Is mastication right for your site? Science-based decision trees for forest managers

Abstract

Mastication reduces forest vegetation into small chunks by grinding, shredding, or chopping material with specialized equipment. The type of equipment varies from using a front-end to a boom-mounted rotary blade to a drum-type head. Forest managers use mastication to remove competition, prepare a site for regeneration, release sapling-sized trees, and convert ladder fuels to surface fuels. This Science You Can Use article describes the potential benefits of mastication as a forest management tool, presented in the form of a set of decision trees that can guide land managers in choosing the right treatment option for a particular site and management objective. Depending on the management objective, if mastication is an option, then a thorough site evaluation includes consideration of slope, nonnative species invasions, vulnerability of soils to erode or compact, and treatment costs. Jain and colleagues also provide a land manager’s perspective, with useful insights on the benefits as well as the limitations of mastication as a forest management tool. Operator experience can be one of the most important factors in determining outcomes; so we’ve included conversations with several veteran machine operators who speak to the challenges of mastication work.

Citation

McDaniel, Josh; Jain, Theresa; Heffernan, Chris; Saralecos, Andrew; Kinyon, Roger. 2020. Is mastication right for your site? Science-based decision trees for forest managers. Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 45. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 10 p.