Quality response of even-aged 80-year-old white oak trees after thinning

David L. Sonderman

doi:10.2737/NE-RP-543

Treesearch

Quality response of even-aged 80-year-old white oak trees after thinning

Informally Refereed

Authors:

David L. Sonderman

Year:

1984

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Northern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/NE-RP-543

Source:

Res. Pap. NE-543. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiement Station. 6p.

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Abstract

Stem defects were studied over an 18-year period to determine the effect of thinning intensity on quality development of 80-year-old white oak trees. Seventy-nine white oak trees from a thinning study in Kentucky were analyzed from stereo photographs taken in 1960 and 1978. Stem-related defects were measured on the butt 8-foot and second 8-foot sections of each tree. The number of defects per square foot of surface area increased significantly at the heaviest thinning level. The data suggest that heavy thinning has a detrimental effect on potential stem quality.

Keywords

Silviculture, thinning, bole quality

Citation

Sonderman, David L. 1984. Quality response of even-aged 80-year-old white oak trees after thinning. Res. Pap. NE-543. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiement Station. 6p.