Forestlandsteward Summer 2011
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CALIFORNIA FOREST STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM ForestlandSteward SUMMER 2011 Silviculture: the science & the art Silviculture is at the very heart of forest services: “Silvicultural practice consists of the Inside management. The name comes from silva various treatments that may be applied to forest (forest) and culture (to grow). It is the branch stands to maintain and enhance their utility for 2 Silviculture of forestry concerned with the cultivation, or any purpose” (Smith 1989) and “Silviculture 101 management, of the forest. also ensures the long-term continuity of Silviculture is an intricate combination of essential ecologic functions, and the health and 5 It Starts With science and art, merging such disciplines as tree productivity of forested ecosystems” (Nyland Your Vision biology, forest ecology, site dynamics, economics, 2002). 6 The Art of and technology with creativity, intuition, and While silvicultural goals may have changed, Marking even some prophecy. A lot of experience and the techniques remain largely the same: cutting, good powers of observation are also required. thinning, planting, burning. However, these 7 Example: The practice of silviculture has changed quite same basic tools and techniques can lead to very Marking Guidelines a bit over the years. Originally, it was focused different results on the ground. on timber production: “The ultimate goal of all In this issue we try to cover this highly 9 Growing an silvicultural work is to secure on a given area a complex topic in just a handful of pages…it Old Growth high production of valuable material, in order can’t be done. What we can do here is give you Forest that the owner may secure the largest possible a smattering of vocabulary and some general 12 Good News! returns in the long run” (Graves 1911). concepts, and hope that you find it a useful Today, the definition has expanded to introduction to a lifetime of learning about the include other forest resources and ecosystem intricacies of managing your forest. 2 Summer 2011 Silviculture 101: a quick overview There's no getting around it—it takes a lot of knowledge to manage a forest. Since every forest is different and every landowner’s goals unique, there are no cookbook answers. To create the forest you want requires that you learn some basic forestry principles and understand how they apply Forestland to your specific forest. Steward Your site Forestland Steward is a joint Your forest exists within certain physical project of the CA Dept of parameters. It has an elevation, slope, aspect, Forestry and Fire Protection soil characteristics, climate, etc. These create (CAL FIRE), Placer County Resource Conservation the canvas upon which your forest grows. You District, UC Cooperative can't change these factors very easily so your Extension, and USDA Forest Service to provide information forest management choices are limited by its on the stewardship of private site characteristics. Your site determines what is forestlands in California. possible for your forest. California Forest Stewardship Program How did we get here? © L. Litman P.O. Box 944246 Sacramento, CA 94244 In addition to the physical canvas, your site has Fax (916) 653-8957 a history. This includes all of the past management that the trees grow in the context of a greater ceres.ca.gov/foreststeward practices, disturbances large and small, and other forest community. Editorial Committee Jeff Calvert, CAL FIRE occurrences that made the forest what it is. This Rick Gruen, Placer Co. RCD is another factor you can't change. The starting Silvics—how does your forest grow? Jane La Boa, SAF Silvics is the science of how trees grow. Yana Valachovic, UC point for your management activities is the forest Silvicultural systems use an understanding of Editor you see today. Laurie Litman, InfoWright silvics to manipulate vegetation and shape a Governor Building blocks forest stand (an area of forest that is similar and Jerry Brown A forest is composed of many individual managed as a unit) through its entire lifetime. Secretary for Resources species: trees, shrubs, herbs, lichen, fungi, birds, Each tree species has its own needs and Natural Resources Agency John Laird mammals, etc. These are the building blocks that tolerances—for light, water, temperature, CAL FIRE Director make up your forest. nutrients, and other requirements. These Ken Pimlott However, the forest is more than just a tolerances determine where a species can live, and Forestland Steward was collection of species. Over many eons the how well it can thrive at that site. produced under a grant from USDA Forest Service. individual species in a forest have adapted to Some trees are shade tolerant. These species In accordance with Federal living together as a community. Each has a role to can grow in the shadow of other trees. Others are law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this play—a niche—and the various species interact shade intolerant and require more light to grow institution