L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Annual Report

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L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm 2011 Annual Report 2011 Annual Report Inside this report: Cover Story 1 Research and other projects in 2011 Summer operations & maintenance in 2011 Below-ground

Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm to Improve Geospatial Data The L.W.

GIS or Geographic Information Systems are systems designed to store, analyze and manipulate a wide range of geographical data.

This includes high-resolution imagery, topography, vegetation maps, roads and locations and descriptions of past research and silviculture projects.

The data helps in decisions making, planning and executing research projects. The primary goal of the summer project was to better map the hydrology of the property.

1 L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm 2011 Annual Report 2011 Annual Report Inside this report: Cover Story 1 Research and other projects in 2011 Summer operations & maintenance in 2011 Below-ground Carbon Storage in Tanoaks Study Summer operations & maintenance planned for 2012 Research and other projects planned for Summer Crew Map Trails and Streams at the L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm to Improve Geospatial Data The L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm summer crew and associate Sara Hanna worked to expand the geospatial data available for the Schatz Tree Farm. GIS or Geographic Information Systems are systems designed to store, analyze and manipulate a wide range of geographical data. The Schatz Tree Farm GIS database currently houses of a wide range of geographically referenced data. This includes high-resolution imagery, topography, vegetation maps, roads and locations and descriptions of past research and silviculture projects. GIS allows HSU students and faculty to Summer crew walks and maps a trail at the Schatz Tree Farm visualize, interpret and analyze data from the L.W. Schatz Tree Farm in many ways. The data helps in decisions making, planning and executing research projects. The primary goal of the summer project was to better map the hydrology of the property. Specifically, identifying and mapping class I, II and III watercourses as identified in the California Forest Practice Rules. The mapping was done using the handheld Trimble Juno GPS units. The Trimble Juno GPS units interface with ArcMap software allowing the summer crew to easily collect point and line data in the field. Accuracy of the measurements were improved by using the WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) for real-time correction. WAAS uses a network of ground-based reference stations to determine the appropriate correction. The correction data is then broadcast through WAAS satellites and received by handheld GPS units to improve position accuracy. WAAS can correct for GPS signal errors caused by disturbances in the ionosphere, timing, and satellite errors. The field crew began the project by locating and mapping all of the existing trails on the tree farm property. Once all of the trails were mapped the crew turned their attention to mapping the watercourses. With the assistance of Tree Farm manager Gordon Schatz the crew begin to identify and traverse the major tributaries to Davis Creek. After navigating a significant portion of the watershed the field crew returned to campus with the GPS units and new data. The data was reviewed and added the GIS database. The new mapping in conjunction with the existing geospatial data will provide greater information on the hydrology at the Tree Farm. and will allow for improved research, planning and decisions making at the property.

Page 2 L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Research projects in 2011 Carbon storage Dr.

The primary goals of this research are to 1) quantify how belowground carbon levels in tanoak are connected to aboveground variables, such as diameter at breast height and basal area, which are

other resources; and 3) use variables that impact this aboveand belowground relationship to generate predictive models.

variables and root biomass in tanoak. Bio-energy pilot study Dr. Pascal Berrill continued work on the Tree Farm bio-energy pilot study: Planting five tree species in a replicated test plot.

Maintenance primarily consisted of weed control as there was considerable competition from weeds on the dry site.

Introduction to Forest and The Environment (FOR 116), Forest Health & Protection (FOR 222), Wildland Fuels Management (FOR 423), and Forest Restoration (FOR 431) all made field trips to the L.W. Schatz Tree Farm as part of the course.

