Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The project proposal had three broad objectives. All three of these have been met. 1) The Landscape Management System has been successfully adapted and implemented on several case study landscapes in Maine. In addition, an alternative forest management planning tool, the Remsoft Spatial Planning System, has been implemented on two of these case study landscapes. 2) For the last 5 years, senior undergraduate students in FTY 477 have been exposed to LMS and both LMS and the Remsoft Spatial Planning System for the last two. Land managers and the public have been exposed to these tools through lectures, presentations at conferences and personal interactions. 3) A region-specific software package of analysis tools designed to facilitate comparisons of alternative forest scenarios has been developed (Northeast Vulnerability and Habitat Measures) that evaluates forest structures, habitat, and vulnerability to disturbance (wind and spruce budworm). In addition, to work on these
objectives a variety of additional activity directly related to the project has taken place or is ongoing. This work includes: an evaluation of the natural disturbance regime in northern Maine; a study of forest dynamics after disturbance; evaluation of long-term forest and landscape dynamics; development and testing of a wind vulnerability model (Windshield), comparison of Marten and Lynx habitat under alternative management scenarios, an analysis of tree species diversity following precommercial thinning in Maine, implementation of a New Brunswick Spruce Budworm model in Maine, and an analysis examining development pressure and its interaction with forest management.
PARTICIPANTS: Graduate students that were involved in the project included: Erin Small, MFS 2004 Ben Dow, MF 2003, Mike Maguire, MF 2006, Tom Perry, MFS 2006, and Jeremy Greenwood, MF 2007. Only one was supported by the project but the others completed their degrees using tools developed by the project or doing research directly related to the project. Additionally, roughly 25 undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Maine were exposed to tools and techniques developed in the project through coursework and projects. Professionals in the state of Maine were exposed to ideas and tools through presentations at conferences and contact with individuals. Multiple collaborations with resource professionals from around the region were initiated and a variety of proposals to different agencies were funded.
Impacts
Several changes in knowledge outcomes have been achieved by the project. These include. 1)Forest dynamics in the region are complex and are strongly influenced by past management. As a result they may not be adequately captured by existing forest growth models. 2)19th century logging in northern Maine may be confounding our interpretation of pre-European forest conditions in the region. 3)A general model of vulnerability to wind damage can differentiate between areas that were damaged and those that were not in northern Maine. 4) There are many problems and pitfalls associated with using "natural variability" as a template for forest management in Maine. 5)Stand types used in Maine (a method for classifying forest stands) do not maintain enough information to evaluate economic values, vulnerability to disturbance, and management flexibility.
Publications
- Small, E.D., J.S. Wilson, and A.J. Kimball. 2007. A methodology for the relocation of permanent plot markers. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry (24)1:30-36.
- Perry, T.E. and J.S. Wilson. 2007. Assessment of wind vulnerability in two Maine landscapes. in S. Mitchell and R. Kragg eds. IUFRO Wind and Trees 2007 Conference. Vancouver, B.C. p. 35.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Progress in the fourth year of the project includes: development and evaluation of a wind vulnerability model for Maine forests, initial work toward the implementation of a spruce budworm hazard model for Maine forests, continuing studies of forest and landscape dynamics in the Acadian forest, work towards projecting habitat for wildlife umbrella species under alternative scenarios, and development of a detailed forest inventory of the University of Maine School Forests for use with scenario planning tools. The GIS-based wind damage vulnerability application (WINDSHIELD) predicts vulnerability to wind damage based on topographic exposure, soils, and stand characteristics. WINDSHIELD ratings were significantly higher for areas that experienced wind damage compared to those that did not across a 75,000 acre land area. Improvements to the Northeast Vulnerability and Habitat Measures (NVHM), a Microsoft Access based application that evaluates current and projected forest
inventory information in combination with spatial information, have continued. This software is being used to compare results from alternative approaches to management on case study landscapes. An investigation of unexpected forest type shifts that occurred over fifty years in a large industrial landbase is ongoing. Some of the unexpected stand type shifts have been associated with classification techniques and errors; however, many appear to reflect forest stand dynamics in the absence of human manipulation. Inventory and yield curves are being developed to compare the impacts of alternative management scenario on habitat for Marten and Lynx. This information will be used in forest scenario planning tools.