is prohibited from with one another in numerous ways. or thrive. They are successful when a disturbance discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, When we talk about silviculture we are opens up the forest canopy to allow more light in sex, age or disability. primarily concerned with the trees, but remember to the forest floor. The ideas contained in this newsletter are meant as general information and opinion, not management prescription. Consult a Registered Professional Forester or a qualified technical advisor (see page 10) for management advice specific to your needs. Clearcuts allow the forest to regenerate an even- Seed tree cuts are clearcuts with a few trees left Placer Co. RCD aged stand usually planted soon after harvest. to regenerate the new forest. Forestland Steward Summer 2011 3 Competition for light, space, and water plays an important role Winners and Losers in the Grand Competition for Light in forest dynamics and some trees are more successful than others in this competition (see illustration to the right). Silviculture controls and manipulates these dynamics by removing trees and plants to release favored trees from competition. Silviculture mimics the chaos of living systems The classic model of forest succession begins with a clean slate of bare ground. Pioneer sun-loving herbaceous plants are the first to establish there. These are eventually replaced by shrubs, then fast growing shade-intolerant trees, and finally the climax forest of shade D = Dominant; C = Codominant; I = Intermediate; S = Suppressed; tolerant trees triumphs. M = Mortality; W = Wolf Tree However, in the real world, Dominants receive full sunlight from above; larger than average trees in stand (Big Winners) this orderly sequence encounters Codominants form general level of crown cover; receive full sunlight from above but frequent setbacks and variations. relatively less on the sides (Winners) Disturbances of all kinds and Intermediates are shorter than Dominants and Codominants, but extend into general sizes—insects, fire, disease, canopy; receive very little light from above; have small crown and generally crowded (Losers) windthrow—change the succession Suppressed trees have crowns entirely below the general canopy and receive no direct light pattern. Disturbance is vital to (Big Losers) ecosystem function: it uncovers Wolf Trees have full crowns on all sides and make excellent wildlife trees. bare ground so seedlings can become established, contributes to biodiversity, and alters the forest structure. The cumulative history of disturbances Traditional silviculture Common trees of the Sierra mixed-conifer creates the chaotic mosaic of habitats that we see Silvicultural systems are generally divided into forest listed from in a typical natural forest. two major categories: even-aged and uneven-aged. most shade intolerant Disturbance is a natural and inevitable Even-aged stands are created using clearcuts (requires sun) to most process in any forest. It is the model for much of that remove everything to allow the forest to shade tolerant: silviculture, which uses disturbance in the form start anew. Generally, clearcuts are followed • Ponderosa Pine of harvesting and other practices to manipulate immediately by replanting, resulting in a new • Jeffrey Pine forest structure, species composition, and age forest of trees that are all the same age. Clearcuts • Sugar Pine classes to meet specific goals and objectives. are the most efficient way to harvest timber and • Douglas-fir • Incense Cedar • White/Red Fir For address updates, to request additional copies, or to make comments or suggestions about this newsletter, please contact: Shelterwood cuts are similar to seed tree Group retention is a clearcut that leaves small systems, but more trees are left to provide groups of trees for wildlife habitat. [email protected] shelter for shade tolerant species. Forestland Steward 4 Summer 2011 at the same time open up the forest floor to light of individual trees from disease or other mortality for shade-intolerant species like pines. Clearcuts factors. However, it is important to realize that are also used to renew degraded forests, to change these silvicultural activities are not completely species composition of a stand, and for other equivalent to, and don’t provide all the ecosystem purposes. In California, benefits of, their natural counterparts. clearcuts are limited A note on the no-management option to a maximum of 20 Intermediate treatments The no-management approach is a viable acres. Intermediate treatments involve removing approach to forest management. It even has Seed tree or competing vegetation, such as shrubs and grass, a name: Passive Management. This approach shelterwood systems and thinning trees to accelerate growth in the assumes that you can let nature take its course are a variation of remaining trees. These treatments are undertaken to result in a more natural forest. even-age silviculture, to help improve the growth, quality, composition, What is missing from this assumption is where a few trees and vigor of the stand.