1. Chapter 7
Forests

2. Forests Complex association of trees, shrubs, and plants
Each one contributes to the life of the community
Forests cover one-third of the United States
A wide variety of products comes from trees

3. Forests Two major types of forests Evergreen: do not shed their leaves
mostly conifers; produce lumber called softwood
Deciduous: shed their needles or leaves every year
produce lumber called hardwood

4. Forests of the United States
Eight major forest regions in United States
Depending on type of forest, forest soils differ from place to place

5. Northern Coniferous Forest
Largest region in North America
Most dominant type of tree is the evergreen or softwoods
Some areas contain mixtures of softwoods and hardwoods
Region characterized by swamps, marshes, rivers, and lakes
Climate is cold

6. Northern Hardwoods Forest
Reaches from southeastern Canada through New England to northern Appalachian Mountains
Region extends westward beyond Great Lakes region
Populated by several important hardwood species
beech, maple, hemlock, and birch trees

7. Central Broad-Leaved Forest
Contains more varieties and species of trees than any other forest region
Composed mostly of hardwood trees: oak, hickory, beech, maple, poplar, gum, walnut, cherry, ash, cottonwood, and sycamore
Conifers include Virginia pine, pitch pine, shortleaf pine, and red cedar

8. Southern Forest Located in southeastern part of the United States
south from Delaware to Florida
west to Texas and Oklahoma
Region with most potential for meeting future U.S. lumber and pulpwood needs
Most important trees are conifers
Hardwoods include oak, poplar, maple, and walnut

9. Bottomland Hardwoods Forest
Occur mostly along Mississippi River
Among most productive U.S. forests
Productive because of area’s high soil fertility
Contains mostly hardwood trees
oak, gum, tupelo, and cypress

10. Pacific Coast Forest
Located in northern California, Oregon, and Washington
Most productive of forest regions
Provides more than 25 percent of annual U.S. lumber production
Composed mostly of conifers
redwoods, giant sequoias, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, hemlock, western red cedar, Sitka spruce, sugar pine, lodgepole pine, noble fir, and white fir
Important hardwood species include oak, cottonwood, maple, and alder

11. Central Broad-Leaved Forest
Located mostly east of Mississippi River and south of northern hardwoods forest
Production of high-quality wood
some used to construct high-quality furniture
some used in construction and to make industrial pallets

12. Rocky Mountain Forest Divided into many small areas
Extends from Canada to Mexico
Composed primarily of conifers
western white pine, ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, spruce, fir, larch, western red cedar, and hemlock
aspen only important commercial hardwood

13. Tropical Forest
Some located in southern Florida and southeastern Texas
Major trees in region are mahogany, mangrove, and bay
Although important ecologically, these species have little commercial value
Some of U.S. tropical forests are in Hawaii
Wet forest region produces a variety of trees used in the production of furniture and novelties
The dry forest region of Hawaii produces many trees with little commercial value

14. Tree Types Trees may be described in terms of the lumber they produce
Softwoods: needle-type evergreens
Douglas fir, balsam fir, hemlock, white pine, cedar, southern pine, ponderosa pine, and Sitka spruce

15. Tree Types Hardwoods: deciduous trees
birch, maple, poplar, sweetgum, oak, ash, beech, cherry, hickory, sycamore, walnut, and willow
deciduous trees lose their leaves in fall or winter

16. Douglas Fir Perhaps most important U.S. tree
Makes up approximately 20 percent of timber harvested each year
Douglas fir forests produce 5 or 6 times more wood than other species
Popular as construction lumber and for manufacture of plywood

17. Cedars Eastern red, eastern white, and western red
Cedars have unique properties
resist decay
makes them useful as fence posts, shingles
odor repels insects
used to line chests and closets

18. Maple Maple lumber classified as both hard and soft
Hard maple lumber is heavy, strong, and hard
used for butcher blocks, workbench tops, flooring, veneer, and furniture
Soft maple only approximately 60 percent as strong
used for same applications
Some species produce sweet sap that is made into maple syrup

