The History, Ecology, and Management of Central Minnesota’s Forests Eli Sagor Regional Extension Educator University of Minnesota [email_address] Woodland Owners and Users Conference 2003

Outline Glacial history Soils Forest types and natural disturbance How to maintain desired forest types on your property Questions?

Glacial history

Soils

Forest types and natural disturbance

How to maintain desired forest types on your property

Questions?

Glacial history Four major glaciation periods in last two million years Wisconsin glaciation began 75,000 y.a. Lasted tens of thousands of years Covered almost all of Minnesota

Four major glaciation periods in last two million years

Wisconsin glaciation began 75,000 y.a.

Lasted tens of thousands of years

Covered almost all of Minnesota

Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.9

Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.9

Glacial impacts on landscape Moraine topography Melting glacier deposits rock, sand, debris Alexandria and Itasca moraines Deposit the stuff that will become soil

Moraine topography

Melting glacier deposits rock, sand, debris

Alexandria and Itasca moraines

Deposit the stuff that will become soil

Post-glacial landscape Barren, cold, rocky landscape Glacial till: unsorted sand and rock No animals or plants

Barren, cold, rocky landscape

Glacial till: unsorted sand and rock

No animals or plants

Outline Glacial history Soils Forest types and natural disturbance How to maintain desired forest types on your property Questions?

Glacial history

Soils

Forest types and natural disturbance

How to maintain desired forest types on your property

Questions?

Soils Start with sandy, rocky unsorted glacial till Soil formation factors: Climate (freezing, heat, precipitation) Organic matter inputs Chemical weathering

Start with sandy, rocky unsorted glacial till

Soil formation factors:

Climate (freezing, heat, precipitation)

Organic matter inputs

Chemical weathering

What is soil? Clay, silt, and sand (glacial) Organic matter Living organisms (!) Water Mineral nutrients

Clay, silt, and sand (glacial)

Organic matter

Living organisms (!)

Water

Mineral nutrients

Minnesota’s common soil types Northeast / Coniferous: Inceptisols Central / Deciduous: Alfisols Southeast / Prairie: Mollisols

Northeast / Coniferous: Inceptisols

Central / Deciduous: Alfisols

Southeast / Prairie: Mollisols

Northeast / Coniferous Inceptisol: Cool, moist climate Coarse texture Nutrients quickly wash away Lower productivity Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.22

Inceptisol:

Cool, moist climate

Coarse texture

Nutrients quickly wash away

Lower productivity

Central / Deciduous Alfisol: Warmer, moist climate Deeper organic layer Slower percolation Nutrients more available More productive Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.22

Alfisol:

Warmer, moist climate

Deeper organic layer

Slower percolation

Nutrients more available

More productive

Southeast / Prairie Mollisol: Warmer, drier climate DEEP organic layer (up to 40 inches) Nutrients abundant and available Very productive Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.22

Mollisol:

Warmer, drier climate

DEEP organic layer (up to 40 inches)

Nutrients abundant and available

Very productive

Outline Glacial history Soils Forest types and natural disturbance How to maintain desired forest types on your property Questions?

Glacial history

Soils

Forest types and natural disturbance

How to maintain desired forest types on your property

Questions?

Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.6

Minnesota’s 3 biomes Northeast: Coniferous Central: Deciduous Southeast: Prairie Source: MN DNR

Northeast: Coniferous

Central: Deciduous

Southeast: Prairie

Upland Deciduous Forests Photo by Firth Photo-Bank, Mpls

Deciduous: Aspen-Birch Early successional / pioneer Broad range of soils Sticks around in areas with frequent, high-intensity disturbance Short-lived Seeds travel far, seeking openings

Early successional / pioneer

Broad range of soils

Sticks around in areas with frequent, high-intensity disturbance

Short-lived

Seeds travel far, seeking openings

Deciduous: Aspen-Birch Early successional / pioneer Sticks around in areas with frequent, high-intensity disturbance Short-lived Seeds travel far, seeking openings Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: severe fire or wind

