Treesearch

This report summarizes the data from the first intensive inventory of the forests in the Susitna Valley, Alaska, conducted during the period 1964-65. The primary purposes of the inventory were to determine the total area of forested lands, the commercial forest area and timber volume, and the condition and growth of this resource, and to report on these findings. Board-foot volumes, unless otherwise stated, are derived from the International 1/4-inch log rule (defined on p. 25.).

MOST OF YOUR DAILY CONCERNS IN FOREST REGENERATION are biologic, technologic, and mechanical. But periodically, perhaps once a year, many of you must consider regeneration in a context that includes alternative uses for the financial resources you have.

This report will describe the effect of self-, cross-, and open- or wind-pollination on seed and seedling production of 19 ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) trees in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains south of Bend, Oreg. The study is part of a continuing investigation of self-fertility in several conifers growing in the Pacific Northwest to evaluate the effect of inbreeding on fertility and vigor and to provide information which may be useful in regeneration and tree improvement programs in these species.

Washington's timber harvest increased slightly in 1969 to a 40-year high of 7 billion board feet. This is slightly below the record timber harvest of 7.38 billion board feet established in 1829. Private timberland owners in western Washington increased their production 10.9 percent, accounting for most of the increase in the 1969 total harvest. In eastern Washington, private harvest declined 4.6 percent from the 1968 mark. On a statewide basis, forest industries increased their timber harvest by 214 million board feet (6.9 percent) and other private owners increased their harvest by 161...

This is an attempt to characterize forest fire fuels in a new way. The immediate purpose is to provide means for recognizing and tentatively evaluating, in the field, the fire spread potential and the crowning potential of fuels on the basis of readily observed characteristics without need for prior technical knowledge of vegetation or experience with fire. The medium employed is the dichotomous key, familiar to natural scientists; this is supplemented by a vocabulary of newly defined terms for describing fuel characteristics. The ultimate goal is to establish the framework for a permanent,...

Survival and apparent vigor of Douglas-fir seedlings were compared after: (1) hoe planting of root-trimmed seedlings; (2) as above plus manual site preparation; (3) auger planting of untrimmed seedlings. After two growing seasons, surviving with method (3) but not (2) was significantly greater than survival with method (1). After the third season, survival differences were no longer statistically significant.· Survival percentages were 40, 52, and 60 for methods (1), (2), and (3), respectively; and 50, 85, and 67 percent of the survivors were judged healthy. These results are discussed in...

Disposal of logging slash is one of the forest manager's biggest problems. If slash is not disposed of, a serious fire hazard may result, and regeneration may be prevented because of an inadequate seedbed or resistance to planting. Foresters can dispose of slash by burning or by generally more expensive mechanical methods such as chipping. Over much of the West, however, burning is risky during the hot, dry summer months, and slash may be too wet to burn during the fall or winter. A water-repellent coating sprayed on might help keep the slash dry until conditions are safe for burning.

The first year after slash was burned on a 237-acre clearcut watershed in the Cascade Range of Oregon, average maximum water temperatures increased 13°, 14°, and 12°F, during June, July, and August. A maximum stream temperature of 75°F. persisted for 3 hours on a day in July.

Fine-fuel moisture content tables, using dry bulb and dewpoint temperatures as entry data, have been developed for use with the National Fire-Danger Rating System in Alaska. Comparisons have been made which illustrate differences resulting from danger-rating calculations based on these new fine-fuel moisture content tables for the cured, transition, and green herbaceous stages of fuel are provided.

Animal damage to conifers is a timely topic in the Pacific Northwest. Foresters in this Region are increasingly concerned and perplexed by damage caused by animals to natural and planted seedlings and larger growing stock. Nearly every animal inhabiting for st land is believed to injure seedlings and small trees to some degree. Mice girdle small trees, and bears girdle larger ones. Pocket gophers pull seedlings down into their burrows, and elk pull them up out of the ground. Hare and rabbits clip trees near the soil surface, and mountain beaver cut them several feet up the stem.