Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Although the intent was to replicate this project on three sites, available funding allowed for installation and maintenance of a single fully replicated study site in West Georgia and one additional small-scale demonstration project in East Central Alabama. The demonstration site was installed during 2009 that has allowed us to observe the response of natural regeneration to partial cutting in riparian zone hardwoods. This installation was primarily intended to demonstrate the effect of various management intensities on the efficacy of riparian buffer zones at filtering sediment, but has also allowed testing of our preliminary prescriptions in another Piedmont forest. Both of these sites are used annually as field laboratory locations for both undergraduate and graduate students studying silviculture at Auburn University. Analysis of seventh-year data collected on the West Georgia site has been analyzed. Because of the expected post-treatment response of the forest canopy to our original harvest prescriptions, development of reproduction has now slowed and in the lowest intensity removal treatments, mortality has significantly increased. Unless resources can be found to apply another partial cut, the site will no longer provide useful data and further re-measurement will be abandoned. We are currently discussing the possibility of regularly scheduling recurring harvests at an approximate 7-year cutting cycle with the property managers (Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Georgia Power). The demonstration site is owned and managed by the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, so continued periodic re-treatment can be assured into the future. Data from this research in conjunction with additional research in upland oak systems and in coastal plain longleaf pine have been used to develop an approach for applying selection silviculture, the Proportional-B method (Pro-B). Workshops to train natural resource managers have been organized, several per year across the Southeastern United States, and a number of presentations have been made at professional meetings regionally and internationally. Pro-B is being taught to undergraduate forestry students at two universities, Auburn University and The University of the South. The system is generating significant interest among both field practitioners and academics. PARTICIPANTS: Loewenstein (PI) has been primarily responsible for the theoretical development of the Proportional-B system and has worked closely with Dr. Dale Brockway (collaborator), a research ecologist with the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station in extending the systems application to the Longleaf pine type. Loewenstein has also been directly involved in data collection along with Dr. John Lhotka (collaborator), University of Kentucky. Also assisting in data collection were Jay Ransom (Loewenstein's technician) and Ferhat Kara (Loewenstein's graduate student). The primary study area was made available and assistance provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Mike Crumbly) and Georgia Power (Kym Partridge). These two organizations jointly own and manage, respectively, the Blanton Creek Wildlife Management Area. Use of our second study site (the Mary Olive Thomas Tract) was provided by the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and assistance in forest operations on that site were provided by Dick Martin (Auburn University). Both of these study sites are annually visited by the silviculture class from Auburn University to examine the effect of partial cutting on forest structure and regeneration. The Proportional-B system has been used to illustrate the selection system to all of Loewenstein's graduate students (1 MNR, 3 MS, 2 PhD) as well as a Chinese Visiting Scholar (Qiuju Guo) and a Turkish Visiting Scientist (Osman Topocoglu) who are working in his lab. Field tours are regularly conducted on the Thomas Tract for professional foresters; this site is ideally located to provide continued opportunity to showcase the Pro-B system. Loewenstein has twice traveled to Sewanee, TN to present lectures and lead field labs for the silviculture class at the University of the South at the request of Dr. Karen Kuers. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences for this research include forestry students (undergraduate and graduate), natural resource management professionals (foresters, wildlife biologists, hydrologists, etc...), and forestry researchers. Each of these groups has been served over the course of this project. Auburn University silviculture classes have studied the methodologies developed by this project and the process of implementation as well as visiting the sites of the research to view the results. Foresters have had the opportunity to observe field tours of the site. Researchers have had presentations made to them at several international, regional, and local meetings. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
