Project Area
This 128-acre project area was selected to showcase practical examples of adaptive management to forestry professionals and the public. The project area consists of three stands: Hemlock- Hardwood, Pine-Hemlock, and Northern Hardwood. Dominant tree species include eastern hemlock, sugar maple, birch, and white pine. Each stand also has northern red oak, which managers at the site aim to maintain and help the population grow. There has not been active management here since the 1970s and 80s when small, selective harvests were carried out. The trees are now mature to overmature, and this demonstration harvest will create young forest with varied structure. Each treatment area will include a resilience component, where trees will be harvested to improve forest health and biodiversity, and a transition component, where more aggressive management will take place to shift the composition towards the anticipated future climate conditions. Managers at the site are collaborating with the Audubon Society, Ruffed Grouse Society, Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District, and the NYS Forest Rangers to monitor changes during and after harvest. Planning is underway for an interpretive trail for visitors to learn about the project while they tour the area.
Management Goals
- Promote biodiversity of regeneration by creating larger canopy gaps to encourage species that favor sunlight, and discourage American beech, which is affected by beech bark disease.
- Enhance wildlife habitat by maintaining snags, legacy trees, and increasing structural diversity.
- Provide opportunities for teaching, research, and demonstration through silvicultural experimentation, monitoring, and an interpretive trail.
- Increase acceptable growing stock (AGS) so that 50% of the final residual stand meets AGS criteria. Leaving behind trees with good genetics means they can provide a healthy seed source for our regeneration.
Climate Change Impacts
Both transitional and northern hardwood stands at this site are ranked as moderately vulnerable to climate change at this time. The most important anticipated climate change impacts include:
Longer growing seasons due to an increase in frost-free days.
Reduced winter snowpack, affecting soil nutrient cycling and tree regeneration.
Increased frequency of extreme precipitation events, leading to soil erosion and wind throw vulnerability.
Greater risk of damage from invasive species and forest pests, including hemlock wooly adelgid, spongy moth, and beech bark disease.
Changes in species composition, with better-adapted species such as red oak and sugar maple becoming more prevalent.
Challenges and Opportunities
Climate change will present challenges and opportunities for accomplishing the management objectives of this project, including:
Challenges
Changing climate conditions may disproportionately favor invasive species that can disrupt the native ecosystem.
Extreme weather events may cause increased soil erosion and wind damage.
Shallow soils are more susceptible to increased possibility of drought.
Opportunities
Shifts in the ranges of native tree species may provide a greater mix of species to work with.
Longer growing seasons may improve overall forest productivity.
There are more educational opportunities for students and professionals to learn about adaptive silviculture.
Adaptation Actions
Project participants used the Adaptation Workbook to develop several adaptation actions for this project, including:
Area/Topic
Approach
Tactics
Silviculture
5.1. Promote diverse age classes.
9.1. Favor or restore native species that are expected to be adapted to future conditions.
9.3. Guide changes in species composition at early stages of stand development.
9.5. Disfavor species that are distinctly maladapted.
9.1. Favor or restore native species that are expected to be adapted to future conditions.
9.3. Guide changes in species composition at early stages of stand development.
9.5. Disfavor species that are distinctly maladapted.
Favor species like red oak, white pine, and sugar maple that are better adapted to a warmer climate than other species on this site.
Use prescribed fire in transition areas following harvest and in subsequent years to favor fire-adapted tree and herbaceous species.
Use regeneration harvests including shelterwood and group selection to create large openings, and use thinning to create smaller openings.
Thin hemlock areas to promote health and resilience against hemlock wooly adelgid.
Remove all overstory and understory beech affected by beech bark disease.
Ecological functions
1.1 Reduce impacts to soils and nutrient cycling.
1.2. Maintain or restore hydrology.
1.3. Maintain or restore riparian areas.
1.2. Maintain or restore hydrology.
1.3. Maintain or restore riparian areas.
Carefully consider routes for harvest equipment to reduce ground disturbance on shallow soils.
Exclude steep and rocky slopes from the harvest to reduce severity of wind and ice damage.
Create a buffer around riparian areas and harvest seasonally wet areas on frozen winter ground.
Monitoring
Project participants identified several monitoring items that could help inform future management, including:
Tracking regeneration success and species composition changes.
Assessing wildlife usage in response to increased structural diversity.
Monitoring soil stability and erosion post-harvest.
Documenting changes in invasive species presence and spread.
Monitoring prescribed fire impacts on tree and herbaceous species regeneration.
Project Documents
PF Spruce Mtn Harvest Map.pdf
(609.24 KB)