Silvicultural Practices

Transcription

1 Silvicultural Practices Core Assessment Products 1. Report harvest levels on DNR lands in the Region(s). Report previous year s harvest level on DNR lands in the subsection, by forest type and silvicultural system. 2. Report forest development statistics e.g., artificial regeneration by species, natural regeneration, site preparation etc., on DNR lands in the Region(s). 3. Information on growth and yield (Mean Annual Increment curves) of forest types. Provide separate curves for all species combined and main species in the subsection(s). 4. Trends in special product e.g., balsam bough and ornamental tree permits issued for DNR lands in the subsection(s). 5. Trends in volume sold and average prices received for stumpage by public agencies with lands in the subsection. Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-1

2 4.1 Data on harvest levels are still being compiled at the time of writing. 4.2 Forest Development statistics are still being compiled at time of writing. Growth and yield of forest types in the subsection Growth and yield of commercial forest types are presented as cords per acre per year. Forest managers determine the rotation age of forest stands by analyzing these data and determining the culmination of mean annual increment, or MAI. That point is the age at which growth becomes less efficient; harvest at that point therefore maximizes the productive capacity of that timber stand. Local environmental factors are taken into consideration in determining the actual rotation age, because factors such as climate and site index can affect the efficiency of tree growth and the length of time trees can be held without losing quality. The figures that follow are an example of MAI curves for four major forest types in the subsection, plus white pine. Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-2

3 Figure 4.3 Ash Ash Mean Annual Increment Mille Lacs Uplands 0.24 MAI (cords/acre/year) Age in Years (n) Mean Table 4.3 Ash summary statistics Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-3

4 Age Class Mean Minimum Maximum CV N Obs Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-4

5 Figure 4.4 Aspen Aspen Mean Annual Increment Mille Lacs Uplands MAI (cords/acre/year) Mean Age in Years Table 4.4 Aspen summary statistics Age Class Mean Minimum Maximum CV N Obs Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-5

6 Figure 4.5 Northern hardwoods 0.45 N. Hardwoods Mean Annual Increment Mille Lacs Uplands 0.4 MAI (cords/acre/yr) Age in Years Mean Table 4.5 Northern Hardwoods summary statistics Age Class Mean Minimum Maximum CV N Obs Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-6

7 Figure 4.6 Oak Oak Mean Annual Increment Mille Lacs Uplands 0.6 MAI (cords/acre/year) Age in Years Mean Table 4.6 Oak summary statistics Age Class Mean Minimum Maximum CV N Obs Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-7

8 Figure 4.7 White Pine Mean Annual Increment Mille Lacs Uplands MAI (cords/acre/yr) Mean Age in Years Table 4.7 White pine summary statistics Age Class Mean Minimum Maximum CV N Obs Status of the Wood Products Industry in the Mille Lacs Uplands Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-8

9 State Obligation to Timber Management and Industrial Demand The pulp and paper as well as the oriented strand board (OSB) industry in Minnesota has either been rebuilt or established since This industry, though unofficial, probably rates the highest of comparable industries in other states and Canada in terms of plant efficiency, pollution abatement, and best product manufacturing technologies. The capital investments of these major industries that use wood harvested in the Mille Lacs Upland has exceeded $2.5 billion since These industries have made commitments to be lifelong residents of the State of Minnesota. The major industries that purchase wood or stumpage in the Mille Lacs Upland Subsection include: Blandin Paper Company, Grand Rapids paper Boise Cascade Corporation, International Falls paper Certainteed, Shakopee roofing Champion International Corporation, Sartell paper Lake Superior Paper Industries (Consolidated Paper), Duluth paper Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, Hayward, WI OSB Potlatch Corporation, Grand Rapids OSB Potlatch Corporation, Cloquet paper Potlatch Corporation, Bemidji OSB Truss Joist MacMillan, Deerwood timberstrand Industries purchasing minor amounts of wood or stumpage from the Mille Lacs Upland Subsection include: Bass Lake Millworks, Sandstone lumber Diamond Brands Incorporated, Cloquet veneer bolts Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Duluth & Superior hardboard Savanna Pallets, McGregor lumber Woodline Sawmill, Onamia lumber The major modernizations and new establishments were all required to participate in an extensive review process before permits were granted for their expansions. When the permits were granted, the State of Minnesota and its citizens obligated the forest land within the Mille Lacs Upland subsection as a source of sustainable timber resources for these uses. Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-9

10 Current and Future Timber Supply and Demand The current species demand for timber stumpage from the Mille Lacs Uplands subsection is as follows: High Demand Aspen sawbolts and pulpwood Red and Jack Pine sawbolts and pulpwood White Pine sawtimber Medium Demand Paper Birch sawbolts and pulpwood Soft Maple sawbolts and pulpwood Red and Jack Pine sawtimber and sawbolts Red Oak sawtimber and sawbolts Basswood sawtimber and sawbolts Limited Demand Black Ash sawtimber and sawbolts Balsam Fir sawbolts and pulpwood Table 4.8 Estimate of Increases by Year 2002 The following is an industry estimate of statewide annual additional wood use projected by 2002 (in cords): Company Aspen & Balm Pine Spruce Balsam Birch Maple & Basswood Potlatch - Cloquet Blandin - Grand Rapids 72,000 55, , ,000 25,000 25,000 Sawmills 42,000 15,000 18,000 10,000 5,000 Other Impacts That May Affect Timber Supply and Demand 1. Pulpwood Exports In 1998, loggers in Minnesota exported 243,000 cords of roundwood pulpwood, mainly to mills in Wisconsin. This was about 9% of the total pulpwood harvest in Minnesota. Exports to Wisconsin are expected to increase in future years. The Mille Lacs Upland Subsection will be affected by increased demand for spruce and balsam from Wisconsin mills. 2. Pulpwood Imports Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-10

11 Roundwood pulpwood imports from Wisconsin, Ontario and Manitoba to paper and OSB mills in northern Minnesota totaled 140,000 cords in A gradual increase in imports of Canadian pulpwood is expected during the next 3 years. The recent relaxation of import restrictions of aspen and birch pulpwood from Provincial lands in Ontario may give additional options to Minnesota mills. The imports must be approved by forest industry in Canada before the provincial government will approve it. There is some question on roundwood imports yet, but it is expected that wood chip imports will be available. 3. Certified Wood Products Approximately 600,000 acres of public forest land in the Mille Lacs Upland Subsection has been certified as well-managed by the Forest Stewardship Council, and efforts are underway that area expected to double that number of acres during the life of this plan. In addition, certification of private forest land through the formation of private forest land cooperatives is expected to increase the amount of certified wood that will be available from this area. While, to this point, certification has had a minimal impact on the total wood market; it provides a unique niche for the timberlands that can meet the certification criteria. It may also ensure a market share for products from qualifying timber lands when and if wood markets take a downturn. Businesses that handle certified forest products from the forest to the consumer, are also eligible to become certified under FSC, as chain-of-custody certified operations. The main criterion for this type of certification is the ability to track certified product and keep it separate from non-certified product and materials in the same business. In 2000, the following businesses are c-o-c certified in the Mille Lacs Uplands subsection: Aitkin Hardwoods (Aitkin, Minnesota) Hawkins Sawmill (Onamia, Minnesota) Woodline Sawmills (Onamia, Minnesota) Mille Lacs Uplands/Glacial Lake Superior Plain/St. Croix Moraines SFRMP Assessment 4-11