This research was intended to produce guidelines for natural resource managers whose land management objectives call for sustaining a high quality bottomland hardwood stand under a continuous canopy cover (i.e., clearcutting and other even-aged systems are not considered acceptable) while retaining or increasing the oak species component within that stand. Such a system is compatible with environmental restoration, water quality maintenance/improvement, aesthetics, wildlife habitat management, and high quality timber production. While we have developed what seems to be a workable system for riparian hardwoods, the same system has proven to work quite well in upland hardwoods and in southern pine stands with only minor modifications based on site conditions and the silvics of the target and competition species. Additional research to extend the method is still needed, but our current research should act as a springboard for the broader project. Undergraduate student data collection and analysis of the study site provided them with a tangible example of the regeneration response that can be expected following different intensities of understory and midstory removal. These future foresters will be asked to manage more than just industrial conifer plantations; this experience may provide them with alternative approaches to clearcutting, site preparation, and planting when managing, not only bottomland hardwoods, but most forest types. The Proportional-B method has been incorporated into both graduate and undergraduate silviculture courses at Auburn University and undergraduate silviculture at the University of the South (Sewanee, TN). The Pro-B method was the subject of presentations made at the 5th, 6th and 7th IUFRO International Conference on Uneven-aged Silviculture in Rouyn-Noranda (Quebec) Canada, Shizuoka, Japan and Ljubljana, Slovenia, respectively. Presentations have been made at F4 Technology Inc.'s user conference, the 2011 Natural Area's Conference, the 2010 Society of American Foresters National Convention, the University of Florida's 40th annual spring Symposium, both the 15th and 16th Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference, and the 7th Biennial Longleaf Alliance Regional Conference. Several Pro-B workshops have been organized, 5 for the Florida Forestry Commission, and one each for the War Eagle Chapter, Alabama Division, Society of American Foresters, the Ft. Stewart, GA Forestry Branch, and the Oconee National Forest. As a result of past workshops and presentations at professional meetings, significant interest in the system has developed and requests for further documentation of the system and additional workshops/presentations have been received from private consultants and several state and federal agencies. Interest in the system has resulted in the recruitment of a Turkish student to study Pro-B at Auburn University. We have also hosted and trained a visiting scholar from China (two years) and a visiting scientist from Turkey (three months). Interest in the system has also generated site visits (including presentations and a field tour) from a forestry technician program, and a German forest investment company.
Publications
- Lhotka, J.M. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2011. An individual-tree diameter growth model for managed uneven-aged oak-shortleaf pine stands in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 261:770-778.
- Loewenstein, E.F. 2011. Managing our streamside management zones (SMZs). Alabamas Treasured Forests, Spring 2011:14-15.
- Tacconelli, M. and Loewenstein E. 2011. A decision support tool integrating wildlife occupancy with stand projection. Journal of Forestry 109(8):561.
- Tacconelli, M.F. and Loewenstein E.F. 2011.Pre-treatment Projections Prevent Post-treatment Problems: A Decision Support Tool for Natural Resource Managers. p. 67. In: Oral abstracts of the Southeastern ecology and evolution conference. March 25-27, 2011. Auburn, AL. 77 pp. http://gump.auburn.edu/seec2011/SEEC_2011_Conference/Abstracts_files/ SEEC_2011_Conference_Talk_Abstracts.pdf
|
Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Although the intent was to replicate this project on one or two additional sites, sufficient funding to do so was never obtained. One additional small-scale demonstration project was installed during 2009 that has allowed us to observe the response of natural regeneration to partial cutting in riparian zone hardwoods. This installation was primarily intended to demonstrate the effect of various management intensities on the efficacy of riparian buffer zones at filtering sediment, but has also allowed testing of our preliminary prescriptions in another piedmont forest. Both of these sites are used annually as field laboratory locations for both undergraduate and graduate students studying silviculture at Auburn University. This past fall 42 students used these areas (along with previously collected data) to examine forest structure and analyze reproductive response. Available resources have been used to maintain the original study site; seventh-year data collection was completed during the dormant season, late in 2010. Because of the expected post-treatment response of the forest canopy to our original harvest prescriptions, development of reproduction has now slowed and in the lowest intensity removal treatments, mortality has significantly increased. Unless resources can be found to apply another partial cut, the site will no longer provide useful data and further re-measurement will be abandoned. We are currently discussing the possibility of regularly scheduling recurring harvests at an approximate 7-year cutting cycle with the property managers (Georgia DNR and Georgia Power). Data from this research in conjunction with additional research in upland oak systems and in coastal plain longleaf pine have been used to develop an approach for applying selection silviculture, the Proportional-B method (Pro-B). Although the approach is still in development, several workshops have been organized and a number of presentations have been made at professional