Aspen Bibliography

Sustained aspen productivity on hardwood and mixedwood sites

S. Navratil

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

FRDA-rep

Issue

255

First Page

53

Last Page

64

Publication Date

1996

Abstract

Sustained aspen productivity after harvesting of hardwood and mixedwood sites is dependent on the amount and quality of aspen regeneration. Aspen suckering is inhibited by low soil temperatures, and soil temperature management may be required on many sites. To enhance soil warming and to encourage adequate suckering, shading by residual trees, shrubs, herbaceous cover, Calamagrostis grass, and log decks should be minimized. Disturbance or removal of insulating soil organic horizons by scarifying or burning will also improve soil temperatures but should not be done after suckering has begun. Sucker densities and growth rates are reduced on skid trails and landings, proportionate to disturbance intensity. Affected areas can be kept to a minimum by optimizing layout of extraction roads and designated skid trails.

Small clumps of up to 35 residual mature trees of balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) left in clearcut blocks do not significantly affect the density and growth of aspen regeneration.

Harvesting white spruce-dominated mixed stands results in successional de synchronization, early-seral microclimate but late-seral forest floor conditions, thus increasing soil temperature problems. In harvesting 53 these mixed stands, the number and spatial distribution of aspen parent trees is critical, a minimum of 50-60 stems per hectare are required in order to obtain acceptable regeneration of aspen.

Silvicultural systems other than clearcutting in large blocks reduce aspen regeneration and future yield of aspen.

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