19. Oak Two general types of oak in United States white oak red oak
hard, heavy, and strong
pores plugged with membranes, making wood nearly waterproof
used for structural timbers, flooring, furniture, fencing, pallets
red oak
highly porous and not especially resistant to decay
must be treated with wood preservatives when used outside
used for furniture, veneer, and flooring

20. Cherry Found from southern Canada through eastern United States
Cherry wood dense and stable after drying
desirable and popular in production of fine-quality furniture
expensive and in limited supply

21. Tree Growth and Physiology
A tree begins life as a seed
Seed germinates, shoot grows up, and roots grow down and out
Trees grow in height and diameter
Growth layer called the cambium
Produces annual rings

22. Tree Growth and Physiology
Trees contain specialized transportation tissues
xylem: carries water and minerals from roots upward to rest of plant
phloem: carries food made in leaves to rest of plant

23. Forest Management Art and science of tree production is silviculture
Assumes that forest environment can be managed to be favorable to production of trees
Silviculture is practiced with varied intensities
Private forest lands are intensively managed
National forests are managed with less intensity

24. Managing a Stand of Trees
A stand of trees is managed to produce the desired trees in the desired area
It may be necessary to change the environment to favor a particular tree
Management decisions are made to favor the growth of the desired species
A variety of practices are used
plantings, selective harvesting, clear-cutting, etc.

25. Regenerating a Stand
Two types of forest regeneration: natural and artificial
Natural regeneration
Young trees begin to grow without being planted
Harvested area reseeds itself
Artificial regeneration
Seeds or seedlings are planted at harvest site
Often called direct seeding
Often results in uniform distribution of trees
Gives managers control over species

26. Timber Management Forest management is an active process
Unwanted trees need to be “weeded”
Stands of timber need to be thinned
Side branches need pruning
When stand is ready, it is harvested
A harvesting plan is always followed
maximizes yield from stand

27. Types of Harvest
Several timber-harvesting methods; each has advantages and disadvantages

28. Clear-Cutting Controversial method of harvest
loss of scenic value
erosion
desertification
habitat loss to native organisms
Produces even-aged stands
Trees are all of the same age
Leave unharvested buffer zones of trees near streams to protect water quality and provide wildlife habitat

29. Seed Tree Method
Mature trees of desired species are protected from cutting in scattered locations throughout forest
Purpose of these trees is to provide seed for regeneration and protect seedlings
Site preparation is necessary
Brush and seedlings are cleared to minimize competition with seeds
Shelterwood method is similar
When seedlings are established, mature trees are also harvested

30. Coppice Method
Silviculture system where trees are clear-cut and forest regenerates from stump sprouts
Care must be taken to protect against soil erosion
Tree species generated by coppice method are fast-growing
Oaks and aspens often managed this way
Trees usually used for fuel or pulpwood
Method also has great promise in production of biomass

31. Selection Cutting
Timber harvest method used to identify and harvest trees near end of their productive lives
Important to harvest these trees while still vigorous
Need to make use of the trees before they become victims of decay or disease

32. Salvage Harvesting Harvesting of diseased trees or damaged trees
Often used after natural disasters
Trees dying from insect damage and diseases can still be used for lumber products
Examples of natural disasters include forest fires, high winds, insect infestation
Once damage has occurred to trees, they need harvesting as soon as possible
After two or three years, trees often produce poor-quality lumber

33. Impact Statements
Harvesting requires filing of an environmental impact statement
Science-based study details the expected effects of human activity on the environment
Must be completed before timber harvests on federal land
Study analyzes variety of impacts
road building, soil stability, effect on plants and animals, presence of threatened or endangered species

34. Forests as Valuable Resources
economic value
biological value
habitat value
value from climate moderation
energy value
value for grazing
value for recreation
value of watersheds

35. Protection of Forests
To preserve this resource, forests must be protected from several threats
pests
diseases
fires
mismanagement / deforestation

36. Forests and Erosion
Soil erosion is number one source of water pollution in North America
Forest lands are susceptible to erosion after fires and harvesting that disturbs soil
Soil conservation efforts can minimize erosion
Place straw bales, plastic sheeting, and other types of silt traps to slow water flow