Clearcutting Method

CLEARCUTTING METHOD

Ralph D. Nyland Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Syracuse, NY 13210

October - 2010

Background reading:

Chapter 13, in Nyland, R.D. 2002. Silviculture: Concepts and Applications. Waveland Press. Long Grove, IL. 2ed.

Sources cited:

Berry, A.B. 1964. Effect of strip width on proportion of daily sunlight reaching the ground. For. Chron. 40(1):122-128.

Graham, J.N., E.W. Murray, and D. Minore. 1982. Environment, vegetation, and regeneration after timber harvest in the Hungry-Pickett Area of southwest Oregon. US For. Serv. Res. Note PNW-400.

Marquis. D.B. 1965. Controlling light in small clear-cuttings. US For. Serv. Res. Rpt. NE-85.

Noble, D.L., and F. Ronco. 1978. Seedfall and establishment of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir in clearcut openings in Colorado. US For, Serv. Res. Pap. RM-200.

Nyland, R.D., C.C. Larson, and H.L. Shirley. 1983. Forestry and Its Career Opportunities. McGraw-Hill Book Co., NY. 4ed

Schlich, W. 1910. Schlich’s Manual of Forestry. Vol. II Silviculture. Bradbury, Agnew, and Co. LD. London

Smith, D.M. 1986. The Practice of Silviculture. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. NY. 8ed.

Woods, N. 1972. Clearcutting. The Sierra Club Battle Book.

1 An even-aged rotation …

Beginning and ending with an even-aged reproduction method

And at the end, what to do …

2 Regeneration ...

-a PROCESS - an exercise in RISK MANAGEMENT - the aim --- NO SURPRISES

... desired species ... acceptable stocking ... prompt replacement

…timely … effective … appropriate species

3 Some common risks in regenerating even-aged stands ...

- Seed of poor genetic quality - Too little viable seed - Poor site conditions (wet or dry) - Too many skid trails (poor seedbeds) - Loss of advance regeneration during logging - Interference by herbs and undesirable trees - Browsing by deer, elk, moose, hare, rabbits, etc

... all dealt with by good judgment and appropriate preparatory practices

… deliberately successful

4 Given these at appropriate levels ...

…the PROCESS seems like an EVENT

... beginning and ending successfully in a relatively short period of time

… accomplished when needed and appropriate

5 So think about the even-aged silvicultural systems ...

... and their reproduction methods

With regeneration done ONCE each rotation …

i r

Nyland et al. 1983

The silvicultural system for even-aged stands …

6 The grim reaper ?

… lets focus on clearcutting From N. Woods, 1972. Clearcutting. as a reproduction method The Sierra Club Battle Book

Clearcutting in a silvicultural system ...

… regenerating a stand

- by completely removing the entire stand

- over a considerable area

7 e this … oks lik EM lo SYST So the

Aging

… based on a clear pattern of development through time … within a single stand

e … tur ma im hen d w Ten

… reducing the crowding

8 … thinning

… favors the biggest and best trees to promote their growth

ting Clearcut e erat gene n re e the atur … n m whe

e atur mm en i wh end … t

… replacing the entire stand in one operation

9 … clearcutting ( 65 acres )

… giving rise to a new even-aged tree communitiy

10 … like these

Mature by some standard …

11 … removed in one operation

… to establish a new cohort

12 … that will develop into the future

But in many forest community types …

… complete overstory removal

… done for natural regeneration only when abundant and well- developed advance regeneration already in place

… particularly for types having a key species of high shade tolerance

13 e ance … dva ion A erat gen re … often established during tending before stand maturity

… released by one-step overstory removal … with some new seedlings added after the clearcutting

14 … clearcutting method

Removing all the trees over a CONSIDERABLE AREA

So what is a

CONSIDERABLE AREA ...

15 CONSIDERABLE AREA ...

... the area of a stand

- recognizable - large enough to manage - in one unit of space - so treated as an entity

... removing the entire mature community in a single cutting

16 To regenerate a replacement cohort …

And stand size depends on:

- ownership objectives, needs, and capacities

- but at least sufficient space to match the silvical characteristics of the target species

- large enough to operate economically

And in that space you …

… clear fell the ENTIRE tree community

… get a new EVEN-AGED stand in return

17 The stand … … the area to regenerate by clearcutting

… removing ALL the trees in one operation

18 … allocating TOTAL ecologic space to the new cohort

… an abrupt change

19 CLEARCUTTING ...

… allocates TOTAL ecologic space to a new age class

- suddenly changes the environmental conditions - removes the seed trees - configuration may affect the environment and seed dispersion - begins a new period of long-term development - reduces some disease and insect threats - transforms the stand structure - abruptly alters the visual qualities

20 Increasing degree of overstory removal Some environmental factors environmental Some

Full shade Full sunlight

After Smith 1986

An example …

… western spruce-fir in Utah

21 … treated by the clearcutting reproduction method

… but why not a more “natural” shape

22 … interspersion of clearcut stands of Douglas-fir in Oregon

… allocating total space to the new age class

23 … ready for site preparation

… after burning the slash to reduce obstacles, interference, and fuel loads prior to planting

24 Later …

… after planting

… with regeneration established

Because of the openness and the ease of site preparation ...... clearcutting works well in systems employing artificial regeneration

Because of the openness and the ease of site preparation ...

