Growth and mortality after regeneration cuttings in old-growth redwood

Abstract

To convert old-growth redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) to younger managed stands, three types of regeneration cuttings are being tried at the Redwood Experimental Forest, northern California: clearcutting, shelterwood, and selection cutting. Logging mortality was heavy for all tree sizes and greatest where the heaviest cuts were made. The large size of a negative net growth of sawtimber on selection cuttings is attributed to mortality during a 10-year postlogging period. Net growth was slightly negative on shelterwood cuttings. By the end of the 10 years, basal area growth for saplings on all cuttings was significant. Because of well-stocked reproduction, growth is expected to accelerate–especially on clearcuttings and to a lesser extent on shelterwood cuttings.

Citation

Boe, Kenneth N. 1974. Growth and mortality after regeneration cuttings in old-growth redwood. Res. Paper PSW-RP-104. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 13 p