RED ALDER STOCKTYPE PERFORMANCE TRIAL

RED ALDER STOCKTYPE PERFORMANCE TRIAL 2008 SEASON THREE REPORT Prepared for: Weyerhaeuser Northwest Hardwoods Division February 2009 Prepared by: Pacific Regeneration Technologies Inc. Alder\2008 report.doc

This report lists final measurements of the three year alder stock type growth performance, planted in spring 2006 in two blocks near Powell River. It is considered as an addendum to the two previous annual reports for 2006 and 2007. Trial Purpose: To evaluate Alder container stock types, alternate to the traditional Plug + Bare Root (). Nursery outdoor field growing conditions, primarily frost risk, were causing a variety of fall down problems, and greenhouse grown container stock types were believed to be more reliably delivered. Trial Layout: 2 replicates, each on a different Block near Powell River (total of 800 trees) within each replicate, 5 stock types (treatments) of 80 trees each, randomized within a layout of 20 rows of 20 trees (400 trees / replicate). Trialed stock types were: o 0.5+0.5: started in a PSB310B container and transplanted to bare root beds in mid season. Thereafter the seedlings are subject to outside growing conditions, including late season frosts, all of which make inventory maintenance difficult; o 1+0: containers 5 cm in diameter and 12 cm long. These were perhaps too short for Alder root systems; o 1+0: containers 5 cm diameter and 15 cm long. Prices are comparable to those for PBR stock. o 1+0: containers 6 cm diameter and 15 cm long; and o PSB815A 1+0: containers 8 cm diameter and 15 cm long. Trial Blocks were: NW579-006: ~ 15% slope, cold air draining, Bracken / Blackberry vegetation complex developed; and NW579-053: flat, frost collecting, with irregular depressions and seasonal flooding, Salmonberry vegetation complex developed. Planting Proximity: Rows were spaced 2 m apart and seedlings within the rows ~1 m apart in order to maintain site uniformity within the trial. This closeness forced compromises in planting spot quality as seedlings were planted too near residual slash and within wet depressions, particularly on Block NW579-053. Appendix 1 lists the stock type positions within the trial. Alder\2008 report.doc

3 rd Year Results: Appendix 2 contains 3 year summary measurement averages (pg 1) and graphs for the replicates combined (pg 2) and individually (pg 3, 4). Survival: Over all survival was low, due to: on both Blocks: planting too close to residual slash, with the subsequent rubbing damage => stem infections; and on the Block NW579-053: frost collection and seasonal flooding. Survival, within the Trial, was worst with the 0.5+0.5 s, 53% average vs 66% average for the PSB container stock types. Table 1. Survival to 2008 Avg of Trial Stock Type NW579-006 58% 69% 78% 63% 83% 70% NW579-053 49% 59% 59% 59% 61% 57% Average 53% 64% 68% 61% 72% 64% Average of Containers 66% Height Growth: Third year total heights were some 12% taller on Block NW579-006 than on NW579-053, apparently due to frost limiting growth on NW579-053. Growth was ~ 10% greater on planted trees outside of the trial on Block NW579-006 trial, apparently due to their being planted a safe distance from the residual slash. Growth of the outside trees on Block NW579-053 was equal to those inside the trial, apparently due to frost and flooding limitations on all seedlings. Table 2. Total Height (m) 2008: Average Avg of Trial Trees outside the trial Stock Type NW579-006 3.1 2.5 2.9 2.6 3.1 2.8 3.4 NW579-053 2.6 2.3 2.4 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.5 Average 2.9 2.4 2.7 2.6 2.8 2.7 2.9 Ground Collar Stem Diameter: Alder stem ground collar diameters are ~ 1/100 of height, resulting in a very slender, flexible stem, subject to bark rubbing and subsequent infection when planted too close to residual slash. For comparison, conifers are normally 1/50 and with a lower center of wind effort, and so better accept growing close slash. Alder\2008 report.doc