meetings regionally and internationally. The system is generating significant interest among both natural resource managers and academics. PARTICIPANTS: Loewenstein (PI) has been primarily responsible for the theoretical development of the Proportional-B system and has worked closely with Dr. Dale Brockway (collaborator), a research ecologist with the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station in extending the systems application to the Longleaf pine type. Loewenstein has also been directly involved in data collection along with Dr. John Lhotka (collaborator), University of Kentucky. Also assisting in data collection were Jay Ransom (Loewenstein's technician) and Ferhat Kara (Loewenstein's graduate student). The primary study area was made available and assistance provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Mike Crumbly) and Georgia Power (Kym Partridge). These two organizations jointly own and manage, respectively, the Blanton Creek Wildlife Management Area. Use of our second study site (the Mary Olive Thomas Tract) was provided by the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and assistance in forest operations on that site were provided by Dick Martin (Auburn University). Both of these study sites are annually visited by the silviculture class from Auburn University to examine the effect of partial cutting on forest structure and regeneration. The Proportional-B system has been used to illustrate the selection system to all of Loewenstein's graduate students (1 MNR, 1 MS, 1 PhD) as well as a Chinese Visiting Scholar who is working in his lab. Two field tours were conducted on the Thomas Tract this year for professional foresters; this site is ideally located to provide continued opportunity to showcase the Pro-B system. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audiences for this research include forestry students (undergraduate and graduate), natural resource management professionals (foresters, wildlife biologists, hydrologists, etc...), and forestry researchers. Each of these groups has been served during the current reporting period. Auburn University silviculture classes have studied the methodologies developed by this project and the process of implementation as well as visiting the sites of the research to view the results. Foresters have had the opportunity to observe field tours of the site. Researchers have had presentations made to them at one international and one local meeting. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
This research was intended to produce guidelines for natural resource managers whose land management objectives call for sustaining a high quality bottomland hardwood stand under a continuous canopy cover (i.e., clearcutting and other even-aged systems are not considered acceptable) while retaining or increasing the oak species component within that stand. Such a system is compatible with environmental restoration, water quality maintenance/improvement, aesthetics, wildlife habitat management, and high quality timber production. While we have developed what seems to be a workable system for riparian hardwoods, the same system seems to work quite well in upland hardwoods and in southern pine stands with some fairly minor modifications based on site conditions and the silvics of the target and competition species. Additional research to extend the method is still needed, but our current research should act as a springboard for the broader project. Undergraduate student data collection and analysis of the study site provided them with a tangible example of the regeneration response that can be expected following different intensities of understory and midstory removal. These future foresters will be asked to manage more than just industrial conifer plantations; this experience may provide them with alternative approaches to clearcutting, site preparation, and planting when managing, not only bottomland hardwoods, but most forest types. The Proportional-B method has been incorporated into both graduate and undergraduate silviculture courses at Auburn University and was also the subject of a presentation made at the 7th IUFRO International Conference on Uneven-aged Silviculture in Ljubljana, Slovenia, a presentation made at the University of Florida's 40th annual spring Symposium, and a field tour for the War Eagle Chapter, Alabama Division, Society of American Foresters. As a result of past workshops and presentations at professional meetings, significant interest in the system seems to be developing and requests for further documentation of the system and additional workshops/presentations have been received from private consultants and several state and federal agencies.
Publications
- Loewenstein, E.F. 2010. Proportional-B: a one-pass marking system that restores balance between art and science in selection silviculture. p. 28 In: 21st Century forestry: Integrating ecologically-based, uneven-aged silviculture with increased demands for forests. 7th IUFRO International conference on uneven-aged silviculture. Jurij Diaci (editor). Ljubljana, Slovenia. September 23-30, 2010. 111 pp.
- Loewenstein, E.F., Tacconelli, M.F., Brockway, D.G., and Samuelson, L. 2010. Comparing carbon storage in longleaf pine among various stand structures. p.30 In: Carbon sequestration in longleaf pine ecosystems: current state of knowledge and information needs. Samuelson, L. and Rideout, C. (co-chairs). Meeting sponsored by the Center for longleaf pine ecosystems and the East Gulf coastal plain joint venture. Auburn, AL February 16-17, 2010. 56pp.
