Highly stocked coniferous stands on the Olympic Peninsula: chemical composition and implications for harvest strategy.

Abstract

This report presents an assessment of macronutrients and their distribution within highly stocked, stagnant stands of mixed conifers on the Quilcene Ranger District, Olympic National Forest, northwest Washington. These stands consisted of predominantly three species: western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii), and western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don). Preliminary investigation suggests that the living crown contains a small portion of the nutrient capital on the site. Extracting this material from the site during harvest or site preparation should not pose a threat to future production of biomass. Bioassays suggested that no macronutrients were deficient for growth of Douglas-fir seedlings. This study was one of several conducted on the Quilcene Ranger District for a better understanding of the economics, technology, and impacts of harvesting highly stocked, small-diameter timber.

Citation

Little, Susan N.; Waddell, Dale R. 1987. Highly stocked coniferous stands on the Olympic Peninsula: chemical composition and implications for harvest strategy. Res. Pap. PNW-RP-384. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 29 p