Coast Live Oak Thinning Study in the Central Coast of California-Fifth-Year Results

Abstract

A long-term thinning study was established in ten stands of coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia Née) in the Central Coast of California. Information about diameter, basal area, and volume growth and yield has been obtained from unthinned control plots and from plots thinned to 50 and 100 square feet of basal area per acre measured in 1984 and 1989. Both basal area and total volume growth percentages were significantly greater in the thinned plots compared to the control plots. A preliminary economic analysis indicates the potential for modest returns on a thinning operation similar to this study. The possibility of increased production of forage following thinning was less promising due to residual canopy covers of 50 pct and greater on thinned plots.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the symposium on oak woodlands and hardwood rangeland management; October 31 - November 2, 1990; Davis, California

Citation

Pillsbury, Norman H.; Joseph, John P. 1991. Coast Live Oak Thinning Study in the Central Coast of California-Fifth-Year Results. In: Standiford, Richard B., tech. coord. 1991. Proceedings of the symposium on oak woodlands and hardwood rangeland management; October 31 - November 2, 1990; Davis, California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-126. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 320-332