Does mechanical site preparation have a long-term effect on aspen regeneration in mixedwood stands?

The Hotchkiss River Mixedwood Timber Harvesting Study developed new approaches to harvesting systems for western Canada's boreal mixedwood forests. Conventional harvesting equipment was used to test 11 harvesting and silvicultural systems over a 530-ha site. These include one- and two-pass modified uniform shelterwoods, two- and three-pass strip shelterwoods, two-pass alternate strip shelterwoods and four-pass progressive strip shelterwoods. These were used to test varying levels of wind protection designed to protect and minimize wind damage to understorey (immature) white spruce residuals following harvest of the aspen overstorey. Ongoing monitoring of wind dynamics and associated windthrow patterns since 1992 have provided clear management practice guidelines for reducing windthrow of immature spruce and residual aspen following harvesting. There are thresholds related to spruce height and distance from aspen residuals, beyond which windthrow damage increases significantly. The influence of topography, timing of harvest and the spatial configurations of multiple harvests on windthrow dynamics have been clarified through this research. These results have provided valuable information to help forest planners to utilize harvesting and silvicultural systems that best reduce windthrow damage to understorey spruce, following harvest of overstorey aspen.

Windthrow

Understory

Silviculture

10.1093/forestry/cpp013

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Citations (20)

Partial harvesting in boreal mixedwoods: A case for planned heterogeneity in industrial silvicultural prescriptions

Forest Ecology and Management (2015)

Alexandre Guay-Picard David Auty Alison D. Munson Alexis Achim

Silviculture

10.1016/j.foreco.2015.09.005

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Citations (14)

Regeneration, development and density management in aspen stands

S. Navrátil I. E. Bella

Natural regeneration

Source

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Citations (4)

Aspen Stand Development Following Harvest in the Lake States Region

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry (1989)

Peter Bates Charles R. Blinn A.A. Alm Donald A. Perala

Abstract This paper summarizes the literature that reports factors influencing the development of aspen stands following harvest. It is intended primarily for forest managers in the Lake States region, although some work done in the western United States is included. Aspen stands generally regenerate to dense sucker stands after harvest. Competition, disease, and other injurious agents aid natural thinning in maturing stands. Although competition among stems is the primary cause of mortality in many stands, in some stands mortality caused by disease and injury may reduce expected yield. Forest managers should be aware of the factors that can affect aspen stand development, particularly when evaluating regeneration densities and rotation length, and when planning thinning operations. North. J. Appl. For. 6:178-183, December 1989

Thinning

Sucker

Stand development

Natural regeneration

10.1093/njaf/6.4.178

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Citations (23)

A biological and economical analysis of silvicultural alternatives to the conventional clearcut/plantation prescription in boreal mixedwood stands (aspen/white spruce/balsam fir)

David F. Greene Dan Kneeshaw Christian Messier Vic Lieffers Denis Cormier

Abies balsamea

10.7939/r3cn6z29x

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