The document provides an overview of forestry concepts including: - Forest types in Minnesota like aspen-birch, white/red pine, black spruce, and northern hardwoods. - Silvicultural systems for forest management including clearcutting, shelterwood, selection, and group selection methods. - Natural disturbances that maintain different forest types like fire, windthrow, and gaps in canopy. - Combining forest types and silvicultural systems to mimic natural disturbances is important for forest management.

1. Forestry 101 Eli Sagor [email_address] (612) 624-6948 MCC mid-year retreat, July 2006

2. Outline About forestry Forest types Silvicultural systems Combinations Q&A

3. About forestry

4. Outline About forestry Forest types Silvicultural systems Combinations Q&A

5. Sound forestry is… … production of a renewable resource … a $7 billion industry in Minnesota … beneficial to wildlife and water … conducted by professional foresters and loggers

6. Sound forestry is… … not necessarily timber-focused … a responsible way to make money from the land … a way to keep forest land forested … a way to restore lost habitat elements

10. Sound forestry is NOT… … clearing land to build shopping malls … a “cut & run” extractive industry

11. Some important concepts

12. Kraft Crown Classification Dominant crowns extending above main canopy receiving direct sunlight from above and from sides Codominant crowns at general level of crown cover receiving direct sunlight from above but little from the sides

13. Kraft Crown Classification Intermediate shorter but with crowns extending into the main canopy receiving direct sunlight from above but not from the sides Suppressed crowns entirely below the main canopy receiving no direct light from above or from the sides

15. Shade Tolerance A tree species’ ability to grow and thrive under low light conditions. Some trees need full sun, others can grow under a dense canopy.

16. Outline About forestry Forest types Silvicultural systems Combinations Q&A

17. Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.6

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

19. Source: J. Tester, 1995. Fig. 1.22

20. Common Forest types Photo by Firth Photo-Bank, Mpls, from Tester 1995

21. Aspen-birch Early successional Generalist Short-lived Excellent seed dispersal

22. Aspen-birch Natural disturbance that maintains this type: severe fire or extensive windthrow Transition to white-red pine or fir-spruce, depending on site

23. White & red pine Mid-successional Red, white, jack pine and birch Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites Long-lived

24. White & red pine Natural disturbance that maintains this type: Severe fire / extensive windthrow

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

26. Fir-spruce Late successional type Balsam fir, white spruce, birch, black spruce Can exist on many soil types but not driest Photo: UGA online photo library

27. Fir-spruce Natural disturbance that maintains this type: small or larger gaps from windthrow, insects, or tree death

28. Oaks Mid-successional type Fire dependent Likes drier, fire-prone sites Heavy seeds, seedlings and stump sprouts

29. Oaks Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: Fire

30. Northern Hardwoods Late successional Yellow birch, red oak, maples, white pine, fir Rich, moist northern MN sites (cold) Long-lived type

31. Northern Hardwoods Natural disturbance that maintains this forest type: small gaps, windthrow

32. Maple-Basswood Climax type Moist, rich sites Doesn’t like disturbance Relatively heavy seeds, stump sprouts Likes low-intensity (gap) disturbance

33. 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

34. Outline About forestry Forest types Silvicultural systems Combinations Q&A

35. Silviculture The art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, and health of forests and woodlands to meet the landowner’s objectives. (Modified from J. Helms 1998)

36. The toolbox Clearcut harvesting “ Selective” or partial harvesting Prescribed burning: to control understory competition to prepare a cleared site for planting to favor natural regeneration of desired species to reduce fuel loads Planting of desired species and/or genetically improved stock Protecting stands from damage from wildlife (deer!) Thinning at various times in the rotation Pruning: to improve log quality to reduce disease effects Spraying herbicides or pesticides Cutting to reduce insect threats Salvage cutting Fire suppression And more…

37. Forest management systems Clearcutting Selection Group selection Single-tree selection Intermediate treatments

38. Clearcutting Clear all vegetation Prepare the site Plant trees (generally) Spray herbicide to control competition Thin (generally) Clearcut, and start over

39. (Wisconsin DNR image)

40. (Ontario Extension image)

43. Shelterwood Method Start with a mature stand Partial harvest New seedlings are established Remove canopy, “release the advance regeneration”

44. Shelterwood: mature hardwood stand before any treatment (Wisconsin DNR image)

45. Shelterwood: After first cut (Wisconsin DNR image)

46. Shelterwood: After first cut, 5 years later (Wisconsin DNR image)

47. Shelterwood: After overstory removal (Wisconsin DNR image)

48. (Ontario Extension image)

51. Selection System Start with mature stand Remove single trees or groups Repeat as needed

52. Group Selection Start with a mature stand Remove small groups of trees to create patches of regeneration Repeat periodically in different areas

53. Source: UGA Forestry Photo Gallery

54. Source: UGA Forestry Photo Gallery

55. Single tree selection: Before (Wisconsin DNR image)

56. Single tree selection: After (Wisconsin DNR image)

57. (Ontario Extension image)

58. Thinnings Improve the future growth of existing trees Row or selection thinnings Timber stand improvement

61. Outline About forestry Forest types Silvicultural systems Combinations Q&A

62. Forest Management 101 Favor the right species for the site Know and mimic natural disturbance regimes

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

64. Aspen-birch Early successional Generalist Short-lived Excellent seed dispersal

65. White & red pine Mid-successional Red, white, jack pine and birch Sticks around on drier, more fire prone sites Long-lived

66. Fir-spruce Late successional type Balsam fir, white spruce, birch, black spruce Can exist on many soil types but not driest Photo: UGA online photo library

67. Oaks Mid-successional type Fire dependent Likes drier, fire-prone sites Heavy seeds, seedlings and stump sprouts

68. Northern Hardwoods Late successional Yellow birch, red oak, maples, white pine, fir Rich, moist northern MN sites (cold) Long-lived type

69. Maple-Basswood Climax type Moist, rich sites Doesn’t like disturbance Relatively heavy seeds, stump sprouts Likes low-intensity (gap) disturbance

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