Deer Browse, Pennsylvania Sedge, and Silviculture Strategies to Enhance Tree Regeneration
| Authors: | Colleen Matula, Paul Feine, Emanuel Oradei |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Type: | Proceedings - Paper |
| Station: | Northern Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-P-211-paper15 |
| Source: | In: Kern, Christel C.; Dickinson, Yvette L., eds. Proceedings of the first biennial Northern Hardwood Conference 2021: Bridging science and management for the future. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-211. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 61–64. |
Abstract
Complex interactions between heavy deer browse and plant response have resulted in structural and compositional changes in forest ecosystems. Sedge dominance and poor tree recruitment have been documented in northern hardwood stands across Wisconsin and Michigan. This study explores interactions of Pennsylvania sedge dominance and deer-browse impacts in northern hardwood forests with adaptive management strategies designed to enhance tree regeneration. We evaluated the immediate effects of several common silviculture site preparation techniques implemented in a recently harvested northern hardwood stand managed by Oneida County Forestry in Wisconsin. In 2004, we compared data characterizing this forest community before harvest and up to 15 growing seasons after implementation of the silvicultural treatments. Data collection included tree regeneration, herbaceous plants, and Pennsylvania sedge cover.