Differing ponderosa pine forest structures, their growth and yield, and mountain pine beetle impacts: Growing stock levels in the Black Hills

Graham, Russell T.; Asherin, Lance A.; Jain, Theresa B.; Baggett, L. Scott; Battaglia, Michael A.

doi:10.2737/rmrs-gtr-393

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(44 reference statements)

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“…While thinning will not increase the productivity of a site, which is inherently controlled by climate and soils, these management actions can distribute the growth to fewer stems and reduce the time to grow sawtimber. The importance of tending even-aged stands early in their development has been demonstrated by several research studies within the Black Hills region (Graham et al 2019;Myers 1958). In 1931, a thinning study was initiated in stagnated stands that were 28, 40, and 55 years old with d.b.h.…”

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In 1961, a long-term thinning study to examine tree growth response across a range of growing stock levels was installed on the Black Hills Experimental Forest in dense 65-year-old sapling and pole-sized stands with initial diameters of 2 to 8 inches d.b.h. (Graham et al 2019;Myers 1967). After 48 years, this long-term study demonstrated that ponderosa pine trees in treated stands increased in both diameter and merchantable volumes compared to untreated stands (fig.…”

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both studies demonstrate that tending to the desired stand density early in stand development would yield larger diameter trees and volume outputs much sooner. Furthermore, Graham et al (2019) noted that several precommercial thinnings over the course of the 48-year study to maintain the density treatments did not produce commercial material at the time of thinning. Therefore, Graham et al (2019) suggested that one precommercial thinning to the desired tree density and basal area for a future stand of 10-inch d.b.h.…”

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, Graham et al (2019) noted that several precommercial thinnings over the course of the 48-year study to maintain the density treatments did not produce commercial material at the time of thinning. Therefore, Graham et al (2019) suggested that one precommercial thinning to the desired tree density and basal area for a future stand of 10-inch d.b.h. trees (table 1 in Myers 1967) would produce diameters and volumes that would produce sawtimber-sized material in an even-aged silvicultural system.…”

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The limited research in multi-aged ponderosa pine stands in the Black Hills have shown that mean wood production efficiency was not different from those observed in evenaged stands (Ex and Smith 2013;O'Hara and Nagel 2006); however, more research is needed to understand the tradeoffs of multi-aged silviculture (Ex and Smith 2013;Jain et al 2014;Palik et al 2020). Depending on the frequency of management activities and the number and juxtaposition of trees left, a wide variety of stand structures, tree sizes, and timber volumes can be produced while also increasing resiliency to disturbances (Battaglia et al 2008;Ex and Smith 2013;Graham et al 2019;Jain et al 2014;Negrón et al 2008;Negrón et al 2017). A diversity of silvicultural systems could be applied on the BHNF depending on the management objectives.…”

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A scenario-based assessment to inform sustainable ponderosa pine timber harvest on the Black Hills National Forest

Graham

Battaglia

Jain

2021

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Since 2000, the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF) has experienced several disturbances that have reduced standing live sawtimber volume which will affect future harvest levels. To evaluate options concerning the future timber management program, we conducted a quantitative analysis to determine how mortality from these disturbances and potential growth rates will impact short-, mid-, and long-term sustainable sawtimber harvest levels of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum Dougl. ex Laws.). In 2019, there was 5,995,428 CCF (hundreds of cubic feet) standing live ponderosa pine sawtimber within the suitable timberlands. The current harvest level in the BHNF Forest Plan of 181,000 CCF/yr is not a sustainable option. Over the next several decades, if mortality rates stay below 1.04%, harvest levels of 72,400 and 90,500 CCF/yr appear to be sustainable if all suitable timberlands are available for harvest. History shows that allowing the forest to recover after large disturbances provides opportunities to adjust future harvest levels. Also, tending of young forests can promote recovery and produce sawtimber volume more quickly.

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Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Management Opportunitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A scenario-based assessment to inform sustainable ponderosa pine timber harvest on the Black Hills National Forest

Graham

Battaglia

Jain

2021

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Forest density intensifies the importance of snowpack to growth in water‐limited pine forests

Gleason

Bradford

D’Amato

et al. 2020

Ecological Applications

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Warming climate and resulting declines in seasonal snowpack have been associated with drought stress and tree mortality in seasonally snow-covered watersheds worldwide. Meanwhile, increasing forest density has further exacerbated drought stress due to intensified tree-tree competition. Using a uniquely detailed data set of population-level forest growth (n = 2,495 sampled trees), we examined how inter-annual variability in growth relates to snow volume across a range of forest densities (e.g., competitive environments) in sites spanning a broad aridity gradient across the United States. Forest growth was positively related to snowpack in water-limited forests located at low latitude, and this relationship was intensified by forest density. However, forest growth was negatively related to snowpack in a higher latitude more energy-limited forest, and this relationship did not interact with forest density. Future reductions in snowpack may have contrasting consequences, as growth may respond positively in energy-limited forests and negatively in water-limited forests; however, these declines may be mitigated by reducing stand density through forest thinning.

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Restoration and fuel hazard reduction result in equivalent reductions in crown fire behavior in dry conifer forests

Ritter

Hoffman

Battaglia

et al. 2022

Ecological Applications

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Over the past several decades, the management of historically frequent-fire forests in the western United States has received significant attention due to the linked ecological and social risks posed by the increased occurrence of large, contiguous patches of high-severity fire. As a result, efforts are underway to simultaneously reduce potential fire and fuel hazards and restore characteristics indicative of historical forest structures and ecological processes that enhance the diversity and quality of wildlife habitat across landscapes. Despite widespread agreement on the need for action, there is a perceived tension among scientists concerning silvicultural treatments that modify stands to optimally reduce potential fire behavior (fuel hazard reduction) versus those that aim to emulate historical forest structures and create structurally complex stands (restoration). In this work, we evaluated thinning treatments in the Black Hills National Forest that exemplify the extremes of a treatment continuum that ranges from fuel hazard reduction to restoration. The goal of this work was to understand how the differing three-dimensional stand structures created by these treatment approaches altered potential fire behavior. Our results indicate that restoration treatments created higher levels of vertical and horizontal structural complexity than the fuel hazard reduction treatments but resulted in similar reductions to potential crown fire behavior. There were some trade-offs identified as the restoration treatments created larger openings, which generated faster mean rates of fire spread; however, these increased spread rates did not translate to higher levels of canopy consumption. Overall, our results suggest that treatments can create vertical and horizontal complexity desired for restoration and wildlife habitat management while reducing fire hazard and that they can be used in concert with traditional fuel hazard reduction treatments to reduce landscape scale fire risk. We also provide some suggestions to land managers seeking to design and implement prescriptions that emulate historical structures and enhance forest complexity.

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Differing ponderosa pine forest structures, their growth and yield, and mountain pine beetle impacts: Growing stock levels in the Black Hills

Cited by 7 publications

References 22 publications

A scenario-based assessment to inform sustainable ponderosa pine timber harvest on the Black Hills National Forest

A scenario-based assessment to inform sustainable ponderosa pine timber harvest on the Black Hills National Forest

Forest density intensifies the importance of snowpack to growth in water‐limited pine forests

Restoration and fuel hazard reduction result in equivalent reductions in crown fire behavior in dry conifer forests

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