Treesearch

During the 25 years since establishment of more than 200 growth study plots in even-aged, naturally regenerated shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) forests, there has been considerable development of hardwood understory trees, shrubs, and some shortleaf pine regeneration. During the period from 1985-1987, even-aged shortleaf pine growth-study plots were established on the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests in western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma.

Expansion of the commercial pine range is one of the opportunities to improve forest production and counterbalance the loss of forest land to other uses. The potential genotypes for the purpose are fast-growing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), the slower growing, but more drought tolerant shortleaf pine (P. echinata Mill.), and the more cold tolerant pitch x loblolly pine hybrid (P. rigida x taeda). An uncertainty regarding the effect of potential climate change on the future commercial range of pine plantation also calls for the detailed information on survival and growth performance among...

In 2006 the Virginia Department of Forestry established a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) provenance test on three sites near Richmond, VA, near the most northern native range of longleaf pine. Seedlings were grown in containers at the Virginia Department of Forestry New Kent Forestry Center during the 2005 growing season.

Rapid establishment and early tree growth can be key factors in successful plantation management. This generally entails planting good quality planting stock at a seedling density appropriate for the management objectives and then managing at an appropriate intensity with a goal of fully occupying the site as quickly as possible within the context of those objectives. We established a study to examine the performance of two varietal lines of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) planted at three spacings and managed at two levels of intensity. After five growing seasons, management intensity and...

Landowners face a wide array of loblolly pine genetic material to choose from at the time of regeneration. In general, most opt to plant open-pollinated second-generation stock (second-Gen OP) as previously recommended by either consultants or industry personnel. The goal of this study is to evaluate a selected second-Gen OP family, a selected mass control-pollinated family (MCP), and varietal stock in terms of performance as well as form characteristics. This study was established on an old pasture site near Holly Springs, MS, in a nested randomized complete block design with six blocks,...

In the midwestern and eastern U.S., oaks (Quercus spp.) have been a dominant component of forests for at least the last 10,000 years, providing vital habitat for numerous wildlife and plant species that have adapted to oak forest conditions. However, the current state of these oak systems, in which there has been a general lack of successful oak regeneration and recruitment and an increase in the relative dominance of mesophytic species, may be nearing critical thresholds. If reached, restoring oak systems through natural regeneration and other methods, such as prescribed fire, may become...

Reopening of abandoned legacy roads is common in forest operations and represents a reduced cost in comparison to new road construction. However, legacy roads may have lower road standards and require additional best management practice (BMP) implementation upon reopening to protect water quality. Silt fences and elevation measurements of trapped sediment were used to quantify annual sediment delivery rates for reopened bare and existing gravel forest road approaches to stream crossings in the Virginia Piedmont. Additionally, rainfall simulation experiments were performed on reopened...

Recent controversies associated with ditched forest roads and stream crossings in the Pacific Northwest have focused national attention on sediment production and best management practices (BMPs) at stream crossings. Few studies have quantified soil erosion rates at stream crossings as influenced by road characteristics and compared them to modeled rates. Soil erosion rates were measured and modeled from forest roads that represented a range of road classes (permanent high standard to temporary low standard). Forty road approaches were identified in the Piedmont and Mountain regions of...

This study examined the species composition of 47 paired stands on submesic sites on the Appalachian Plateau of West Virginia. Paired stands consisted of a mature stand adjacent to a young clearcut that was < 20 years old. The species composition in the mature stands was compared to that of the upper canopy (dominant and codominant) in the clearcuts. The objective of this comparison was to determine if there was evidence of potentially lasting shifts in species composition resulting from clearcutting. This objective was addressed through three research questions related to common regenerati...

The Mississippi Alluvial Valley, which can be broadly subdivided into the Holocene Deposits section and the Deltaic Plain section, is a 24.9-million-acre area generally approximating the alluvial floodplain and delta of the lower Mississippi River. Its robust agricultural economy is maintained by a largely rural population, and recreational resources draw high visitation from nearby urban centers. The Mississippi Alluvial Valley forms a key corridor for migratory animals, and the Mississippi River has been developed as a vital conduit of commerce for much of North America. Although forest...