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Abstract
Regeneration of coast redwood by stump sprouting often results in a stand condition that is very dense. A precommercial thinning of redwood sprouts allows managers to select trees and spacing that can best utilize the productivity of the site. The study of five thinning treatments with an unthinned control was initiated on a 19-year old third growth stand. Treatments were 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 trees per acre plus an unthinned control. All 18 plots were measured in 1981 immediately after precommercial thinning, again in 1986 (5-year growth), and again in 1998 (12-year growth). Results indicated that despite the range of thinning, the 38-year-old stand showed no statistical differences in volume growth or yield between the thinning treatments. Heavily thinned treatments concentrated more growth on fewer trees to match the stand volume growth in the lightly thinned treatments. A trend appears to be developing that indicates a drop in stand productivity for the heaviest thinning and the control. More time is needed to determine if the trend will continue.
Parent Publication
Citation
Lindquist, James. 2007. Precommercial Stocking Control of Coast Redwood at Caspar Creek, Jackson Demonstration State Forest. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Giusti, Gregory A.; Valachovic, Yana; Zielinski, William J.; Furniss, Michael J., technical editors. 2007. Proceedings of the redwood region forest science symposium: What does the future hold? Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-194. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 295-304
