1. Silvicultural Techniques to Manipulate Biomass

2. Silvicultural Techniques Silviculture “use of sustainable management practices to establish or guide the development of forest stands in order to fulfill natural resource objectives”

3. Silvicultural Techniques • Differ by: • Even aged vs. Uneven aged • Occur at time of establishment as well throughout a stand’s existence

4. Silvicultural techniques • There is only so much “tree” one can grow on a site • Manage the site to grow the trees that meet landowner objectives

5. Example/Discussion

6. Establishment – Even Aged • Natural regeneration: seeding by existing trees • Artificial regeneration: applying seeds or planting seedlings

7. Even Aged Natural Regeneration • Seed Tree Method • Harvest a mature stand except for a few, specifically chosen trees, per acre • Over the coming years, seeds from those trees will regenerate the stand • Go back and harvest the seed trees 5-8 years later.

10. Even Aged Natural Regeneration • Shelterwood Method • Harvest a mature stand leaving a “fair number” of trees per acre • Over the coming years, shade tolerant species will populate the understory • Go back and harvest the shelterwood trees once the shade tolerant species are established

13. Even Aged Natural Regeneration • Coppice • Some species sprout vigorously from roots (aspens) or stumps (oaks and maples)

14. Even Aged Natural Regeneration Advantage: low cost Disadvantage: relying on nature for seeds/sprouts might get too many or too few

15. Even Aged Artificial Regeneration • Planting • Use clearcuts to remove existing stand • Seedlings grown for a couple of years in a nursery before planting (typically in Spring) • Does require some site preparation work before planting a site

17. Certification and Clearcuts • Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) http://www.aboutsfi.org/

18. Certification and Clearcuts • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) http://www.fscus.org/

19. Patch Clearcut • Natural or Artificial Regeneration • Open up small areas in existing stands

22. Establishment – Even Aged • Planting • Advantages: stand establishment more reliable tends to lead to prompt reforestation Better control of species composition Better control of spacing between trees Use of genetically improved seedlings possible

23. Establishment – Even Aged • Planting • Disadvantage:

24. Establishment – Uneven Aged • Generally occurs on its own • Managers should ensure the desired species establish and grow