Table 3. Ground Collar Diameter (cm) 08: Average Avg of Trial Stock Type NW579-006 3.1 2.5 3.0 3.3 3.4 2.9 NW579-053 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.6 2.6 Average 2.9 2.5 2.8 2.6 3.0 2.7 Crown Diameter: Crown Diameters were uniformly ~ 1/2 of height, providing a large sail area, high on the stem, which causes these thin trees to move dramatically in the wind, resulting in substantial stem rubbing on residual slash closer than 10 cm from the trees. Table 4. Crown Diameter (m) 08: Average Avg of Trial Stock Type NW579-006 1.6 1.2 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.5 NW579-053 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.3 1.3 Average 1.5 1.3 1.4 1.4 1.5 1.4 Conclusions: Growth was not significantly different between treatments for the surviving trees. PSB stock can be grown more reliably by the nurseries than PBR's with closer delivery to order numbers and less frost damage from pre-lift frosts. Alder\2008 report.doc

2009/Feb/24 Appendix 1. Layout of Alder Stock Type Performance Trials, Powell River, BC, plant spring 2006 Stock Type by Row Number Site Tree# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 NW 579 006 1 615A 615A 512A 512A 715A 512A 512A 615A 515A 515A 615A 715A 715A 615A 515A 715A 615A 515A 615A 615A NW 579 006 2 310B 310B 310B 515A 310B 512A 512A 512A 310B 310B 512A 615A 310B 715A 615A 615A 715A 715A 310B 715A NW 579 006 3 715A 512A 615A 512A 515A 515A 515A 515A 615A 615A 515A 512A 512A 310B 310B 310B 512A 615A 615A 310B NW 579 006 4 515A 515A 615A 615A 512A 615A 615A 715A 715A 715A 310B 515A 615A 512A 715A 512A 615A 310B 310B 512A NW 579 006 5 512A 715A 515A 715A 515A 715A 715A 715A 512A 515A 715A 310B 515A 310B 515A 310B 310B 512A 715A 515A NW 579 006 6 310B 310B 512A 310B 310B 310B 310B 310B 515A 512A 512A 715A 310B 715A 512A 715A 715A 512A 512A 715A NW 579 006 7 615A 715A 310B 615A 715A 512A 512A 615A 310B 515A 515A 310B 615A 615A 615A 515A 515A 515A 515A 512A NW 579 006 8 515A 515A 715A 310B 512A 515A 515A 515A 615A 310B 615A 615A 715A 515A 615A 615A 615A 615A 310B 615A NW 579 006 9 715A 512A 512A 512A 615A 615A 615A 512A 515A 715A 512A 515A 512A 310B 515A 512A 310B 310B 515A 615A NW 579 006 10 310B 615A 515A 515A 310B 310B 310B 615A 310B 310B 310B 512A 512A 615A 512A 310B 512A 715A 310B 512A NW 579 006 11 615A 515A 615A 512A 515A 715A 715A 515A 715A 715A 615A 715A 515A 715A 715A 715A 515A 512A 515A 515A NW 579 006 12 512A 512A 310B 615A 715A 512A 512A 310B 310B 615A 515A 512A 310B 515A 512A 515A 715A 310B 615A 715A NW 579 006 13 515A 715A 715A 715A 512A 310B 310B 715A 515A 515A 715A 715A 615A 515A 615A 615A 715A 515A 715A 310B NW 579 006 14 615A 512A 512A 310B 615A 615A 615A 512A 512A 512A 715A 310B 615A 615A 715A 512A 515A 615A 310B 715A NW 579 006 15 310B 615A 615A 515A 515A 715A 715A 715A 615A 715A 310B 615A 310B 512A 310B 515A 615A 515A 512A 310B NW 579 006 16 512A 310B 515A 310B 310B 