Treesearch

In managed forests dominated by true fir (Abies) species, stands are often restocked using understory trees retained during timber harvest, making the effects of dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.) infestation on small true fir a concern. This study examined the response of small red (A. magnifica) and white (A. concolor) fir and their dwarf mistletoes (A. abietinum f.sp. magnificae and A. abietinum f.sp. concoloris, respectively) to precommercial thinning treatments in fir-dominated stands in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Tree diameters and dwarf mistletoe ratings were...

Provides current and historical information on primary and secondary hardwood products, production, prices, international trade, and employment.

In interior Alaska, increased use of mechanical fuel reduction treatments, increased interests in the use of wood energy systems as alternatives to fossil fuels, and elevated populations of northern spruce engraver, Ips perturbatus (Eichhoff), have raised concerns regarding the impact of this bark beetle to forest resources. We conducted a large-scale field study in 20092011 (Study 1) to determine the effects of slash scoring (mechanical by chainsaw versus none), slash distribution (scattered versus decked), and cutting date (spring versus fall) on I. perturbatus colonization of and...

Most nations have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and are mandated to report National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, including the land use, land use change and forestry sector when it is significant. Participating countries commonly use data from national forest inventories as a basis for their forest-related emissions estimates. The estimates are required to be consistent, comparable among parties, transparent, and well-documented. To help meet these requirements, we describe the data and methods used to calculate the forest carbon component of the United...

In 2007, a harvest and utilization study was conducted on 53 operations in Kentucky. There were 1,310 total trees measured: 263 or 20 percent were softwood, while 1,047 or 80 percent were hardwood. Results from this study showed that 82 percent of the total softwood volume measured was utilized for a product, and 18 percent was left as logging residue. Seventy-two percent of the total hardwood volume measured was utilized for a product, while 28 percent was left as logging residue.

The effect of hot water on aspen chips has been evaluated using time-domain low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. At moisture contents above fiber saturation point, treated chips exhibit relaxation times of free water longer than for the control. This is consistent with the removal of hemicelluloses given the hydrophilicity of these polysaccharides. The rate of decrease in free water upon drying is greater for the pretreated samples. These results indicate that hot water treatment modifies both the chemical and physical properties of the chips and may therefore impact...

Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) factsheets are produced periodically to keep the public up to date on the extent and condition of the forest lands in each State. The forestrelated estimates in the factsheets are based upon data collected from thousands of sample plots distributed across the landscape in a systematic manner. The total number of these plots is divided into 5 panels, or layers, equaling 20 percent of the plots with the goal of sampling one panel per year until the entire complement of plots has been measured. At that time, the entire process renews, and as each panel is...

The economic relevance of wildland fire management and protection programs is ever growing, particularly considering mounting wildfire costs and losses globally, and the justifications required for budget allocations to management and protection of forest ecosystems. However, there are major difficulties in grappling with the problem of rapidly increasing wildland fire management costs. For example, in the U.S., the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service from 1997-2008 has spent more than $US11.5 billion on fire suppression alone, on wildfires affecting more than 26 million ha of...

Ground disturbance caused by forest harvest operations can negatively impact oak regeneration. On the Cumberland Plateau, for successful regeneration, managers often must rely on very small (less than a ft in height) oak advance reproduction that is susceptible to disturbance by harvesting equipment. Furthermore, sites on the Plateau top are often harvested when conditions are too wet to permit operations elsewhere, increasing the risk to small seedlings that may be more easily pulled from the moist soil. This study was designed to assess the effect of unrestricted and restricted harvesting...

Forest harvesting is an integral part of the West Virginia forest economy. This component of the supply chain supports a diverse array of primary and secondary processors. A key metric used to describe the efficiency of the roundwood extraction process is the logging utilization factor (LUF). The LUF is one way managers can discern the overall use of harvested roundwood. To update LUF in West Virginia, roundwood utilization during harvesting operations was investigated on 30 active sites in 2008. Approximately 3.6 markets were used by the loggers sampled. The average utilization rate at...