Kay Kirkman
Friday, October 17, 2008 - 10:30-11:00
Conversion of established forests of commercially planted stands of slash or loblolly pines to longleaf pine forests is a common restoration goal on many former longleaf pine sites. The prevailing technique for canopy conversion is to remove canopy trees completely and plant longleaf pine seedlings. We examine an alternate approach that utilizes the undesirable planted species as a functional or structural bridge to foster ecological processes. Specifically, we examine how canopy species and structure affect light conditions and how modification of the canopy and hardwood midstory affect restoration trajectories. In this study we: 1) provide an estimate of variation in light across a range of slash pine canopy retention treatments and 2) describe how canopy and midstory hardwood restoration treatments influence ground cover species and pine seedling recruitment. We conclude that through partial and variable retention of the undesirable slash pine canopy, establishment of longleaf pine seedlings is facilitated, while maintaining fuels essential for prescribed fire, a necessary management practice for longleaf pine. The establishment of longleaf pine seedlings in small canopy openings provides advanced regeneration that will be released in the next timber harvest, while maintaining pine cover for needle cast for fuel. This effort, coupled with wiregrass establishment, will help to provide the fuels necessary for the frequent prescribed fires that are essential for hardwood control and for encouraging the development of an abundance of other fuels and diversity of the ground cover.
Keywords: LONGLEAF PINE RESTORATION, CANOPY, FUEL RETENTION, FUELS AND FOREST STRUCTURE