Argonne Experimental Forest

The Argonne Experimental Forest has been instrumental in supplying research results that influence regional management of northern hardwoods since it was established in 1947.

Climate

The climate is continental, with an average annual temperature of 5 °C. Summer maximums of 32 °C are common and winter minimums can reach -40 °C. Average annual rainfall is 813 mm, mostly occurring during the growing season. Snowfall averages 1,524 mm per year. The growing season averages about 100 days.

Soils

Three soil types dominate the Argonne: Iron River loam, Carbondale peat, and Tawas sand.

Vegetation

The vegetation types vary according to the soil type. The Iron River loam supports northern hardwoods dominated by sugar maple, yellow birch, basswood, and hemlock. Other species found mixed in this type are white ash, black cherry, quaking aspen, northern red oak, and American hornbeam. The Carbondale peat supports mixed lowland conifers dominated by black spruce and tamarack. Jack and red pine, quaking aspen, and paper birch dominate the Tawas sand. Most stands of trees on the Argonne are second-growth and even-aged, though there are small areas of old-growth northern hardwoods on the forest.

There are small storage buildings (without heat or power) on site.

Lat. 45°45′ N, long. 89°0′ W

Research, Past and Present

Research on the Argonne began in 1947. The primary objectives of most studies are to learn how to bring second-growth northern hardwoods under management. The cutting methods study (comparing nine different types of cutting) is replicated and is the highest priority study on the forest.

In 2008, a new collaboration was established with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to study silvicultural treatments to promote characteristics of old-growth forests in second-growth forests.

Major Research Accomplishments and Effects on Management

Information from studies on the Argonne has been used to develop management guides for northern hardwood forests in the Lake States. These guides are widely applied throughout the region. The Argonne also serves as an excellent demonstration to landowners in the area and to land managers interested in managing northern hardwoods.

Research Opportunities

There are opportunities to use the long-term dataset in creative ways, collaborate on developing old-growth characteristics, and tree marking. There are two 1-ha marteloscopes available for teaching and training.