- Tacconelli, M.F. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2010. Developing a decision support tool by integrating forest stand projections with wildlife occupancy models. Journal of Alabama Academy of Science 81(2):124.
|
Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: One additional small-scale demonstration project has been installed that will allow us to observe the response of natural regeneration to partial cutting in riparian zone hardwoods. This installation is intended to demonstrate the effect of various management intensities on the efficacy of riparian buffer zones at filtering sediment. The project was installed on paired drainages on the Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest just south of Auburn, AL. A visiting scholar from China (arriving January 2010), will use this site, the original study site, and potentially others within the same physiographic province, to examine understory microenvironmental conditions beneath various residual canopy structures. Available resources have been used to maintain the original study site and fifth-year data collection was completed during the dormant season, early in 2009. This study site has become a regular laboratory location for Auburn University undergraduate and graduate forestry students in Silviculture. Data from this research in conjunction with additional research in upland oak systems and in coastal plain longleaf pine have been used to develop an approach for applying selection silviculture, the Proportional-B method (Pro-B). Although the approach is still very much in development, several workshops have been organized and the system is generating significant interest among natural resource managers and academics. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
This research was intended to produce guidelines for natural resource managers whose land management objectives call for sustaining a high quality bottomland hardwood stand under a continuous canopy cover (i.e., clearcutting and other even-aged systems are not considered acceptable) while retaining or increasing the oak species component within that stand. Such a system is compatible with environmental restoration, water quality maintenance/improvement, aesthetics, wildlife habitat management, and high quality timber production. Undergraduate student data collection and analysis of the study site provided them with a tangible example of the regeneration response that can be expected following different intensities of understory and midstory removal. These future foresters will be asked to manage more than just industrial conifer plantations; this experience may provide them with alternative approaches to clearcutting, site preparation, and planting when managing, not only bottomland hardwoods, but most forest types. Pro-B workshops at Tate's Hell State Forest, 16 attendees; Oconee National Forest, 24 attendees, Gothe State Forest, 34 attendees; and Blackwater State Forest, 29 attendees; provided natural resource managers and forestry researchers' insight into the effect of managing forest structure to sustain the establishment and recruitment of reproduction within a multi-aged forest. It also provided them with the opportunity to discuss potential problems and common misconceptions associated with selection silviculture. Finally, a field exercise allowed them to apply the system and see the results in an actual forest stand. The Pro-B system has been incorporated into the undergraduate silviculture course at Auburn University and was also the subject of two invited lectures (11 students, 3 faculty) at the University of the South (Sewanee, TN). It was also the subject of a presentation at the 2009 SAF National Convention.
Publications
- Lhotka, J.M. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2009. Effect of midstory removal on understory light availability and the two-year response of underplanted cherrybark oak seedlings. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 33(4):171-177.
- Loewenstein, E.F. 2009. Proportional-B: a simple but logical approach to marking single-tree selection. Presentation and Abstract. SAF 2009 National Convention: Opportunities in a Forested World. Orlando, FL. September 30-October 4, 2009.
|
Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Available resources have been used to maintain the original study site and complete fifth-year data collection following the 2008 growing season. The study site has become a regular laboratory location for Auburn University undergraduate forestry students in Silviculture. This past fall 32 students used the area (and past data) to analyze forest structure and reproductive response. Data from the first three years following treatment were used to develop a presentation, "A comparison of canopy structure measures for predicting height growth of underplanted seedlings", made at the 15th Biennial Southern Silviculture Research Conference, in Hot Springs, AR, November 17-20, 2008. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. John M.Lhotka, Assistant Professor of Silviculture, University of Kentucky. TARGET AUDIENCES: (1) Undergraduate students in Forestry, Wildlife Sciences, and Natural Resources: the study sites have been used as a field site for the laboratory portion of a silviculture course. Data from this study have been examined in the classroom to describe silvicultural concepts. (2) Natural resource professionals and foresty researchers: data from this project have been presented at a professional conference to show the impact of forest structure on underplanted seedling growth. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
This research is intended to produce guidelines for natural resource managers whose land management objectives call for sustaining a high quality bottomland hardwood stand under a continuous canopy cover (i.e., clearcutting and other even-aged systems are not considered acceptable) while retaining or increasing the oak species component within that stand. Such a system is compatible with environmental restoration, water quality maintenance/improvement, aesthetics, wildlife habitat management, and high quality timber production. Undergraduate student data collection and analysis of the study site provided them with a tangible example of the regeneration response that can be expected following different intensities of understory and midstory removal. These future foresters will be asked to manage more than just industrial conifer plantations; this experience may provide them with alternative approaches to clearcutting, site preparation, and planting when managing bottomland hardwoods. The presentation made at the 15th BSSRC gave natural resource managers and forestry researchers' insight into the effect of modifying forest structure on growth of underplanted seedlings. It also presented them with several methods to quantify forest structure during a typical inventory and discussed the problems and benefits associated with each approach.