2 Page 2 L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Research projects in 2011 Carbon storage Dr. Pascal Berrill and graduate student Brandon Namm continued their study on Below-ground carbon storage in tanoak at the Tree Farm. The primary goals of this research are to 1) quantify how belowground carbon levels in tanoak are connected to aboveground variables, such as diameter at breast height and basal area, which are easily measured; 2) explore how the allometric relationship between aboveground and belowground biomass and carbon content in tanoak is influenced by canopy position and competition for light and other resources; and 3) use variables that impact this aboveand belowground relationship to generate predictive models. The study consists of three segments, starting with a pilot to test methods for excavating and extracting root systems and to assess how stand structure affects the relationship between aboveground variables and root biomass in tanoak. Bio-energy pilot study Dr. Pascal Berrill continued work on the Tree Farm bio-energy pilot study: Planting five tree species in a replicated test plot., Students from the Forest Restoration class and The Forest Environment class maintained and monitored the plots planted in Maintenance primarily consisted of weed control as there was considerable competition from weeds on the dry site. Other projects in 2011 Tree Farm as Educational Tool In addition to the faculty and graduate research the Tree Farm is a hands-on learning environment for many forestry courses. Introduction to Forest and The Environment (FOR 116), Forest Health & Protection (FOR 222), Wildland Fuels Management (FOR 423), and Forest Restoration (FOR 431) all made field trips to the L.W. Schatz Tree Farm as part of the course. In the spring 2011, Dr. Pascal Berrill s Forest Restoration (FOR431) class made trips to the L.W. Schatz Tree Farm for their applied restoration project at the L.W.Schatz Tree Farm. The student in FOR 431 made multiple visits to the Schatz Tree Farm over the course of the spring semester. FOR 116 and FOR 431 students have performed maintenance (primarily weed control) and monitoring during field trips to the Tree Farm. As part of FOR 425, the Wildland Fire Management Capstone, four students, Ben Duffle, Robert Herrera, Jesse Jones-Pittman and Daniel Padgett investigated Shaded Fuelbreaks on the L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree.

2011 Annual Report Page 3 Summer operations and maintenance in 2011 Significant maintenance and improvement projects were done over the Summer in 2011.

Projects completed include: Tree Farm building Mowed lawns and outer areas to reduce fire hazard. Cleaned shop, bathrooms and interior of the building.

Resupplied gas and oil for machines. All Terrain Vehicles were serviced and received new tires. General landscaping, including weeding, cleanup and mulching.

Tree Farm acreage Cleared storm debris and downed trees from roads, trails and culverts. Mowed roads, and turnouts as well as brush cut trails.

Potholes filled on roads with gravel. Located and cleared culvert inlets and areas around them. Cleaned up duck blind at the pond.

Research projects The entire Tree Farm crew continued their assistance with the Below -ground carbon storage in tanoak for Dr.

3 2011 Annual Report Page 3 Summer operations and maintenance in 2011 Significant maintenance and improvement projects were done over the Summer in Jeromy Couch, Lonnie Mauck and Alexander Taylor comprised the 2011 summer maintenance crew, along with Gordon Schatz, Tree Farm Manage. Projects completed include: Tree Farm building Mowed lawns and outer areas to reduce fire hazard. Cleaned shop, bathrooms and interior of the building. Cleaned walkway and gutters around the building. Saws and other power equipment brought into town for annual maintenance. Cleaned equipment shed and contents. Resupplied gas and oil for machines. All Terrain Vehicles were serviced and received new tires. General landscaping, including weeding, cleanup and mulching. Installed solar fan in the garage. HSU Plant Operation removed and replaced old beams. Touch up painting was done and the doors were re-finished. Tree Farm acreage Cleared storm debris and downed trees from roads, trails and culverts. Mowed roads, and turnouts as well as brush cut trails. Mowed and brush cut trails (ongoing). Worked on pond trail improvements. Removed brush and pruned trees along roadsides to improve visibility. Potholes filled on roads with gravel. Located and cleared culvert inlets and areas around them. Cleaned up duck blind at the pond. Shaded fuel break enhancement and pruning along roads and trails. Located and mapped stream drainages (see page 1 for story). Research projects The entire Tree Farm crew continued their assistance with the Below -ground carbon storage in tanoak for Dr. Pascal Berrill and his graduate student Brandon Namm. This included falling, yarding, slash dispersal and stump dissection. Summer operations and maintenance planned for 2012 Scenes from the Tree Farm. Continue improvements to the Tree Farm GIS database, including additional mapping of trails, streams and research projects at the Tree Farm. Install and put into service weather station purchased in 2011.

Page 4 L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Professor and Graduate Student Continue Study on Below-ground Carbon Storage in Tanoaks Cleaning the tanoak roots using pressurized power hose.

