Management Plan Committee
UWSP SAF Student Chapter
Management Plan Committee
Spring 2005 - We are currently looking into new projects.
Meetings will be held at after regular SAF meetings in CNR 170.
2003 - 04 Management Plan Committee wrote this plan for Mr. Kevin Spaay's property:
Stand 1: Old Growth Pine
Size: 20 Acres
- Overstory: The overstory of stand one consists of primarily old growth white pine. In low depressions and scatter among the pines it also includes red pine, quaking aspen, red maple, paper birch, northern pin oak, northern red oak and a few eastern hemlocks. The intermediate layer is predominately red maple. Much of the white pine and aspen in this stand are overmature and are declining or are beginning to do so.
- Understory: The understory sapling layer is predominately red maple saplings. There is also some scattered Juneberry and grey dogwood scrubs mixed in.
- Ground Layer: The ground layer features advanced regeneration of white pine, red maple, and some quaking aspen and oak. The most prevalent seedlings are that of white pine and red maple
Prescription:
It is recommended that the low areas in this stand that primarily consist of red maple and aspen be clearcut. These areas already contain advanced regeneration of white pine and maple. Also in response to the cutting the aspen should coppice sprout if the opening is of sufficient size. To achieve the proper sized opening, some of the declining white pine should be removed. Also in other areas of the stand this would be recommended to recruit more white pine which currently is virtually non-existent in the understory and intermediate layer. Also it is recommended that the areas around the hemlocks on the site be selectively harvested to create small openings. This will give the existing hemlock more light and room to grow and may help in recruitment. Hemlock should be preserved on the site due to the dense cover that it provides which is especially important in the winter especially for birds such as turkeys.
Stand 2: Mixed Hardwood Swamp
Size: 42 Acres
- Overstory: The overstory consists of primarily quaking aspen and red maple. On the drier hummocks and higher sites there are northern red oak and northern pin oaks with witch hazel mixed in. There also are pockets of American elm and black ash. Also there are a few balsam firs, swamp white oak and white pine scattered about the site. The aspen on the site is overmature and is beginning to decline.
- Understory: The sapling layer is primarily red maple. Also scattered about the site on the exceedingly wet sites, are tag alder.
- Ground Layer: The ground layer contains advanced regeneration of oak and red maple.
Prescription:
Several prescriptions would be recommended in this stand. The first would be to put in several small clearcuts (2-4 acres). These clearcuts will allow for the advanced regeneration of oak and maple to come up. This cutting should also induce coppice sprouting of the aspen. The second prescription would be to do shelterwood cuttings leaving the oaks as the overstory for a seed source on the higher sites. This would allow for more oak regeneration. These oak in turn will provide mast, which is a valuable source of food for wildlife. Also the swamp white oaks which are rare on the site should be aided in regeneration. This will diversify the oaks on the site and will help by making it more likely that there will always be mast available for wildlife on the site plus the mast of white oaks are preferred by wildlife over that of red oaks. Also it may be a good idea to selectively remove the declining aspen on parts of the site, along with other species on the site that are of poor quality and poor form.
Stand 3: Oak Wood Lot
Size: 5 Acres
· Overstory: The overstory of the oak wood lot consisted of northern red oak, quaking aspen, bigtooth aspen and red maple. Also contained on the site are black ash and white pine.
· Understory: red maple
· Ground Layer: None, site is grazed by cattle from the neighbors dairy farm.
Prescription
The site contains a large quantity of tall, straight, medium diameter northern red oak trees mixed in with medium and mature aspen and red maple. It is recommended that the site be thinned to allow the oaks ample room to grow in diameter. To do this most of the aspen and some of the maple should be removed. Caution should be taken not to thin the stand too severely or it may cause the trees to be uprooted or snapped off in a wind or ice storm. Therefore, the stand should be cut back to three quarters or two thirds of its present basal area. Also it is recommended that cattle be fenced out of the area depending on the landowner’s desired outcome for the site especially if the high quality of the timber on the site is to be preserved. Continued compaction and other damage from the cattle may lead to decline and or rot in the oaks.
UWSP SAF Research Committee doing fuel load survey at McLoud Memorial Forest:
Web Director:
If there are any
questions or comments about UWSP SAF please email us.
UWSP SAF Email