Five-year Growth Response of a 41-year-old Yellow Birch Stand to Commercial Thinning
| Authors: | Alexandre Morin-Bernard, François Guillemette, Steve Bédard |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Type: | Proceedings - Paper |
| Station: | Northern Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-P-211-paper18 |
| 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: 72–82. |
Abstract
Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) is the second most harvested hardwood species in Quebec. Hardwood stands harboring this species are likely to yield high value products, and their proximity to inhabited regions facilitates a more intensive silviculture. Yet, little is known about the effects of silvicultural treatments such as commercial thinning on stands composed mostly of yellow birch. We set up an experiment in a 41-year-old yellow birch stand that arose after a clearcutting in 1971. The experimental design comprises four treatments: a control (no intervention); and light, moderate, and heavy commercial thinnings. After 5 years, results show that the thinnings had no significant effect on the net growth in basal areal of the stand. The treatments mostly led to an increase in the proportion of yellow birch and crop trees in the stand following the harvest targeting aspens and other less desired species. The smaller diameter trees near the trails showed the highest diameter growth response to the thinnings.