Gary W. Miller USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station Morgantown, West Virginia Intermediate Stand Management – The Crop Tree Approach

Introduction Hardwood Stand Dynamics Crop Tree Management Stand Inventory OperationsQuestions

How many trees per acre?

Upland hardwood stand age 53 Site index 70 (Coopers Rock SF) No. trees/acBAVolumeValue % of total trees48 %89 %93 % ft 2 /ac13.7 Mbf/ac$3,925/ac

Percent of Stand Value ( No. trees / ac ) Yellow-poplar Others Black cherry Red oak 8 trees/ac

What factors affect value?

Tree Value Factors SizeSpeciesQuality Product market

Number of trees in hardwood stands (MNF stands) AgeAll > 1”D/C * Crop Trees * no. trees/ac , , , , C.Rock * Dominant or codominant, black cherry, northern red oak, sugar maple, good quality.

How many crop trees in young stands?

Number of trees/ac in young hardwood stands

Crop trees/ac in young hardwood stands

The Crop Tree Management Process 1. Set stand management objectives 2. Define crop trees based on objectives 3. Inventory crop trees & competitors 4. Project development of crop trees 5. Plan and adjust the release treatment 6. Apply the treatment

Step 1: What are your objectives? Increase productivity Increase productivity faster growth faster growth better quality better quality more valuable species more valuable species Good stewardship Good stewardship sustain preferred species sustain preferred species increase diversity of benefits increase diversity of benefits protect unique trees protect unique trees

Wildlife crop trees?

Step 2: What is a crop tree? Focus on future stand development Focus on future stand development future composition of overstory future composition of overstory best 75 trees per acre best 75 trees per acre Potential benefits Potential benefits market value market value seed production seed production crop trees help meet the stand goals crop trees help meet the stand goals Potential risk Potential risk consider longevityconsider longevity

Is crop tree management needed?

Step 3: Inventory Crop Trees & Competitors Crop trees Crop trees dominants, codominants, intermediates dominants, codominants, intermediates species, dbh, crown class species, dbh, crown class competitive status competitive status Competitors Competitors dominants, codominants dominants, codominants count by species, remarks count by species, remarks

11.78 ft. 1/100 – acre plot Dominant, codominant, intermediate Species, dbh, crown class Competitive status CROP TREESCOMPETITORS Dominant, codominant Count by species Remarks

Plot__1___ No. Vines__4____ Comments_______ Crop Tree Species Dbh Crown Class Competitive Status CompetitorsRemarks RO3CD22 RM, 1 OthV BO3Dom12 RMV WO2Int46 RMRM sprout Example Data Sheet

Competitive Status 1. Dominant or strong codominant – not threatened, likely to survive without release, vigorous sprout, flanked by weaker competitors 2. Typical codominant – flanked by trees of similar height and crown size, competitors could threaten tree in the future, likely to benefit from release 3. Weak or threatened codominant – flanked by aggressive species or sprout clumps, soon to be or already threatened by competitors, release needed for long-term survival 4. Intermediate crown class – shorter than competitors, mid-tolerant or tolerant species, future success depends on initial vigor and height differential

CategorySpeciesInventory no./ac% cat.% all Crop TreesWhite oak34236 N. red oak Black oak51349 Sub total148100%26% CompetitorsRed maple Others Sub total428100%74% Grand Total576100% Table 1. Inventory of crop trees and competitors.

Step 4: Project development of crop trees Crop trees Crop trees projection based on competitive status projection based on competitive status with and without release with and without release Competitors Competitors recall 75 overstory trees per acre recall 75 overstory trees per acre proportional to initial inventory proportional to initial inventory

Species Competitive Status Crop Tree Inventory Survival w/o CTR Survival w/ CTR no./ac% % NRO1590=4.595= =6.090= =5.760= =1.420=5.4 Sub total Table 2. Effect of CTR on survival of crop trees. Ward and Stephens (1994)

CategorySpecies w/o CTRw/ CTR no./ac% % Crop TreesWhite oak N. red oak Black oak Sub total CompetitorsRed maple Other Sub total Total Table 3. Species composition w/ and w/out CTR. Derived from percents in Table 1

Do the crop trees need my help?

