Released advance reproduction of white and red fir. . . growth, damage, mortality

Abstract

Advance reproduction of white fir and red fir released by cutting overmature over-story was studied at the Swain Mountain Experimental Forest in northern California, at 6,300 feet elevation. Seedling and sapling height growth before logging was only 0.1-0.2 foot per year. Five years after cutting, seedling and sapling height growth had accelerated to about 0.5 to 0.8 foot annually, with better trees growing 0.9-1.1 foot. Radial growth rate at ground level increased from 70 to 100 rings pet inch to 7 to 12 rings; some trees grew 2 to 4 rings. Damage to advance reproduction was caused by logging, snow or ice, and several miscellaneous agents. Mortality after cutting was attributable mostly to logging damage and to effects of competition and drought. Vigor of dominant released trees increased greatly after cutting, with milacre stocking about 50 percent.

Citation

Gordon, Donald T. 1973. Released advance reproduction of white and red fir. . . growth, damage, mortality. Res. Paper PSW-RP-95. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 12 p