Thinning increases growth of 60-year-old cherry-maple stands in West Virginia

Neil I. Lamson; Neil I. Lamson

doi:10.2737/NE-RP-571

Treesearch

Thinning increases growth of 60-year-old cherry-maple stands in West Virginia

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Neil I. Lamson, Neil I. Lamson

Year:

1985

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Northern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/NE-RP-571

Source:

Res. Pap. NE-571. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 8 P.

Download (PDF 1.58 MB)

Download (PDF 1.58 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/21725.pdf

Abstract

In north-central West Virginia, previously unmanaged 60-year-old cherrymaple stands were thinned to 60 percent relative stand density. Thinning reduced mortality, redistributed growth onto fewer, larger stems, and increased individual tree growth. Five-year periodic basal-area growth per acre was 1.2 times greater in thinned stands than in unthinned stands. Periodic basal-area growth of,individual trees was greater in thinned stands than in controls: 3.0 times for all stems and 1.3 times for dominants and codominants. Relative stand density in the thinned stands increased 1.6 percent annually.

Keywords

thinning, diameter increment, volume increment, Allegheny hardwoods

Citation

Lamson, Neil I. 1985. Thinning increases growth of 60-year-old cherry-maple stands in West Virginia. Res. Pap. NE-571. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 8 P.