Early successional / pioneer

Sticks around in areas with frequent, high-intensity disturbance

Short-lived

Seeds travel far, seeking openings

Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: severe fire or wind

Deciduous: Oaks Intermediate type Fire dependent Sticks around on drier, more fire-prone sites Seedlings and stump sprouts

Intermediate type

Fire dependent

Sticks around on drier, more fire-prone sites

Seedlings and stump sprouts

Deciduous: Oaks Intermediate type Fire dependent Sticks around on drier, more fire-prone sites Seedlings and stump sprouts Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: Fire

Intermediate type

Fire dependent

Sticks around on drier, more fire-prone sites

Seedlings and stump sprouts

Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: Fire

Deciduous: Maple-Basswood Climax type, shade tolerant Moist, rich sites (alfisols) Sticks around in areas where intense disturbance is rare Perpetuate through small gaps

Climax type, shade tolerant

Moist, rich sites (alfisols)

Sticks around in areas where intense disturbance is rare

Perpetuate through small gaps

Deciduous: Maple-Basswood Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: small gaps from windthrow or tree death Small gap disturbance every 40-150 yrs Catastrophic disturbance 400-1000 yrs MN DNR, in press

Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: small gaps from windthrow or tree death

Small gap disturbance every 40-150 yrs

Catastrophic disturbance 400-1000 yrs

Deciduous: Northern Hardwoods Yellow birch, red oak, maples, white pine, fir Rich, moist northern MN sites (cold) Northern Alfisols

Yellow birch, red oak, maples, white pine, fir

Rich, moist northern MN sites (cold)

Northern Alfisols

Deciduous: Northern Hardwoods Birches, red oak, maples, white pine, fir Often found on richer, moister, northern MN sites Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: small gaps, windthrow

Birches, red oak, maples, white pine, fir

Often found on richer, moister, northern MN sites

Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: small gaps, windthrow

Deciduous: Prairie transition / savanna Dry, open stands with trees AND prairie Frequent fire Diverse types: shrublands, bur oak, … Natural disturbance that maintains this type: Frequent fire

Dry, open stands with trees AND prairie

Frequent fire

Diverse types: shrublands, bur oak, …

Natural disturbance that maintains this type: Frequent fire

Upland Coniferous Forests Photo by Blacklock Nature Photography, from Tester 1995

Upland Coniferous Forests Cold, shorter growing season Coarser, less productive soil Keep needles for nutrients and short growing season

Cold, shorter growing season

Coarser, less productive soil

Keep needles for nutrients and short growing season

Coniferous: Aspen-birch WHAT??? Not conifers, but often found with conifer stands Broad range of soils Pioneer type, often first to colonize after serious fire

WHAT??? Not conifers, but often found with conifer stands

Broad range of soils

Pioneer type, often first to colonize after serious fire

Coniferous: Aspen-birch NOT conifers, but a common type in Northeast Minnesota Pioneer type, often first to colonize after serious fire Natural disturbance that maintains this type: large fire or extensive windthrow Transition to white-red pine or fir-spruce, depending on site

NOT conifers, but a common type in Northeast Minnesota

Pioneer type, often first to colonize after serious fire

Natural disturbance that maintains this type: large fire or extensive windthrow

Transition to white-red pine or fir-spruce, depending on site

Coniferous: White & red pine Red, white, jack pine and birch Intermediate, transitional type Likes Inceptisols Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites Long-lived type: 100 – 250 years

Red, white, jack pine and birch

Intermediate, transitional type

Likes Inceptisols

Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites

Long-lived type: 100 – 250 years

Coniferous: White & red pine Red, white, jack pine and birch Intermediate, transitional type Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites Long-lived type: 100 – 250 years Natural disturbance that maintains this type: Severe fire / extensive windthrow