In 2011 graduate student Brandon Namm and Forestry Professor Pascal Berrill continued their work on the Below-ground Carbon Storage in Tanoaks (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) at the L.W.

The goal of the research projects was to estimate the below ground carbon storage of tan oaks by exploring the relationship between aboveground and belowground biomass and carbon content.

4 Page 4 L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Professor and Graduate Student Continue Study on Below-ground Carbon Storage in Tanoaks Cleaning the tanoak roots using pressurized power hose. Graduate student Brandon Namm beside a large tan oak root ball. Detailed excavations of roots in the eight cardinal directions outside the excavated area. In 2011 graduate student Brandon Namm and Forestry Professor Pascal Berrill continued their work on the Below-ground Carbon Storage in Tanoaks (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) at the L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm. The goal of the research projects was to estimate the below ground carbon storage of tan oaks by exploring the relationship between aboveground and belowground biomass and carbon content. In order to more accurately predict below ground biomass and carbon content, models describing root morphology in tanoak were identified and tested. The research also examined how belowground biomass and carbon content of tanoak (root -to-shoot biomass ratio) are related to variables such as stand density, species composition, and crown position. All of these variables were used to generate predictive models to help better predict below ground biomass and carbon storage in tanoaks. The pilot study was conducted in 2010 and included the excavation of three tanoaks on the Tree Farm property. Initial results concluded that root wood density did not change with size or distance from the stem, but the percent carbon did vary in relation to distance from the lignotuber. The increase in carbon and lack of change in wood density with distance from the lignotuber is contrary to aboveground findings that wood density decreases with increasing stem height. The preliminary study concluded that accounting for carbon and wood density at different locations in the root system allows for more accurate estimation of belowground carbon. In 2011, an additional nine tanoaks were selected for destructive sampling at the L.W. Schatz Tree Farm, producing a total of 12 tanoaks sampled. One of the challenges in estimating belowground biomass is that sampling all the coarse roots using destructive sample is very challenging. There are two approaches for estimating root biomass lost during sampling, the first is to regress individual roots biomass against their cross-sectional area. The second approach is to model root morphology. A series of models describing root morphology in tanoak were developed, including morphological models of main root segments, forks, and branches. The correlation between measured biomass of roots sampled beyond the excavated area and the predicted biomass obtained by the first method (regressing root biomass against cross sectional area) was much weaker than when using the morphological models to predict the biomass of roots measured beyond the excavated area. The application of morphological models produced more accurate estimates of unexcavated roots and improved the understanding of factors affecting biomass allocation within root systems. The sum of the excavated biomass, roots sampled beyond the excavated area, and predicted biomass of roots not sampled beyond the excavated area gave total belowground biomass for the 12 sample trees. This information was used to develop allometric equations to predict belowground biomass and carbon allocation in tanoaks. Allometric equations relate common forest inventory parameters (such as stem diameter, tree height, basal area) to biomass components (branches, stems,

5 2011 Annual Report Page 5 Professor and Graduate Student Continue Study on Below-ground Carbon Storage in Tanoaks Continued from page 4 roots). Allometric equations are useful tools for landowners as they produce estimates of belowground carbon mass with easily measurable parameters like diameter at breast height (DBH), or and basal area. The ratio of belowground biomass to aboveground biomass, or the root-to-shoot ratio, varies among species and can also be affected by environmental conditions. Tree height, crown volume, basal area (BA), stand density index (SDI), and dummy variables for crown position and multiple stemmed tanoak were tested as predictors of belowground biomass. Carbon storage was than predicted from the biomass estimates. Root-toshoot biomass ratio was more variable in tanoak than other species. The root-to-shoot ratio decreased with tree size and stand density, indicating that although large tanoaks in open stands stored the most biomass and carbon belowground, small open-grown tanoaks allocated the greatest proportion of their biomass belowground (Figure 1). Belowground carbon was mostly related to tree size but was also affected by stand density. The best model used only BA to predict belowground biomass and carbon. Tanoak tree basal area ex- Figure 1 -Tanoak root-to-shoot biomass ratio as a function of stem basal area with the min measured stand density index (SDI) of 175, mean SDI of 691 and max measured SDI of 1118 Figure 2 Belowground carbon mass regressed against basal area for 12 tanoaks excavated at the Tree Farm. plained 95% of the variation in belowground biomass and carbon storage (Figure 2). Allometric models of root carbon using DBH equation can be applied to forest inventory data to obtain carbon per hectare. Models of belowground carbon were applied to 0.04 ha plots previously measured at the excavation site. Inventory plots where tanoak represented one to 19% of the plots total BA had an average of 4.7 tons of belowground tanoak C ha-1 while plots with tanoak representing 33 to 100% of the total plot BA had an average of 58.7 tons of belowground tanoak C ha-1. Results of this research indicate that the development and application of morphological models to predict missing root biomass during subsampling is justified. Given the large area of tanoak-dominated stands in California, the results of this research project highlight the importance of tanoak in carbon storage and the potential magnitude of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) impacts on belowground carbon storage in California.