515A 515A 515A 715A 615A 515A 515A 715A 715A 515A 715A 512A 310B 715A 615A NW 579 006 17 715A 515A 615A 615A 512A 512A 512A 310B 310B 310B 512A 515A 515A 310B 310B 515A 310B 715A 515A 515A NW 579 006 18 310B 715A 310B 715A 715A 615A 615A 615A 715A 512A 615A 715A 512A 715A 512A 310B 512A 512A 310B 512A NW 579 006 19 615A 715A 515A 515A 615A 715A 715A 715A 512A 515A 515A 512A 515A 512A 515A 615A 715A 715A 512A 715A NW 579 006 20 715A 515A 715A 512A 715A 515A 310B 512A 615A 310B 512A 515A 512A 310B 615A 310B 615A 512A 615A 615A NW 579 053 1 615A 615A 512A 512A 715A 512A 512A 615A 515A 515A 615A 715A 715A 310B 515A 310B 615A 515A 615A 615A NW 579 053 2 310B 310B 310B 515A 310B 512A 512A 512A 310B 310B 512A 615A 310B 512A 615A 615A 715A 715A 310B 715A NW 579 053 3 715A 512A 615A 512A 515A 515A 515A 515A 615A 615A 515A 512A 512A 715A 715A 310B 512A 615A 615A 310B NW 579 053 4 515A 515A 615A 615A 512A 615A 615A 715A 715A 715A 310B 515A 615A 310B 310B 515A 615A 310B 310B 512A NW 579 053 5 512A 715A 515A 715A 515A 715A 715A 715A 512A 515A 715A 310B 515A 715A 515A 715A 310B 512A 715A 515A NW 579 053 6 310B 310B 512A 310B 310B 310B 310B 310B 515A 512A 512A 715A 310B 512A 512A 515A 715A 512A 512A 715A NW 579 053 7 615A 715A 310B 615A 715A 512A 512A 615A 310B 515A 515A 310B 615A 615A 615A 512A 515A 515A 515A 512A NW 579 053 8 515A 515A 715A 310B 512A 515A 515A 515A 615A 310B 615A 615A 715A 515A 615A 615A 615A 615A 310B 615A NW 579 053 9 715A 512A 512A 512A 615A 615A 615A 512A 515A 715A 512A 515A 512A 515A 515A 515A 310B 310B 515A 615A NW 579 053 10 310B 615A 515A 515A 310B 310B 310B 615A 310B 310B 310B 512A 512A 715A 512A 715A 512A 715A 310B 512A NW 579 053 11 615A 515A 615A 512A 515A 715A 715A 515A 715A 715A 615A 715A 515A 615A 715A 310B 515A 512A 515A 515A NW 579 053 12 512A 512A 310B 615A 715A 512A 512A 310B 310B 615A 515A 512A 310B 310B 512A 512A 715A 310B 615A 715A NW 579 053 13 515A 715A 715A 715A 512A 310B 310B 715A 515A 515A 715A 715A 615A 515A 615A 615A 715A 515A 715A 310B NW 579 053 14 615A 512A 512A 310B 615A 615A 615A 512A 512A 512A 715A 310B 615A 615A 715A 515A 515A 615A 310B 715A NW 579 053 15 310B 615A 615A 515A 515A 715A 715A 715A 615A 715A 310B 615A 310B 715A 310B 715A 615A 515A 512A 310B NW 579 053 16 512A 310B 515A 310B 310B 515A 515A 515A 715A 615A 515A 515A 715A 310B 515A 310B 512A 310B 715A 615A NW 579 053 17 715A 515A 615A 615A 512A 512A 512A 310B 310B 310B 512A 515A 515A 512A 512A 512A 310B 715A 515A 515A NW 579 053 18 310B 715A 310B 715A 715A 615A 615A 615A 715A 512A 615A 715A 512A 310B 310B 310B 512A 512A 310B 512A NW 579 053 19 615A 715A 515A 515A 615A 715A 715A 715A 512A 515A 515A 512A 515A 715A 515A 615A 715A 715A 512A 715A NW 579 053 20 715A 515A 715A 512A 715A 515A 310B 512A 615A 310B 512A 515A 512A 615A 615A 715A 615A 512A 615A 615A H:\All FIA\FIA-Weyerhaeuser\Projects\6741004 Red Alder stock trials\tendering\alder Summary Table 0912Appx1.xls

