Guide to the Mccleary Experimental Forest
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
akec Mt. A GUIDE TO THE ;0-c :f !•• McCLEARY EXPERIMENTAL FOREST Me CLEARY, WASHINGTON About This File: . This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Misscans identified by the software have been corrected; ho e · \f\/ r-_ some mistakes may remain. _ ANGELES L l OLYMPIC lI NATIONAL ';I I _,J PARK ;-' ) -,_ ___ 1 __, r' "1) --· .......... 'l::> :__ :.. ... -----.. _J C') ., C') : \\\ .. I ,,,.,[/,-. i:-:;:::-=- A RY 1 '·\·,..... ' c Al FOREST C') L_/_:---/ "' 'l::> <: MAINTAINED JOINTLY BY THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FOREST S RANGE EXPERIMENT STATION Mt. Adams PUGET SOUND RESEARCH CENTER AND THE SIMP SON LOGGING COMPANY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE PORTLAND, OREGON 1954 - - - (I) A GUIDE TO THE ... <I) McCLEARY EXPERIMENTAL FOREST · 3: 0 - "' (I) The McCleary Experimental Forest is a co ... operative undertaking in forest research by private·industry and the United States Forest -0 (I) Service. Here, the Simpson Logging Company and - ::1 the Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment e Station, through its Puget Sound branch, conduct 0 studies and demonstrations in management of young z ...: (I) growth forests. This is one of four experimental - -• I:: (I) forests in the Puget Sound region dedicated to ::1 u 0 improvement of management practices through coop >. >. c erative research. Under a long-term agreement, - u the Forest Service prepares the management plan, "'0 >. 0 ... 0 0 outlines experiments, and regulates cutting .... (I) schedules. The Simpson Logging Company provides -cu u I::0:2 fire protection, develops roads, and cuts and markets the products. An Advisory Committee of E c. 0 foresters actively engaged in forest management ->. -... in the Puget Sound area helps to guide the re - (I) "'- search program. .E -0 .... (I) . Established in January the forest is �;,_':'-:t: e>".: 1948, I:: 0 _ ...,. -::·1 -·;:, part of Simpson Logging Company1s forest holdings ...,.. <I 0' -·· - .. -;, ··- 3: 0 of approximately acres in western Mason 1 .c (I) 160,000 i�\:�-. "' .:::: 0 and northeastern Grays Harbor Counties. It is .... typiqal of the better stands of mixed Douglas-fir -J!ZE:Ii 0 .:,. Q) and alder that follow logging or burning of ' .c k virgin forests. 1:.;7-- " ;;' l E £iZJ.; - Objectives of the research program at McCleary y I:: ....- Q) are, first, to explore thinning and partial cutting .,.;.:.::".. OJ ... "' as· a means for increasing the value of young-growth ·- "' 0 stands; second, to determine whether such cuts can - "' yield a net income after meeting all e±penses; and Q) ; i!'�" r:r. ... finally, to offer practical aid to forest landotiners Qy demonstrating thinning and partial cutting prac (I) ... _,: k' ·?]s:---. .c tices on a commercial scale • �:..: ·"' ·.. ....._ -::i!";t."; . _,,.,_,.,. -�=-,·... .·;.,;-.:J (: . ':·-.- I'- . ·--· ·:" ': :.: ;.,··:>:. :- _ ·..:d•JE. -.:}-. Location and General Characteristics . The forest consists of 340 acres northeast of the town of McCleary in eastern Grays Harbor County (see map on back cover) • It is midway between Olympia and Aberdeen and occupies gentle to medium slopes at an elevation of 300 to 600 feet. Princi pal drainage is into Wildcat Creek at .the north boundary, then through the Chehalis River to Grays Harbor. The forest lies just south of the glaci ated section of the Puget Sound region, and is covered with residual soils except for a narrow band of alluvial soil (Elma ·sandy loam) along ldcat Greek. Olympic loam, the major soil type; is derived from a basalt cap overlying marine strata deposits. The forest is largely Douglas-fir that or1gL nated after cutting in the western portion of the forest and burning in the eastern portion. As of 1954, two age classes have resulted: 50 years on the logged area and 60 years on the burned. The stand is better stocked and contains more Douglas fir on the east side than on the west, where mixtures of cedar, hemlock and alder are common. Alder is dominant in the north quarter bordering Wildcat Greek, and is also present in the_ south west portion. Climate and soil favor rapid tree growth Rainfall is abundant and temperatures moderate. Records from Elma, the nearest weather station, show an annual precipitation of 59 inches--14 inches Sixty-year-old Douglas-fir growing during the period April-September.. Snowfall is rare. on a high I site q:uality; total height Average annual temperature is 49.4°Fe; April-Septem 156 feet; 1,025 board feet. ber average is 57e5°Fo Average frost-free growing season is 184 days. Strong winds occur frequently during late w.inter and early sprl.ng. -2 -3 Tree species Sixteen tree species grow on the forest, six conifers ten hardwoods. Eight are commercially 00000 o· and C\J \.0 ....:::t _,_0 --· important. Common and botanical names are: ['- C'l....:::t ttl ... G\.ll\ 9\ Cl\ . ::I"' ... ttl ...:;:tO....:::ti:'-C'\ 01:'- 0 N C\J"' ·o '()'C'Cf"\ 0 ..p Conifers O'....:::t\.0 r-1 C\J +' ... "' "' \.0 H r-1 Q) (!) b.O Common name Scientific name b.O fa r-1fa Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii OOO....:::tO ....:::t\.0 r-1 ....:::t O\.OCOll\ - "d C'\ 'tj livestern hemlock Tsuga heterophylla '-0\.0 ....:::t riCO 1:'-ll\ "' "' <PI> ....... "' .... § Western redcedar Thuja plicata ['- C'\co 0 C\J C\J C'\ & e ll\0\ N ...::rO "'('\ .. Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis co 1:'-ll\1:'-C\Jr-l ..c:.. ... .. ....:::t... ....:::t . • ,..0 Grand fi,r Abies grandis co r-1 .. ...c.. r-1 'tj Pacific yew Taxus brevifolia ::1 'tj Cll Ul Q) (!) ..c: Hardwoods ..c: 0 s::: co \.0 \.0 r-1 0 rl \.0 r-1 •8rl · Red alder Alnus rubra 0 C\1 - \.() Bigleaf maple Acer macrophyllum r-1 Ul Black cottonwood Populus trichocarpa bQ) (!) .Cil \.() 00 (!) \.0 ....:::t ll\·. Q)· Q). Oregon ash Fraxinus latifolia ll\CO0 g· /C"\ H C\JCOOI:'-C\J r-IC'\rl H HE . +' ..p Willm·l Salix spp. .... "' 9\ ... G\ "' ... C'\ 1:' 1:'-\.0 co co H Cascara buckthorn Rhamnus purshiana \.0COC\JCOC\J 0 ....:::tr-lr-IC'\ c,.; "' c,.;. Bitter cherry Prunus emarginata .· -;:!'... r-1 C\1 Ul Ul Pacific dogwood Comus nuttallii E-1 •rl ·rl Vine maple Acer circinatum (!) .. .. Q) Black hawthorn Crataegus douglasii .. Q) .. .. 0 .. .. • • Forest Volume Ul 0 • .. .. Cll p., 'tj . " ..pp., ..p·p.. Q) Ul 0 0 .. 0 0 0- 0 rl " . A forest inventory in June 194tl showed ·0 H 't:1 . O..P Q) c,.; about cubic feet or board p., 'U .. Q) · ..p·- 2,100,000 11,4oo,ooo • H 0 0 't:1 ·o Cl) c::lI & (.) rl feet lumber tally on the en tire forest. Douglas Ul rim · s::: H S::: rl ttl . ttl 0 ttl .0 · •,-II fir is the predominant speci'es, a.ccounting for :;:li 0 r-IH O):;• -PH O....:::t IX!CO o.o m r-1 Q) o 0 Q) 68 percent of the cubic volume, followed by ::l 't:1 E 't:1 Ul E-IP... alder with 16 percent. Average site index is OQ)Q)rl·rl · t=to ::r:: 168 feet (Site quality II) .. &I -h- -5- Growth All tnnber is cut for Lediate commercial use. Stumpage has been sold by the Simpson Log Growth will be measured by the continuous in ging Company on a log scale basis with the ex.:. ventory stem, using permanent plots. This ception of one small cedar pole sale in 1951. method accounts for mortality directly, providing r1inimum conifer tree cut is 10 inches d.b.h., and a measurement of both net and gross groh. These utilization is to a min:L11um merchantable 7 -inch estimates are needed to manage·· a forest intensive top. · The minLmum tree for alder is 12 inches d.b.,h. ly, because light and frequent cuttings have a cut to an 8:-:inch top., Trees are handled mainly in marked influence on increment through salvage of 32-foot lengths, altpough scaled in 16-foot lengths. natural mortality and stimulation of diameter Lumber is sold to concentration and resaw yards in growth. The first growth estimates under this Olympia and Shelton; All slabs and refuse . are method will not be available until the plots have hogged and sold in Shelton for fuel. been remeasured. · Te following annual cuts have been made: Increment was- estimated rqughly to serve as a tentative. guide. This showed annuai increment N board feet .. for the next 10-year period would average 1,150 Year Cubic feet Scribner rule board feet (International 1/4-incnkerf) per acre, Conifers Alder Conifers Alder of which 1,050 feet are conifers and 100 feet are - alder. Annual increment is estimated to total 132 1949 38,137 0 199 0 cubic feet per acre (107 conifers, 25 alder). The 1950 86,338 1,143 439 6 current rate of growth is estimated to exceed ean 1951 43,661 0 222 0 annual increment by 40 percent and probably will 1952 45,431 3,809 231 20 continue to do so .for at least years. During 1953 25,767 4,571 30 131 24 this period, light and frequent tpinnings may be 239,334 9,523 1,222 expected to raise net increment and prolong the 55 period of maximum growth .. Board feet-cubic feet ratio: conifers, 5..084 to 1; alder, 5.,250 to 1.. Increase by ll percent for Administration International 1/4-inch kerf, the approximate equiv alent of lumber tally. Timber sales are made according to terms of a cooperative agreement with the company. Research Protection foresters mark all trees to be cut and supervise ¢he harvest operation.. A local contractor logs Fire protection on the forest is a primary the timber and converts it into lumber·at a mill 8 responsibility of the State, but is supplemented miles from the forest.