6 Page Annual Report Contact Information L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Department of Forestry & Wildland Resources Humboldt State University 1 Harpst St. Arcata, CA Phone: Fax: fwr@humboldt.edu Web site: schatztreefarm Tree Farm Advisory Committee Ken Fulgham, Chair, Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources Steve Smith, Dean, College of Natural Resources and Sciences John Stuart, Professor, Department of Forestry and Wildland Resources Tree Farm staff Gordon Schatz, Tree Farm Manager George Pease, Technician Gayleen Smith, Administrative Support Sara Hanna, Research Associate and Coordinator Jeromy Couch, Summer crew Lonnie Mauck, Summer crew Alexander Taylor, Summer crew Deparment of Forestry & Wildland Resources faculty members Pascal Berrill Ken Fulgham Han-Sup Han Susan Marshall Mahesh Rao Stephen Sillett John Stuart Andy Stubblefield Morgan Varner Research projects anticipated for 2012 Below-ground carbon storage in tanoak Dr. Pascal Berrill and his graduate student Brandon Namm will complete their project assessing the below ground biomass of tanaok. The pilot study began in 2010, and additional tanoaks were be sampled in 2011 to expand the study. Further research has focusedon whether stand-level variables have similar effect on belowground and aboveground carbon wood density. The study is expected to be completed in Bio-energy pilot study Dr. Pascal Berrill will continue work on the Tree Farm bio-energy pilot study: Planting five tree species in a replicated test plot. Dr. Berrill along with students from his Siliviculture (FOR 432) and Forest Restoration (FOR 431) class will continue to monitor and maintain the plots through hand weeding. Other projects planned for 2012 Tree Farm as outdoor classroom As in previous year, the Tree Farm will continue to be used for many forestry classes, there are many field trips already planned for 2012 Forest and The Environment (FOR 116): In spring semester 2012, students in the Forest and The Environment class will visit the Tree Farm. Forest Health and Protection (FOR 222): Students in the Forest Health and Protection class will visit the Tree Farm. Forest Restoration (FOR 431): Dr. Pascal Berrill and his Forest Restoration students will continue to maintain and monitor restoration sites at the Tree Farm. Nonindustrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP) Establish an NTMP for the Tree Farm by putting out a statewide call for bids to write a plan. Geographic Information System Continue improvements on the Tree Farm GIS database, including additional mapping of trails, streams and research projects at the Tree Farm. L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm The L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm s mission is to provide a demonstration tree farm operation for the benefit of the instructional and research needs of the students and faculty of Humboldt State University and as an example for owners of small timberland parcels. The Tree Farm enables experimentation and research regarding the growing, harvesting, and replacement of trees on timberland. The Tree Farm aims to utilize as many square feet as practical for production of commercial wood crops. The Tree Farm serves as an outdoor classroom for educational purposes and also enables public educational assistance to landowners through publications, photos, lectures, symposia, and tours.

L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Annual Report

L.W. Schatz Demonstration Tree Farm Annual Report 2012 Annual Report 2012 Annual Report Inside this report: Cover Story 1 Research and other projects in 2012 Summer operations & maintenance in 2012 Summer operations & maintenance planned for 2013 Research