Damage from wind and other causes in mixed white fir-red fir stands adjacent to clearcuttings

Abstract

Damage to timber surrounding clearcuttings and in one light selection cutting in mixed white fir-red fir stands was monitored for 6 years in northeastern California. In some years, bark beetles apparently killed more trees than did wind damage, but in two of the study years, severe wind storms caused much damage. One storm produced mainly break-age, apparently influenced by snow load. The other, a hurricane, produced mainly wind-throw. Relation of damage to tree size, crown class, and relative location reveals some trends. Study of height of breaks suggests that a mechanical stress point is influenced by tree size and crown class and other factors. Snow was the third most prevalent cause of damage, but applied only to smaller trees. Some indications for management of fir stands can be found in study results.

Citation

Gordon, Donald T. 1973. Damage from wind and other causes in mixed white fir-red fir stands adjacent to clearcuttings. Res. Paper PSW-RP-90. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Forest & Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 22 p