? Keeping Forests as Forests! Wildland Urban Interface Ethanol Production Carbon sequestration Forest industry issues Urban Forestry/conservation development

51 Diagnosing Oak Wilt

52 Diagnosis 5 step process Pattern of mortality Pattern in individual trees Foliar symptoms Presence of red oak fungal mat Taking samples

53 1. Pattern of Mortality Live Oak Center Red Oak Center

54 1. Pattern of Mortality

55 2. Pattern in individual Trees Diseased Live Oak Diseased Red Oak

56 3. Foliar symptoms Live Oak Symptoms Red Oak Symptoms

57 4. Presence of Fungal Mat

58 5. Taking Samples Bole and branch samples. Confirm presence of pathogen

59 Works Cited: Society of American Foresters website. Texas Forest Service, Texas A & M University System. Texas Forests Today. February, The Dallas Morning News. Texas Almanac ed. Benny Simpson. A Field Guide to Texas Trees Texas Parks and Wildlife. Maps of Texas. US Forest Service, Texas Forest Service. Houston s Regional Forest. September, 2005.

60

61

62

63 Texas Forest Service Rob Grotty (512) txforestservice.tamu.edu texastreeplanting.tamu.edu