Many ways to manage lodgepole pine forests

Abstract

Research underway at the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest near White Sulphur Springs will provide insights on how to sustain lodgepole pine forests and water flow patterns over large areas. Lodgepole pine dominates a high percentage of forests in the northern Rocky Mountains. including the Bitterroot National Forest. About half the stands at Tenderfoot are two-aged, resulting from previous fires of mixed severity. However, nearly 110 years have passed since the last major fire. Many of the trees are aging and becoming increasingly susceptible to damage from strong winds, winler kill from rapid and extreme temperature fluctuations, and wildfire.

Citation

Solorzano, Lucia. 1997. Many ways to manage lodgepole pine forests. In: Eco-Report: Bitterroot Ecosystem Management Research Project. Missoula, MT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Summer: 5.