Novel silvicultural practices for mixed-species stand management for non-industrial private landowners

Link To Share This Poster: https://cdmcd.co/G3YvAn
Live Discussion Link: https://cdmcd.co/xvxBpk

Darcey A. Collins, Joshua Granger, Krishna Poudel and Austin J. Himes, Department of Forestry, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, David S. Buckley, Department of Foretry, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN

Background/Question/Methods
Many landowners in the southeastern United States have invested in southern yellow pine plantations, especially with the financial incentives of programs like the Conservation Reserve Program or Wetland Restoration Program. This has left many landowners with single-species plantations that do not provide the ecological functions provided by the historically mixed-species forests that initially existed in those areas, as well as difficult to sell pine products. Many landowners and researchers have begun to view mixed-species forests as a possible solution to this ecological and economic problem. However, oak species, which are often one of the most desired hardwood species, can be difficult to regenerate artificially. The following study will incorporate nurse and trainer tree effects in order to determine which silvicultural practices best allow for the creation and management of mixed-species stands from existing loblolly pine stands. Shortleaf pine, sweetgum, post oak, northern red oak, shingle oak, and southern red oak seedlings will be planted in mixtures and in single species plots in order to examine their success under mid-rotation loblolly pine stands, and how they interact with each other. The primary focus of this study is to evaluate the potential for restoring historic forest cover types, namely shortleaf pine-hardwood mixtures, while providing landowners with options for growing high-quality oak for several ecosystem services
Results/Conclusions
Initial baseline measurements should determine planting success and display no statistical differences between treatments. Climate measurements comparing treated plots to a field with no canopy cover should display the microclimate benefits of underplanting, namely shielding the seedlings from intense sunlight. This will allow for lower temperatures and higher soil moisture compared to areas with no tree canopy. Eventually these planted trees will be large enough to interact, and the oaks in mixtures with other species should have a better form with fewer epicormic branches. The planting of this mixture of hardwoods and shortleaf pines should lead to a gradual transition from a single-species pine plantation to a mixed-species shortleaf pine-hardwood forest. As a result, there will be an increase the biodiversity and available ecosystem services and will aid in the restoration of shortleaf to its traditional range.