Impacts
Management of forest resources in Maine is an increasingly complex task involving many competing objectives. Through the development and application of software tools as well as research focused on natural disturbances impacting the region, this project seeks to improve our understanding of potential interactions and tradeoffs between competing objectives and facilitate future forest management.
Publications
- Etheridge, D.A., D.A. MacLean, R.G. Wagner, and J.S. Wilson. 2006. Effects of intensive forest management on stand and landscape characteristics in northern New Brunswick, Canada (1945-2027). Landscape Ecology. 21:509-524.
- Wilson, J.S. 2006. Chronicling landscape transformation. Ecology 87(4) 1067-1068.
- Perry, T. and J.S. Wilson. 2006. Vulnerability to wind damage in Maine forests. in D.C. Lee and J.S. Beatty (eds.) Advances in Threat Assesment and their application to forest and rangeland management. USDA Forest Service July 18-20. Boulder, CO. 132p.
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
Progress in the third year of the project includes: continued software development, evaluations of disturbance vulnerability, new and continuing studies of forest and landscape dynamics, and analysis of natural disturbance dynamics in Maine. Improvements and additions to Northeast Vulnerability and habitat Measures (NVHM), a Microsoft Access based application that evaluates current and projected forest inventory information in combination with spatial information, have continued. This software is being used to compare results from alternative approaches to management on case study landscapes. In addition, development of a GIS-based wind damage vulnerability application (WINDSHIELD) was initiated in the last year. This application will evaluate vulnerability to wind damage based on exposure, soils, and stand characteristics. An analysis of landscape dynamics over 50 years across a large land-base in New Brunswick has been conducted. Results have been published and a
spin-off project investigating an array of unexpected forest type shifts that occurred has been initiated. A new project modeling future effects of alternative forest harvesting scenarios on wildlife umbrella species commenced in Spring 05. Fieldwork and analysis of vegetation development 25 years after a severe windstorm and fire in Baxter State Park has been completed and results are being published. As part of the effort to better understand natural disturbance regimes in Maine, an innovative evaluation of historical lumber shipping records has been conducted and published.
Impacts
Management of forest resources in Maine is an increasingly complex task involving many competing objectives. Through the development and application of software tools as well as research focused on natural disturbances impacting the region, this project seeks to improve our understanding of potential interactions and tradeoffs between competing objectives and facilitate future forest management.
Publications
- Etheridge, D.A., D.A. MacLean, R.G. Wagner, and J.S. Wilson. 2005. Influence of intensive management on landscape composition and stand structure of a northern New Brunswick forest from 1946-2002. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35:1965-1977.
- Wilson, J.S. 2005. Nineteenth century lumber surveys for Bangor, Maine; implications for pre-European settlement forest characteristics in Northern and Eastern Maine, USA. Journal of Forestry 103(5): 218-223.
- Hoffmann, K.A., A.J. Kimball, and J.S. Wilson. 2005. Land Use History and Forest Succession on Long Island, Maine. p. 60. In: Kenefic, L.S.; Twery, M.J., eds. Changing Forests Challenging Times: Proceedings of the New England Society of American Foresters 85th Winter Meeting; 2005 March 16-18; Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-325. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 60 p.
- Maguire, M.P., L.S. Kenefic., J.S. Wilson, and R.D. Nyland. 2005. Simulating Rehabilitation Treatments in Northern Hardwood Stands Following Diameter-limit Cutting. p. 60. In: Kenefic, L.S.; Twery, M.J., eds. Changing Forests Challenging Times: Proceedings of the New England Society of American Foresters 85th Winter Meeting; 2005 March 16-18; Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-325. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 60 p.
- Etheridge, D., D.A. MacLean, R.G. Wagner, and J.S. Wilson 2004. Changes in stand type and landscape characteristics with 80 years of intensive forest management in Northern New Brunswick. p. 33. In Conference Proceedings Eastern CANUSA Forest Science Conference. D.A. MacLean (Comp.) Oct. 15-16. University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick. 106 p.
