Treesearch

Direct seeding has economic and silvicultural advantages over planted seedlings. To see if three selected timber species could be direct-seeded, trials were held at Kulani Camp, island of Hawaii. After 1 year, lemon-gum eucalyptus had fair stocking and height growth, but redwood and brushbox had not progressed satisfactorily. Mulch had no real effect on either stocking or height growth of any species.

Effect of shade on 2-0 red fir seedlings outplanted on the Tahoe National Forest, central California, was studied by comparing five treatments: no shade, low shade for 1 year and for 2 years, and high shade for 1 year and for 2 years. Seedlings benefited from shading-even under apparently excellent survival conditions in the first season. The extra cost of artificial shades may be worthwhile under some conditions.

A species with little commercial value, firetree (Myrica faya Ait.) infests several islands of Hawaii. A test of replacing herbicide-killed firetrees by underplanting selected timber species is underway. Among the seven species planted, Austrailan toon-on the basis of its initial survival and growth-shows the most promise for reforestation. Falling limbs and stems from dead firetrees are damaging many planted trees, but probably enough will survive to develop a productive forest cover.

Sugar pine and ponderosa pine seedlings in the Sierra Nevada, California, with stems bent by heavy snow loads were photographed the next summer and 10 years later. The photographs show that all trees recovered, leaving no permanent stem crook.

Chamise shrubs in southern California were analyzed for the physical characteristics known to affect fire behavior, such as density, fuel loading, and fuel bed porosity. Considerable variation was found, but results are helpful in developing estimates of chamise fuel characteristics for fire control under field conditions.

Smoke from slash burns in the Cascade Mountains during a 3-day period ofstable air conditions at lower elevations in October 1969 added little to existing air pollution in the Willamette Valley, in western Oregon. Aerial observations and weather data analysis determined that slash smoke dispersed eastward — away from the Valley. Studies of this type can help improve slash smoke management and suggest the need for further research.

Two species of dwarf mistletoe were studied: Arceuthobium abietinum (Engelm.) Hawksworth and Wiens and A. occidentale Engelm. Viability of fresh seeds was high and not significantly influenced by year of collection, where collected, or plant from which collected. Temperature affected viability most noticeably. It also significantly affected rate and percentage of seed germination. Longevity of radicles of germinated seeds was inversely proportional to temperatures above 5°C.

Changes in condition that may have been caused by recreational use, from 1961 to 1966, at five campgrounds in three widely separated locations in California were studied by measuring four variables: vegetation, plant litter, interunit screening, and overstory cover. The increase in vegetation after 5 years was attributed to barriers placed in campgrounds and to greater precipitation. The overall improvement in campground conditions is interpreted as an "adjustment" to recreational use.

The number of potential burning days and the potential burn acreage under smoke control restrictions were estimated for hypothetical forest areas on both sides of a pollution prone area, the Willamette Valley in western Oregon. On the basis of a sample of 2 dry years, the greatest impact on burning operations applied to low elevation forests west of the Valley. The study indicates that considerable burning can be accomplished under the assumed air quality restrictions. In some areas, however, it may be necessary to consider other alternatives for coping with logging residue.

The campaign to disseminate fire prevention information has for some years relied heavily on a belief in the efficacy of television. Consequently, numerous public service films on fire prevention have been produced and beamed over commercial television channels in the hopes of achieving a reduction in the number of man-caused forest fires. Television continues to be used for this purpose despite a paucity of knowledge about its actual effectiveness in general, or about the effectiveness of various presentation techniques in particular.