Lodgepole Pine Responses to Mechanical Site Preparation and Burning in Sub-boreal British Columbia

Lodgepole Pine Responses to Mechanical Site Preparation and Burning in Sub-boreal British Columbia
Author: John McClarnon
Publisher:
Total Pages: 62
Release: 2016
Genre: Forest site preparation
ISBN:

In 1988, three studies were established as part of Experimental Project 995 to study lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) survival and growth responses to site preparation in the Sub-Boreal Spruce zone of north-central British Columbia. The project examines the effectiveness of several mechanical treatments and localized high-intensity burning, with a focus on disc trenching, which is the most commonly used mechanical site preparation technique in this region. The importance of disc trench orientation, planting aspect, and planting position were investigated, as well as potential interactions between broadcast burning and disc trenching. This report presents 25-year results for the Bednesti North and Bednesti South experiments, and 19-year results for the Tanli experiment. Treatment effects are discussed in relation to: lodgepole pine establishment (survival and early growth to age 5); performance at approximately free-growing age (9 years); and early mid-term growth, stand volume, and site index (as measured at age 25). Of the mechanical treatments tested, coarse mixing was the most effective, resulting in approximately 1-m gains in lodgepole pine height over the control at age 25. This treatment is not practical from an operational perspective, however, and the more common technique of disc trenching with trees planted at the hinge produced the second greatest gains. In contrast, pine planted in trench furrows showed a trend of reduced growth relative to the control. Trench orientation was relatively unimportant, but there was a slight advantage to avoiding north-aspect planting positions. Although broadcast burning alone did not have a significant effect on pine growth, it consistently interacted with disc trenching to produce a mild magnification of responses to that treatment. Pine planted in long, narrow, intensely burned windrow strips were consistently larger than control pine throughout the 25-year assessment period, but they had poor form due to being essentially open-grown.

Growing Plantation Forests

Growing Plantation Forests
Author: P. W. West
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2013-10-21
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 3319018272

This book describes the scientific principles that are used throughout the world to ensure the rapid, healthy growth of forest plantations. As the population of the world increases so does the amount of wood people use. Large areas of natural forests are being cleared every year and converted to other uses. Almost as large an area of plantation forests is being established annually to replace those lost natural forests. Eventually, plantations will produce a large proportion of the wood used around the world for firewood, building, the manufacture of paper and bioenergy. Forest plantations can also provide various environmental benefits including carbon storage, rehabilitation of degraded land, serving as disposal sites for various forms of industrial or agricultural waste and enhancing biodiversity in regions that have been largely cleared for agriculture. Whatever their motivation, plantation forest growers want their plantations to be healthy and grow rapidly to achieve their purpose as soon as possible. This book discusses how this is done. It is written for a worldwide audience, from forestry professionals and scientists through to small plantation growers, and describes how plantations may be grown responsibly and profitably.