Short- and long-term growth responses of northern Rocky Mountain conifers to varying thinning intensities

Abstract

Moist mixed-conifer forests of the northern Rocky Mountains often contain thousands of stems per acre following stand-replacing disturbance. Many of these trees are shade tolerant species such as grand fir and western hemlock, even though current management objectives aim to increase density of early seral species such as western larch. Managers are faced with questions on how best to manage these overstocked stands and thinning is often a proposed solution. Knowledge on changes in stand structure over long periods of time following thinning are limited in these forests. This study applied various thinning intensities to 27-yearold naturally regenerated stands on the Priest River Experimental Forest. The study was resurrected in 2017 when 50-year post-thinning measurements were collected.

Parent Publication

• Foundational concepts in silviculture with emphasis on reforestation and early stand improvement - 2022 National Silviculture Workshop

Citation

Nelson, Andrew S.; Jain, Theresa B.; Foard, Meghan B.; Shen, Chenchen; Harley, Grant. 2022. Short- and long-term growth responses of northern Rocky Mountain conifers to varying thinning intensities. In: Jain, Theresa B.; Schuler, Thomas M. [comp.]. Foundational concepts in silviculture with emphasis on reforestation and early stand improvement - 2022 National Silviculture Workshop. Proc. RMRS-P-80. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 6 p.