MANAGEMENT AND REGENERATION OF EASTERN FORESTS FOR TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL FOREST PRODUCTS

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: MCINTIRE-STENNIS
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 1014757
• Project Start Date: Dec 20, 2017
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2022
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
886 CHESTNUT RIDGE RD RM 202
MORGANTOWN,WV 26505-2742

Performing Department
Forestry

Non Technical Summary
Many acres of forests are harvested annually without a strategic plan for regeneration. As a result, the productivity and species composition ofthe new forestsare not optimal. This project seeks to address some of these concerns by developmenting pre- and post-harvest management solutions. I will focus on upland oak systemsand high elevation red spruce forests in the central Appalachian region.Despite a significant amount of work on oak regeneration, forests throughout the Appalachians continue to have reduced oak components following harvesting. My intent is to explore new oak regeneration methods are morelikely to be implementedon private land (i.e., requiring little cost and no delayed harvest).As for high elevation, red spruce forests, many of these acres are preserveddue to their rarity across the landscape. However,the area of red spruce forests are declining due to a lack of management. I will examine characteristics of naturally established red spruceforeststo gleen regenerative conditions that facilitate success, and applyoperational scale treatments mimicking those conditions in an effort to increase the abundance and frequency of redspruce forest on the landscape.Lastly, while the central Appalachian region isa major producer of timber, non-timber forest products are also important. West Virginia and the surrounding central Appalachian region have significant maple resources, providing the opportunity for expansion of the maple syrup industry in a region of the country facing serious social and economic challenges.To capitalize on the opportunities that forest resource presents will require increased knowledge of the maple resource in reference to maple (and other species) syrup making, and the dissemination of knowledge to producers and consumers about maple syrup processing and products. My objective is to access factors that influence sap and syrup production in the central Appalachians and disseminate this information to producers. The need for increased knowledge on maintaining sap flows and syrup production during extended warm periods will be key to expand production in the region. Over the last few years, warm periods during the traditional maple sap flow season resulted in low production throughout much of the region. During these warm periods, microbes are thought to contaminate the xylem cells and reduce sap flow. This study will examine alternative techniques to reduce microbial growth and hence maintain longer sap flow periods.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
123	0699	1070	75%
123	0680	1070	25%

Knowledge Area
123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0680 - Other products of the forest; 0699 - Trees, forests, and forest products, general;

Field Of Science
1070 - Ecology;

Keywords

regeneration

oak

red spruce

maple syrup

Goals / Objectives
Landowners own forestland for a variety of reasons. The desired product or use often changes over time, within ownership, and certainly as ownership changes. Therefore, management strategies need to be flexible, adaptable, and allow for the changing of future objectives. The tools and knowledge base required by this adaptive management approach are not necessarily established or available for certain objectives. As a result of past management practices or unforeseen disturbances (e.g., fire, insect outbreaks, storm damage) the growing stock present in many young stands will not meet the objectives of growing quality, high value stands for timber, while also achieving wildlife and recreational needs.The objectives of my research will focus on addressing questions related to improving the profitability and productivity of naturally regenerated eastern forests by focusing on developing management approaches that create opportunities for landowners to realize economic and intrinsic values without compromising future uses. And in many cases, the future uses do not necessarily focus on traditional forest products. Developing strategies for certain non-timber products (i.e., tree syrups) is a need that is increasing throughout the region.