Red, white, jack pine and birch

Intermediate, transitional type

Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites

Long-lived type: 100 – 250 years

Natural disturbance that maintains this type: Severe fire / extensive windthrow

Coniferous: Fir-spruce Balsam fir, white spruce, birch, black spruce Can exist on many soil types but not driest Late successional, climax type

Balsam fir, white spruce, birch, black spruce

Can exist on many soil types but not driest

Late successional, climax type

Coniferous: Fir-spruce Balsam fir, white spruce, birch, black spruce Late successional, climax type Natural disturbance that maintains this type: small or larger gaps from windthrow, insects, or tree death

Balsam fir, white spruce, birch, black spruce

Late successional, climax type

Natural disturbance that maintains this type: small or larger gaps from windthrow, insects, or tree death

Coniferous: Black spruce Found on wet, low areas Not much competition… Dominant boreal forest type

Found on wet, low areas

Not much competition…

Dominant boreal forest type

Coniferous: Black spruce Found on wet, low areas Not much competition… Dominant boreal forest type Natural disturbance that maintains this type: fire

Found on wet, low areas

Not much competition…

Dominant boreal forest type

Natural disturbance that maintains this type: fire

Outline Glacial history Soils Forest types and natural disturbance How to maintain desired forest types on your property Questions?

Glacial history

Soils

Forest types and natural disturbance

How to maintain desired forest types on your property

Questions?

Forest Management 101 Grow the right species for the site Know and mimic natural disturbance regimes Work with a professional forester

Grow the right species for the site

Know and mimic natural disturbance regimes

Work with a professional forester

Source : Tom McEvoy, 2000. Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture . Second Edition. Copyright Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES).

Deciduous: Aspen-Birch Early successional / pioneer Sticks around in areas with frequent, high-intensity disturbance Short-lived Seeds travel far, seeking openings

Early successional / pioneer

Sticks around in areas with frequent, high-intensity disturbance

Short-lived

Seeds travel far, seeking openings

Source : Tom McEvoy, 2000. Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture . Second Edition. Copyright Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES).

Deciduous: Oaks Intermediate type Fire dependent Sticks around on drier, more fire-prone sites Seedlings and stump sprouts

Intermediate type

Fire dependent

Sticks around on drier, more fire-prone sites

Seedlings and stump sprouts

Source : Tom McEvoy, 2000. Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture . Second Edition. Copyright Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES).

Deciduous: Northern Hardwoods Yellow birch, red oak, maples, white pine, fir Often found on richer, moister, northern MN sites

Yellow birch, red oak, maples, white pine, fir

Often found on richer, moister, northern MN sites

Source: D.M. Smith et al, 1997

Coniferous: White & red pine Red, white, jack pine and birch Intermediate, transitional type Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites Long-lived type: 100 – 250 years

Red, white, jack pine and birch

Intermediate, transitional type

Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites

Long-lived type: 100 – 250 years

Source : Tom McEvoy, 2000. Introduction to Forest Ecology and Silviculture . Second Edition. Copyright Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES).

For more information: Minnesota’s Natural Heritage Book by John R. Tester University of Minnesota Press, 1995 Woodland Advisor Program Sessions offered throughout the state in ’03 and ’04 Details: Conference exhibit or www.cnr.umn.edu/cfc/wa

Minnesota’s Natural Heritage

Book by John R. Tester

University of Minnesota Press, 1995

Woodland Advisor Program

Sessions offered throughout the state in ’03 and ’04

Details: Conference exhibit or

www.cnr.umn.edu/cfc/wa

For more information: Minnesota’s Natural Heritage Book by John R. Tester University of Minnesota Press, 1995 Field Guide to the Native Plant Communities of Minnesota (developed for professional foresters) Not yet available, in press

Minnesota’s Natural Heritage

Book by John R. Tester

University of Minnesota Press, 1995

Field Guide to the Native Plant Communities of Minnesota

(developed for professional foresters)

Not yet available, in press