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

2. Introduction Hardwood Stand Dynamics Crop Tree Management Stand Inventory OperationsQuestions

3. How many trees per acre?

5. Upland hardwood stand age 53 Site index 70 (Coopers Rock SF) No. trees/acBAVolumeValue ------------ % of total -------------- 10153245 20265363 30346976 40418086 50 trees48 %89 %93 % 60539598 705899 441143 ft 2 /ac13.7 Mbf/ac$3,925/ac

6. Percent of Stand Value ( No. trees / ac ) Yellow-poplar Others Black cherry Red oak 8 trees/ac 36 12 17

7. What factors affect value?

8. Tree Value Factors SizeSpeciesQuality Product market

9. Number of trees in hardwood stands (MNF stands) AgeAll > 1”D/C * Crop Trees * ------------ no. trees/ac -------------- 102,600837145 151,55155280 201,25430725 1,14116226 3072515021 3558312917 405309520 53 C.Rock 4416920 * Dominant or codominant, black cherry, northern red oak, sugar maple, good quality.

10. How many crop trees in young stands?

11. Number of trees/ac in young hardwood stands

12. Crop trees/ac in young hardwood stands

13. 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

14. 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

15. Wildlife crop trees?

16. 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

17. Is crop tree management needed?

18. 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

19. 11.78 ft. 1/100 – acre plot Dominant, codominant, intermediate Species, dbh, crown class Competitive status CROP TREESCOMPETITORS Dominant, codominant Count by species Remarks

20. 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

21. 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

22. CategorySpeciesInventory no./ac% cat.% all Crop TreesWhite oak34236 N. red oak634311 Black oak51349 Sub total148100%26% CompetitorsRed maple1453425 Others2836649 Sub total428100%74% Grand Total576100% Table 1. Inventory of crop trees and competitors.

23. 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

24. Species Competitive Status Crop Tree Inventory Survival w/o CTR Survival w/ CTR no./ac% % NRO1590=4.595=4.8 21250=6.090=10.8 31930=5.760=11.4 4275=1.420=5.4 Sub total6317.632.4 Table 2. Effect of CTR on survival of crop trees. Ward and Stephens (1994)

25. CategorySpecies w/o CTRw/ CTR no./ac% % Crop TreesWhite oak7.51012.717 N. red oak17.62332.443 Black oak13.01725.534 Sub total38.170.6 CompetitorsRed maple12.5171.52 Other24.4332.94 Sub total36.94.4 Total7510075100 Table 3. Species composition w/ and w/out CTR. Derived from percents in Table 1

26. Do the crop trees need my help?

27. Vine control treatment?

28. 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

29. Crown Touching Release View from the Side Before Treatment After Treatment

30. Crown Touching Release View from Above Before Treatment After Treatment

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

33. 1 2 4 3 Side free-to-grow CropTreeCrown AdjacentTree AdjacentTree AdjacentTree AdjacentTree AdjacentTree

34. Yellow-Poplar DBH Growth: 5 Years 01234 Number of Sides Released 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 Inches

35. Crown-touching release

36. 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

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

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

39. Summary For Young Stands First release at age 10-20 First release at age 10-20 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

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

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

43. Height Growth of Red Oak 165580 Stand Age 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 Feet per Year ControlRelease 1.17 1.09 1.43 0.52 0.26

45. DBH Growth of Red Oak 165580 Stand Age 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 Inches per Year ControlRelease 0.16 0.26 0.21 0.28 0.21 0.31

46. Crown Diameter Growth of Red Oak 165580 Stand Age 0 0.5 1.0 1.5 Feet per Year ControlRelease 0.37 0.92 0.30 1.10 0.27 0.76

48. Clear Stem Growth of Red Oak 165580 Stand Age -3.0 -2.0 0.0 1.0 Feet per Year ControlRelease 0.92 0.400.40 -2.38 0.31 -0.47

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

51. 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

52. Logging Wounds

53. Closure of logging wounds 7 % 0 % 27 150 to 200 53 % 0 % 15 100 to 150 42 % 8 % 12 50 to 100 96 % 58 % 45 1 to 50 10 Years 5 Years No.Wounds Size (sq. in.)

54. Effect of Season of Cut: % of Trees with Wounds March-JuneJuly-Oct.Nov.-Feb. Season of Cut 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Mean % of Trees with Wounds

55. Effect of Season of Cut: Logging Wound Area March-JuneJuly-Oct.Nov.-Feb. Season of Cut 0 50 100150 Mean Total Logging Wound Area per Tree (in 2 )

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

57. 15-Yr Cubic Volume Production 30354045505560657075 Residual relative density (%) 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 ft 3 /acre Observed data point Cluster A predicted Cluster B predicted

58. 15-Yr Cubic Volume Production Observed data point Cluster A predicted Cluster B predicted 405060708090 Basal Area (sq ft/acre) 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 ft 3 /acre

59. 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 45-60 percent of full stocking Leave 45-60 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 35-50 sawtimber crop trees/acre Release 35-50 sawtimber crop trees/acre depends on species, spacing, goals depends on species, spacing, goals

60. Questions?