Project Methods
Focus Area 1: Ameliorating Species Composition and Enhancing Productivity in Forest StandsUpland OakThe study was conducted in the central Appalachians on the West Virginia University Research Forest in Preston Co., WV. The site lies on a north-facing aspect with 20% average slopes. Soils were mapped as Dekalb channery sandy loam. Site index averages 70-75 feet base age 50 for upland oak using site index curves from Schnur (1937). Overstory species composition was largely yellow-poplar, northern red oak, black cherry (Prunus serotina), and red maple, which represented 66%, 21%, 5% and 3% of the harvested volume and 55%, 21%, 6%, and 13% of the basal area, respectively. The study site encompasses about 35 acres, with about one-half of the acreage regenerated using the alternating strip clearcut method. Harvest and residual strips were each 150 ft wide and oriented in a north-south direction. All stems >1 in dbh were felled using conventional equipment for the region (e.g., chainsaws and rubber tired cable skidders). The residual strips are expected to be harvested in 5-10 years.Four separate strip pairings were used as replication blocks. Each block was consistent relative to slope position, stoniness, and distance from skid trail. The regeneration will be monitored over time using permanently located plots on nine positions in each block, representing a range of light conditions from the edge of a residual strip to the edge of a cut stripThe best 360 out of 500 seedlings based on morphological characteristics were selected. The seedlings selected for planting had the following average characteristics: 0.32 inch root collar diameter (RCD), 17.6 inches in height, and 7.4 first order lateral roots (FOLRs) (table 1). Fern competition developed during the first part of the growing season and was controlled mid-summer using a directed application of Oust herbicide.Initial measurements recorded for each seedling were RCD, total height, and the number of FOLRs. Basal diameter and total height were measured after the first growing season. Additionally, a spherical densitometer was used to estimate overhead canopy cover. Readings were taken in early September 2015 from the center of each 10 seedling row.Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design (n=4) with subsampling (10 seedlings /location/block) using ANOVA to test the hypothesis that seedling growth varies for the 9 positions within the cut/leave strip pairing. Initial seedling height and diameter were used as covariates. Statistical tests were conducted using an alpha=0.05 level of significance.Red SpruceA 100 ac site on Kumbrabow State Forest was selected for study. The site is a mixed northern hardwood--red spruce forest type. For this research a gap will be defined as an opening caused by the death of one half to ten canopy trees (Runkle 1992). Gap makers included for this study should be no smaller than 25 cm dbh. (Runkle 1982), and the minimum gap area limit will not be smaller than 20 square meters (Brokaw 1982). Gap area will include the forest floor contained directly below the edges of the surrounding canopy. The tallest height of vegetation and regeneration in the opening must not exceed more than half the height of the surrounding dominant canopy height as these areas will be considered closed (Nakashizuka, 1984; Nakashizuka and Numata, 1982; Veblen, 1985).Gap area, canopy cover and orientation will be used to characterize each gap opening. Regeneration within each gap will be monitored on permanent plots established prior to the initial harvest. Once monitoring plots are installed, the site will be harvested using an expanding gap shelterwood harvest method. Periodic inventories will be conducted following harvest to assess red spruce regeneration success.Proximity of seed source will be based on P. rubens potential wind dissemination distance of 201 feet (Blum 1990). Each gap will be divided into four quadrants (NE, SE, SW, and NW) and the location of the closest seed source within 201 feet from gap center for each quadrant (if any) will be marked using GPS.Focus Area #2: Expanding Tree Syrup Development A series of studies will be implemented on University forest property and on collaborator properties that utilizes a constant, low vacuum to reduce microbial contamination of tap holes from tubing systems. Yields will be compared with traditional vacuum systems that only run during sap flows. Additionally, sap quality and content will be assessed since the residual sap in the tubing during warm periods can degrade subsequent sap runs.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The firstaudience was professional land and natural resource managers, foresters, various scientists and researchers. A secondary audience was forest landowners and maple syrup producers. Changes/Problems:Delays in conference presentations and some research were incurred due to travel restrictions. No major issues completing the goals associated with this project are expected. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two conferences/symposia (Central Hardwood Conference & Southern Syrup Research Symposium) were organized for 2020 to disseminate these and other research results. Unfortunately,both were cancelled due to travel restrictions related to COVID-19.One virtual presentation discussing management options for sugar maple was given to about 60 people in a stewardship meeting. Another 60 people were contacted during a red spruce restoration conference. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Mostin-person activities were cancelled this year. During the summer, severalforest landowners were given one-on-one training.Other trainings were provided virtually. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plans for the upcoming year are to finish manuscripts related to performed regeneration research. A significant amount of field research is planned as well. One of the conferences will be rescheduled for this summer, while planning for the other will begin. Two new graduate students will be recruited.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Fourgraduate students performed research towards the goals of this project. One student completed his research that focused on red spruce regeneration and development on high elevation central Appalachian forests. Another student is close to finishing her thesis related to maple syrup production strategies related to warming climate concerns. Thethird student transferred mid-year but worked towards quantifying oak regeneration on productive sites in WV. Finally, the last student developed a workflowfor hyperspectral imagery to detect maple trees in mixed hardwood stands. Other projects related to McIntrye-Stennis funding included tree and understory plant response to strip thinning, white pine provenance testing, and long-term response of black cherry seedlings to fertilization. Data were collectedfor each of these projects. Analysis and manuscriptwriting are expected in 2021.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Xiao Zhang, Shirong Liu, Jingxin Wang, Yongtao Huang, Zachary Freedman, Shenglei Fu, Kuan Liu, Hui Wang, Xiangzhen Li, Minjie Yao, Xiaojing Liu, and Jamie Schuler. 2020. Local community assembly mechanisms shape soil bacterial ? diversity patterns along a latitudinal gradient. Nature Communications. Vol. 11:5428.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Wang, J., J. Schuler, M. Eisenbies, T. Volk, Y. Wang, and D. Hartley. 2020. Optimization of harvest and logistics for multiple lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks in the Northeastern United States. Energy. Vol. 197: Article 117260.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Caterino, B., J. Schuler, S. Grushecky, and J. Skousen. 2020. Early Growth and Survival of Shrub Willow on Newly Reclaimed Mine Soil. New Forests. Vol. 51:1087-1099.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Jacobsen, C., D. Brown, W. Flint, J. Schuler, and T. Schuler. 2020. Influence of prescribed fire and forest structure on woodland salamander abundance in the central Appalachians. Forest Ecology and Management. Vol 468: Article 118185.

Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience was professional land and natural resource managers, foresters, various scientists and researchers. A secondary audience was forest landowners. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Several tours to professional forestry organizations were provided during 2019. Also, a sugarbush managament training session to 20 landowners was given in Virginia. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been desseminated using hands-on training activities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The three graduate students should be close to finishing their projects. These will result in peer-reviewed publications. Additionally, I plan to finish a maple sapflow study conducted on the university forest.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Three new graduate student projects were initiated in 2019. One student is working on regeneration patterns associated with red spruce forests on high elevation sites within West Virginia. He is assessing the early development patterns of young spruce saplings compared to patterns detected from stem analysis of older mature red spruce trees. The second student is looking at strip clearcutting to regenerate Appalachian hardwood species. The strip clearcuts are designed to give the landowner an immediate income by harvesting half of the stand, but also cultivating regneration in the residual strips to increase oak composition in the subsequent harvest. The third student is using climate data across WV to predict sapflow events and assess whether these events are changing over time.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Wang, J., J. Schuler, M. Eisenbies, T. Volk, Y. Wang, and D. Hartley. Optimization of harvest and logistics for multiple lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks in the Northeastern United States. Energy. In Review.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Jacobsen, C., D. Brown, W. Flint, J. Schuler, and T. Schuler. Influence of prescribed fire and forest structure on woodland salamander abundance in the central Appalachians. Forest Ecology and Management. In Review.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Held, B., J. Schuler, D. McGill, and M. Thomas-Van Gundy. Aspect influence on productivity when applying the deferment harvest method in mixed-oak hardwood forests in West Virginia. Journal of Sustainable Forestry. In Revision.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Caterino, B., J. Schuler, S. Grushecky, and J. Skousen. Early Growth and Survival of Shrub Willow on Newly Reclaimed Mine Soil. New Forests. In Review.

Progress 12/20/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary audience was professional land and natural resource managers, foresters, various scientists and researchers. A secondary audience was forest landowners. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1. Southern Syrup Research Symposium presentations 2. Central Hardwood Research Conference presentations How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?1. The Southern Syrup Research Symposium attracted 80 indivduals, and provided two days of training to landowners. Numerous posters and oral presentations were made. Also, vendors were available to inform participants on the newest technology. 2. Two presentations were made at the Central hardwood Research Conference. This is typically attended by regional scientists, landowners, and field managers. 3. The WVU Davis College fall Magazine featured some of the maple syrup outreach activities being supported by this project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?1. Continue with active research. 2. Publish two journal articles. 3. Attend research conference.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. A graduate student completed a MS research project related to evaluating the factors influencing red spruce reproduction ina high elevation stand in West Virginia. 2. A MS graduate student completed a MS research projectlooking at the effects of 20 years ofnitrogen inputs into a forest system. 3. A MS graduate student finished her field work assessingimpacts of deferment harvesting on reproduction and the long-term value of residual trees. 4.I co-organized a maple syrup research symposiumin Summersville, Wv on Sept. 28-29, 2018. This was attended by 80 individuals. 5. We initialledtwo tapping studies for maple syrup production.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mandalika, A., Bragg, D., Schuler, J. L., Baker, D., Elder, T., Groom, L. (in press). Potential of Natural-Origin Loblolly Pine Tree Fractions as Feedstock for Bioenergy. Wood and Fiber Science.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2018 Citation: Tomlinson, K., Schuler, J. L., Miller, G. W. The Response of Naturally Regenerated Hardwood Seedlings to Post-Harvest Weed Control and Fertilization. Forests.
• Type: Books Status: Under Review Year Published: 2018 Citation: Adams, M. B., Kelly, C. N., Kabrick, J., Schuler, J. L. Temperate Forest Soils. Forest Soils and Climate Change. USFS.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Presentation: Composition of maple sap from trees grown on former surface mines. Southern Syrup Research Symposium, Summersville, WV Sept. 29, 2018.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Poster Presentation: Experiential learning through teaching,research, and extension at WVUs maple syrup facility. Southern Syrup Research Symposium, Summersville, WV, Sept. 28-29, 2018.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Oral presentation: Wang, Y., J. Wang, D. Hartley, J. Schuler, M. Eisenbies, T. Volk. 2018. Multiple Biomass Feedstock Supply Chains in the Northeastern United States. 51st International Symposium on Forest Mechanization. September 25-27, 2018 Madrid, Spain.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Oral presentation: Wang, Y., J. Wang, D. Hartley, and J. Schuler. 2018. Optimization of Multiple Biomass Feedstock Supply Chains in the Northeastern United States. 6th International Forest Engineering Conference. April 19, 2018 Rotorua, New Zealand.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Oral presentation: Lutz, A., M. Thomas-Van Gundy, J. Schuler. 2018. Characterizing red spruce advanced regeneration in a high elevation stand in WV. 21st Central Hardwood Forest Conference, Bloomington, IN, May 15-17, 2018.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Oral presentation: Storm, A., M.B. Adams, J Schuler. 2018. Stand development in a mixed species hardwood forest as affected by fertilization and liming. 21st Central Hardwood Forest Conference, Bloomington, IN, May 15-17, 2018.