Vine control treatment?

Step 5: Plan and adjust the treatment Mark a demo plot with flagging Mark a demo plot with flagging Count crop trees and cut trees Count crop trees and cut trees Show it to staff, contractors, clients, etc. Show it to staff, contractors, clients, etc. Adjust number of crop trees Adjust number of crop trees Give crop trees 3 or 4-sided release Give crop trees 3 or 4-sided release

Crown Touching Release View from the Side Before Treatment After Treatment

Crown Touching Release View from Above Before Treatment After Treatment

SI 70, 16-yrs old, 60 crop trees/ac

Side free-to-grow CropTreeCrown AdjacentTree AdjacentTree AdjacentTree AdjacentTree AdjacentTree

Yellow-Poplar DBH Growth: 5 Years Number of Sides Released Inches

Crown-touching release

Step 6: Apply the treatment Two-step process Two-step process Staff selects and marks crop trees Staff selects and marks crop trees Crew releases crop trees One-step process One-step process Crew selects and releases crop trees Crew selects and releases crop trees

Methods Chemical Chemical Hack-n-squirt Hack-n-squirt Basal spray Mechanical Mechanical Chainsaw felling Chainsaw fellingGirdling

Crop Tree Management Increase dbh growth Increase dbh growth Improve stand quality Improve stand quality Improve species composition Improve species composition

Summary For Young Stands First release at age First release at age closed canopy closed canopy when stand initiation phase ends when stand initiation phase ends Crown-touching release Crown-touching release crop tree free-to-grow crop tree free-to-grow same for seedlings and sprouts same for seedlings and sprouts Usually 40 to 60 crop trees/acre Usually 40 to 60 crop trees/acre species, quality, spacing species, quality, spacing

Implications of intermediate treatments Tree response Tree response Logging wounds Logging wounds Stand productivity Stand productivity

Effect of crown growing space Height Height Dbh Dbh Crown diameter Crown diameter Clear stem Clear stem

Height Growth of Red Oak Stand Age Feet per Year ControlRelease

DBH Growth of Red Oak Stand Age Inches per Year ControlRelease

Crown Diameter Growth of Red Oak Stand Age Feet per Year ControlRelease

Clear Stem Growth of Red Oak Stand Age Feet per Year ControlRelease

Epicormic branching: key factors Species Species Genetics Genetics Crown position Crown position Position on bole Position on bole Aspect Aspect Stand density Stand density

Epicormic branching risk White oak, red oak White oak, red oak Basswood, black cherry, chestnut oak Basswood, black cherry, chestnut oak Beech, hickories, maples, yellow-poplar Beech, hickories, maples, yellow-poplar White ash White ash

Logging Wounds

Closure of logging wounds 7 % 0 % to % 0 % to % 8 % to % 58 % 45 1 to Years 5 Years No.Wounds Size (sq. in.)

Effect of Season of Cut: % of Trees with Wounds March-JuneJuly-Oct.Nov.-Feb. Season of Cut Mean % of Trees with Wounds

Effect of Season of Cut: Logging Wound Area March-JuneJuly-Oct.Nov.-Feb. Season of Cut Mean Total Logging Wound Area per Tree (in 2 )

Commercial Thinning Concentrate growth on desirable trees Concentrate growth on desirable trees Advance stand development Advance stand development Harvest / reduce mortality Harvest / reduce mortality

15-Yr Cubic Volume Production Residual relative density (%) ft 3 /acre Observed data point Cluster A predicted Cluster B predicted

15-Yr Cubic Volume Production Observed data point Cluster A predicted Cluster B predicted Basal Area (sq ft/acre) ft 3 /acre

Summary For Commercial Thinnings First thinning at age 40? 50? First thinning at age 40? 50? depends on markets, site, goals depends on markets, site, goals Leave percent of full stocking Leave percent of full stocking depends on initial stand, rotation age depends on initial stand, rotation age Leave BA about equal to oak SI Leave BA about equal to oak SI on SI 70, leave about 70 sq. ft./acre on SI 70, leave about 70 sq. ft./acre Release sawtimber crop trees/acre Release sawtimber crop trees/acre depends on species, spacing, goals depends on species, spacing, goals

Questions?