Treesearch

It is proposed that pre-commercial thinning of young northern hardwood, oak, white pine and spruce-fir stands be carried out using appropriate stocking guides to regulate stand density. Thinning should be carried out when stands are-between 1" and 2" dbh. Pruning of eastern white pine is recommended, while pruning of spruce and yellow birch seems feasible, markets for the better grades must be present. Application of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium fertilizer does not appear to warrant general use at present. More research is required to determine growth response of the various...

In this overview of the status of reforestation in the northeastern United States, the applicability of natural regeneration is compared to planting and direct seeding. Foresters are urged to conduct careful planning of reforestation and to use harvesting as a silvicultural tool. Landowners are cautioned against the use of clearcutting unless they are prepared to use artificial regeneration measures. Research in the economics of reforestation options is recommended and the importance of forest genetics research to the regeneration phase of intensive forest management is emphasized.

Two direct-seeding experiments were established to determine the effect of time of seeding (spring 1962 versus fall 1962), type of seedbed (prepared versus unprepared), and species (red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) versus white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss)) upon the success attained in the reforestation of a pine-barren site and a recently burned-over forest site in eastern Maine. A split-split-plot experiment with 0.75-acre treatment plots was replicated three times on each site. Seedbeds on the pine barren were prepared by disking with a Rome disk harrow and seedbeds on the burn, by...

Estimates of nutrient losses are compared for stem-only harvest versus a whole-tree harvest of a clearcut northern hardwood stand. Combined nutrient losses due to increased leaching and removal of vegetation after stem-only harvesting are estimated to be 334 kg/ha for calcium and 265 kg/ha for nitrogen. For a whole-tree harvest, combined losses are estimated at 537 kg/ha for calcium and 486 kg/ha for nitrogen. Replenishment of available calcium and nitrogen could be a problem, depending upon the rate of soil mineralization and natural replacement.

In preparation for intensive logging mechanization and for the subsequent silvicultural treatments of clearcut areas the Woodland Division of Georgia-Pacific Corporation started a pre-commercial thinning trials in young softwood and mixed wood stands during the spring and early summer of 1970. Pre-commercial thinnings were intended to be a backbone of a large scale silvicultural system which relied upon natural regeneration of clearcut areas and early thinning of subsequent pre-merchantable stands. It was hoped that through this cycle of treatments the average diameter growth occurring on...

While there have been major technological developments in regional agriculture and forest harvesting and in intensive forest management in the Southern pine region and the Pacific Northwest, the application and development of intensive forest management has lagged in the Northeast. Some of the characteristics of low, medium and high yield forestry are presented and recent developments in operational and managerial technology are reviewed. It is concluded that we do have operational "hardware" for more intensive forest management, although mechanization could be further advanced. However,...

Over the medium and long run timber can provide a major contribution to improving the balance of payments caused by the increase in oil prices. It can do so without causing severe shortages at home. This is basically the position held by most senior executives in the forest industry and I'll try to discuss briefly some of the factors necessary to fulfillment of their prognosis.

Several recent studies show that U.S. timber markets are likely to grow rapidly in the next few decades. Part of the rising demand can be met by increasing the utilization of the timber harvested and more efficient manufacturing and construction processes. In addition, part of the increase can probably be supplied by rises in net imports, particularly at higher price levels. However, it seems clear that to meet prospective increases in demand much beyond the 1970's, it will be necessary to grow more timber in domestic forests. There are opportunities for increasing supplies from all...

Forty-eight percent of the total land area of Kentucky is forest. Sixty-three percent of this forest land is the oak-hickory forest type and 47 percent of the forest area supports sawtimber stands. There has been a 23-percent increase in the volume of growing stock and a 24-percent increase in the volume of sawtimber since the 1963 inventory. Total volume of growing stock is 11.4 billion cubic feet, and the sawtimber component is 27.6 billion board feet.

The diameter growth rate of pruned trees increased the second year after pruning, whereas the diameter growth of unpruned trees was not as fast during the second year. Diameter growth rate was positively correlated with the height to which all branches were pruned. After the pruning shock of the first year, trees pruned to 50 percent of their height showed the greatest cumulative growth in diameter.