Publications
- Lhotka, J.M. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2008. An examination of species-specific growing space utilization. Can. J. For. Res. 38:470-479.
- Lhotka, J.M. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2008. Influence of canopy structure on the survival and growth of underplanted seedlings. New Forests 35:89-104.
|
Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We are working on securing sufficient funds to install the research. Our intent is to complete plot layout this summer and plant the site during the 2008-09 dormant season. In the meanwhile, data collection continues on research plots that were used in the pilot study. Fifth year data from that site will be collected following the 2008 growing season. This location was used during fall 2007 as a laboratory location for 43 undergraduate forestry students measuring forest structure and reproductive response. Information derived from the pilot study was used to supplement other data sets and presented as an invited paper at the 2007 Society of American Foresters National Conference in Portland, OR.
PARTICIPANTS: Dr. John M. Lhotka, Assistant Professor of Silviculture, University of Kentucky. Lhotka worked on the project as a Research Associate at Auburn University prior to his taking a faculty position at UK. He is still collaborating on portions of the project.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Undergraduate students in Forestry, Wildlife Sciences, and Natural Resources. The study sites have been used as a field site for the laboratory portion of a silviculture course. Data from this study have been examined in the classroom to describe silvicultural concepts.
Impacts
This research is intended to produce guidelines for natural resource managers whose land management objectives call for sustaining a high quality bottomland hardwood stand under a continuous canopy cover (i.e., clearcutting and other even-aged systems are not considered acceptable) while retaining or increasing the oak species component within that stand. Such a system is compatible with environmental restoration, water quality maintenance/improvement, aesthetics, wildlife habitat management, and high quality timber production. Undergraduate student data collection and analysis of the study site provided them with a tangible example of the regeneration response that can be expected following different intensities of understory and midstory removal. These future foresters will be asked to manage more than just industrial conifer plantations; this experience may provide them with alternative approaches to clearcutting, site preparation, and planting when managing
bottomland hardwoods.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 10/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
This project was approved in October 2006. We are currently attempting to identify suitable study areas to install operational tests of treatments that prior experiments suggest may be successful in regenerating oak and other quality bottomland hardwoods under a continuous cover system.
Impacts
This research is intended to produce guidelines for natural resource managers whose land management objectives call for sustaining a high quality bottomland hardwood stand under a continuous canopy cover (i.e., clearcutting and other even-aged systems are not considered acceptable) while retaining or increasing the oak species component within that stand. Such a system is compatible with environmental restoration, water quality maintenance/improvement, aesthetics, wildlife habitat management, and high quality timber production.
Publications
- Lhotka, J.M. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2006. Initial response of underplanted cherrybark oak seedlings to four levels of mechanical midstory removal. pp. 275-278. In: Proceedings of the 13th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. Conner, K.F. (ed.). USDA For. Ser. Gen.. Tech. Rep., GTR-SRS-92. USDA For. Ser. South. Res. Stn., Asheville, NC. 640p.
- Ostrom, B.J. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2006. Changes in light transmittance associated with four levels of midstory removal in a riparian hardwood forest. pp. 265-268. In: Proceedings of the 13th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. Conner, K.F. (ed.). USDA For. Ser. Gen.. Tech. Rep., GTR-SRS-92. USDA For. Ser. South. Res. Stn., Asheville, NC. 640p.
- Lhotka, J.M. and Loewenstein, E.F. 2006. Indirect measures for characterixing light along a gradient of riparian forest canopy structures. Forest Ecology and Management 226:310-318.
|
|