Survival Trees Survival % Site StkType S07 S08 F08 Sprng 07 Sprng 08 Fall 08 NW 579 00PBR 310B 52 52 46 65% 65% 58% 59 57 55 74% 71% 69% 62 61 62 78% 76% 78% 57 56 50 71% 70% 63% Survival Combined 69 67 66 86% 84% 83% Trees Survival % NW 579 006 Total 299 293 279 75% 73% 70% S07 S08 F08 Sprg 07 Sprg 08 Fall 08 NW 579 05 40 38 39 50% 48% 49% 92 90 85 58% 56% 53% 47 43 47 59% 54% 59% 106 100 102 66% 63% 64% 52 45 47 65% 56% 59% 114 106 109 71% 66% 68% 46 46 47 58% 58% 59% 103 102 97 64% 64% 61% 45 48 49 56% 60% 61% 114 115 115 71% 72% 72% NW 579 053 Total 230 220 229 58% 55% 57% 529 513 508 66% 64% 64% Grand Total 529 513 508 66% 64% 64% Heights (m) RCD's (cm) Crown Dia (m) Site StkType 06 Incrmt Nursery Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 07 Fall 08 NW 579 00 0.35 0.31 0.43 0.29 0.77 0.60 1.80 1.52 3.09 2.53 0.93 2.22 1.95 3.04 2.54 1.16 0.90 1.61 1.25 0.36 0.38 0.74 1.84 2.91 0.94 2.14 3.00 1.58 0.41 0.36 0.76 1.70 2.55 2.13 3.31 1.10 1.48 0.47 0.42 0.88 1.97 3.13 1.13 2.45 3.46 1.14 1.68 NW 579 006 Total 0.38 0.37 0.75 1.77 2.84 2.18 3.08 1.06 1.52 NW 579 05 0.46 0.37 0.83 1.69 2.65 0.93 1.84 2.64 0.87 1.38 0.42 0.35 0.78 1.56 2.36 0.90 1.71 2.39 0.73 1.26 0.42 0.32 0.74 1.58 2.43 0.85 1.68 2.52 0.79 1.33 0.44 0.28 0.72 1.73 2.70 0.92 1.89 2.63 0.88 1.41 0.43 0.26 0.70 1.60 2.57 0.87 1.84 2.58 0.92 1.28 NW 579 053 Total 0.43 0.32 0.75 1.63 2.55 0.89 1.79 2.56 0.84 1.34 Grand Total 0.41 0.35 0.75 1.70 2.69 0.95 1.98 2.81 0.95 1.43 Combined 0.40 0.80 1.74 2.87 0.97 2.03 2.84 1.01 1.50 Averages 0.32 0.69 1.54 2.45 0.91 1.83 2.47 0.82 1.26 0.35 0.74 1.71 2.67 0.89 1.91 2.76 0.89 1.45 0.32 0.74 1.72 2.63 0.96 2.01 2.97 0.99 1.45 0.34 0.79 1.79 2.85 2.14 3.02 1.03 1.48 Average 0.35 0.75 1.70 2.69 0.95 1.99 2.81 0.95 1.43

Survival Comparison, 2 sites combined Height Growth Comparison, 2 sites combined Survival 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Sprng 07 Sprng 08 Fall 08 PBR 310B Height (m) 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Nursery Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Ground Level Stem Diameter Comparison, 2 sites combined Crown Diameter Comparison, 2 sites combined 3.50 1.80 Stem Diameter (cm) 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50 0.50 Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Crown Diameter (m) 1.60 1.40 1.20 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 Fall 07 Fall 08

Survival Comparison, Blk NW 579-006 with uniform slope and mesic conditions Survival Comparison, Blk NW 579-053 with frost, depressions and seasonal flooding Survival 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Sprng 07 Sprng 08 Fall 08 PBR 310B Survival 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Sprng 07 Sprng 08 Fall 08 Height Growth Comparison, Blk NW 579-006 with uniform slope and mesic conditions Height Growth Comparison, Blk NW 579-053 with frost, depressions and seasonal flooding 3.5 3.5 3.0 3.0 Height (m) 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 Height (m) 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Nursery Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 0.0 Nursery Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08

Ground Level Stem Diameter Comparison, Blk NW 579-006 Ground Level Stem Diameter Comparison, Blk NW 579-053 4.00 3.50 Stem Diameter (cm) 3.50 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50 0.50 Stem Diameter (cm) 3.00 2.50 2.00 1.50 0.50 Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Crown Diameter Comparison, Blk NW 579-006 Crown Diameter Comparison, Blk NW 579-053 Crown Diameter (m) 1.80 1.60 1.40 1.20 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 Crown Diameter (m) 1.80 1.60 1.40 1.20 0.80 0.60 0.40 0.20 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 07 Fall 08