- Small, E.D. and J.S. Wilson. 2004. Vegetation dynamics following the Baxter Park fire of 1977. p. 59. In Conference Proceedings Eastern CANUSA Forest Science Conference. D.A. MacLean (Comp.) Oct. 15-16. University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick. 106 p.
- Wilson, J.S. 2004. Is the past a useful template for forest management? p. 67. In Conference Proceedings Eastern CANUSA Forest Science Conference. D.A. MacLean (Comp.) Oct. 15-16. University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick. 106 p.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
Progress in the second year of this project has continued to focus on software development, evaluating disturbance vulnerability, forest dynamics, and natural disturbance dynamics in Maine. Continued software development includes work with Landscape Management System (LMS) developers in Seattle, Washington on Version 3.0 and refinements to a software program entitled Northeast Vulnerability and Habitat Measures (NVHM). This program analyzes current and projected forest inventory information in combination with spatial information to rate vulnerability to disturbance agents (i.e., wind, spruce budworm, and the hemlock wooly adelgid). The software also evaluates forest structures and habitat characteristics for the American marten and deer wintering areas. NVHM is being used to compare results from alternative approaches to management on case study landscapes. As part of the effort to better understand natural disturbance regimes in Maine, an evaluation of historical
lumber shipping records has been undertaken. Fieldwork and analysis of vegetation development 25 years after a severe windstorm and fire in Baxter State Park has been completed. These results are being refined for publication. An analysis of variation within and development of precommercially thinned stands was completed and is being prepared for publication.
Impacts
Management of forest resources in Maine is an increasingly complex task involving many competing objectives. Through the development and application of software tools as well as research focused on natural disturbances impacting the region, this project seeks to improve our understanding of potential interactions and tradeoffs between competing objectives and facilitate future forest management.
Publications
- Wilson, J.S. 2004. Combining search techniques and stand visualization to explore and analyze forest inventory databases. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 43(3) 251-256.
- Wilson, J.S. 2004. Vulnerability to wind damage in managed landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. Forest Ecology and Management 191:341-351.
- Small, E. D., Wilson, J.S. and Kimball, A.J. 2004. Twenty-five years of vegetation development since the Baxter Fire of 1977. In: Proceedings Second International Wildland Fire Ecology and Fire Management Congress. American Meteorlogical Society, Orlando, Florida. http://ams.confex.com/ams/pdfpapers/65515.pdf
- Small, E. D., Wilson, J.S. and Kimball, A.J. 2004. Vegetation dynamics after the Baxter Park Fire of 1977. In: Forestry Across Borders: Proceedings of the New England Society of American Foresters 84th Winter Meeting. Gen Tech. Rept. NE-314. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. p 30-32.
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
Progress in the first year of this project has focused on acquiring case study landscape information, continued software development, and research into natural disturbance regimes, vulnerability and dynamics in Maine. Two 30,000-acre landscapes have been identified. Inventory and spatial information for these areas has been acquired, and this information has been modified for use with the Landscape Management System (LMS). LMS is a software program that integrates spatial and inventory information with forest growth models, visualization techniques, and a variety of analysis tools. Continued software development includes work with LMS developers in Seattle, Washington, and refinements allowing the Stand Search software program to fill gaps in inventory information using a nearest neighbor approach. This is especially important where inventory information is limited. Work on a new software program entitled Northeast Vulnerability and Habitat Measures has been
initiated. This program analyzes current and projected forest inventory information in combination with spatial information to rate vulnerability to disturbance agents (i.e., wind, spruce budworm, and the hemlock wooly adelgid). The software also evaluates forest structures and habitat characteristics for the American marten and deer wintering areas. As part of the effort to better understand natural disturbance regimes, stand and landscape vulnerability to these disturbance agents, interactions between agents, and forest dynamics after disturbance events, permanent plots established after a severe windstorm and fire in Baxter State Park have been relocated and remeasured.
Impacts
Management of forest resources in Maine is an increasingly complex task involving many competing objectives. Through the development and application of software tools as well as research focused on natural disturbances impacting the region, this project seeks to improve our understanding of potential interactions and tradeoffs between competing objectives and facilitate future forest management.
Publications
- Baker, P.J. and J.S. Wilson. 2003. Coexistance of tropical trees. Nature 422:581-582.
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