... clearcutting works well in systems employing artificial regeneration

… applied across time and space

25 Now consider an example in northeastern spruce-fir stands …

... with natural regeneration

26 … perhaps scarified to improve seedbeds for natural regeneration

… a reproduction method giving rise to a new even-aged cohort

27 … or using chopping to prepare the site

… to facilitate container planting to artificially establish the replacement stand

28 Clearcutting with artificial regeneration has advantages in some forest community types ...

- avoid delays in restocking - introduce selected sources, genotypes, and species - control arrangement and spacing - achieve uniformity (sometimes desirable) - avoid failures - succeed with any forest community type

... timely ...organized ... controlled

29 … loblolly pine in Alabama

… overstory removal (clearcutting)

30 … ready for site preparation

… after bedding

31 … three years after planting

A.P. Drew … at 20-25 years after the first thinning

32 But replant the stand immediately …

… remembering possible problems that come with uniformity

(e.g., monotypes and uniform spacing)

… choosing carefully the species and the seed source

Consider some other examples ...

... with natural regeneration

... western mixed conifers

33 … and notice how the shape draws attention to the clearcut

… even though this shape has no ecologic effect, per se

34 … a series of former clearcuts, each regenerated successfully

… with seed from adjacent stands, off the slash, or in the litter layer

… plus advance regeneration

35 … happy people anticipating the future

… note the logging pattern

… the yarding corridors

36 … yarded up the corridors using this machine

… the yarding cable released out of this end of the boom

… “flung” down hill along the yarding corridor

37 … pulled uphill to the landing along a haul road

… the aftermath

… leaving the advance regeneration in the inter-corridor space

38 … with subsequent addition of trees by post-logging germinants

… resulting in a new even-aged stand

39 Now consider some different ways and reasons to reconfigure clearcuts …

… note this example in New Hampshire

… with a central reserve strip in the riparian management zone

40 E. Swift 2004 … and 30 years later

US For. Serv.

... or configured for water yield management

41 ... to trap snow and increase soil moisture storage

… and why this shape

42 … perhaps to facilitate the use of this mobile yarder

Yarder Tail block moved set up across the back here end of the stand to create this fan- shapd clearcut

… done for operational reasons

43 ... or altered for visual qualities

... traditional

… with distinct and “sharp” edges, and square corners

44 ... modified … with feathered edges

... using some imagination

Also, curved edges of a more natural shape blend better into the landscape and seem less obvious …

45 ... or to make ecologic adjustments

J.D. Irving, Ltd. ... traditional

J.D. Irving, Ltd. ... or with ecologic and visual qualities modifications

46 J.D Irving Ltd. … perhaps leaving groups of trees around special micro-habitats

... or to address other environmental, ecologic, or operational considerations

Marginal sites for clearcutting

Graham et al. 1982

... dealing with the physical environment in western North America

47 ... and the seed source

… noting how dispersal diminishes with distance from the upwind edge

After Noble and Ronco 1978

48 … now look at progressive strip clearcutting to address ecologic requirements

… often with operational advantages as well

49 Progressive strip clearcutting …

… set at a width to facilitate seed dispersal and partially shade the regeneration area

... the first entry

50 ... bent to affect visual qualities

… a short line of sight … side shading to tempter the environment … adjacent seed source

51 … but still increasing light levels near the ground

52 … the end result

... then cut adjacent strips when the regeneration develops adequately

53 ...the second entry

… similar to this

54 … even to release the advance regeneration that formed under the uncut strips

… the second entry

55 Second-cut strip First-cut strip

… the first-cut strip in the background

56 ... often with some logging damages to the regenration

... but hardwoods resprout

57 ... approached in different ways

… now consider circular patches

58 … covering one-third of the stand area in this case

Adjusting the size and shape to realize a desired effect …

Marquis 1965

59 … arranged in a geometric pattern

… elevating light in the patch opening

60 Adjacent trees cast shade …

… especially along the edges

… no tending between the patches

61 ... designed to fit the target species

… regenerating a new age classes

62 … like this

Now look at operational examples of clearcutting …

… of an entire stand in one step

63 Abundant and well-developed advance regeneration … … a key to prompt establishment of new trees

Then clearcutting begins a period of stand development ...

64 ... at 3 years

... at 7 years

65 ... at 11 years

Another case with abundant and well-developed advance regeneration …

66 Watch the rate of cohort development after this clearcutting …

… 1 year

67 ... 3 years

... 7 years

68 … 15 years

And another case to watch post-clearcutting stand development …

… first year

69 … 7 years

… also 7 years

70 … 14 years

… 32 years

71 Note the levels of advance regeneration

72 … light and dark

… with rapid development of even the shade-tolerant species like sugar maple

73 … and crown closure in 10 years with the northern hardwoods

Clearcutting … … a reproduction method

74 Clearcutting in a silvicultural system …

Regenerating a stand by…

- completely removing the mature stand - over a considerable area

… a reproduction method

75 … giving rise to a new single-cohort community

… so what do you see

76 … but can’t you leave just one for me

After Nissen 2010 Though not always as they seem …