Potential Yields and Economic Returns of Natural Disturbance-Based Silviculture: A Case Study from the Acadian Forest Ecosystem Research Program

Abstract

Intrastand variability is promoted by many silvicultural systems designed to emulate natural disturbance regimes (natural disturbance-based silviculture [NDBS] systems) in the eastern United States and Canada but this variability is difficult to model in many growth-and-yield models, limiting application by the region's forest managers. We used a resampling approach to integrate intrastand variability into Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) growth-and-yield projections. We subsequently compared potential yield and financial returns over a 100-year period for two NDBS systems monitored in the Acadian Forest Ecosystem Research Program with two conventional systems: a two-stage uniform shelterwood and a single-tree selection system. NDBS systems produced the widest diameter distribution at the end of the harvest rotation and were more effective in recruiting large trees (Ͼ24 in.) and more diverse species relative to conventional silviculture systems. Projected merchantable yield and financial return were highest for the single-tree selection, followed by the two NDBS systems and finally the shelterwood; however, if standing merchantable value at the end of simulation was included, the NDBS systems ranked first and third overall financially. Our analysis suggests that NDBS systems are capable of sustaining a greater diversity in forest structure and composition while producing volume yields and financial returns that are competitive with conventional even-and uneven-aged silvicultural systems.

Effects of multiaged silvicultural systems on reserve tree growth 19 years after establishment across multiple species in the Acadian forest in Maine, USA

“…This study has elucidated the growth responses of reserve trees to under-studied but increasingly utilized silvicultural systems. Additionally, this study provides evidence that the large-and small-gap systems, in addition to being economically viable systems (Saunders and Arseneault, 2013), are capable of accelerating the restoration of large-diameter classes and maintaining structural and biological diversity via high survival (92%; Carter et al, 2017) and increased growth.…”

Even-Aged vs. Uneven-Aged Silviculture: Implications for Multifunctional Management of Southern Pine Ecosystems

“…The user must schedule regeneration (natural or planting) events by specifying input values for density and age and/or size of seedlings. The FVS model is widely used [10,[20][21][22][23][24] and more details about its contents, description, structure, and applications can be found in Crookston and Dixon [15], Dixon [17], Donnelly et al [18], Keyser [19], McGaughey [25], and van Dyck and Smith [26].…”

Prescribed fire and partial overstory removal alter an acorn–rodent conditional mutualism

“…Habitat heterogeneity may allow granivores to search for caches in localized areas that they perceive as less risky within a larger landscape. Many modern silvicultural methods strive to promote high levels of habitat heterogeneity to provide diverse wildlife habitat, regeneration microsites, and stand resilience and resistance to future disturbances (Drever et al 2006, Raymond et al 2009, Saunders and Arseneault 2013, Raymond and B edard 2017. Results of our caching study suggest that timber harvest altered microsite characteristics important to small mammals, but the standlevel habitat heterogeneity was diverse enough to leave cache pilferage behavior unaltered at the treatment (stand) level.…”

“…, Raymond et al. , Saunders and Arseneault , Raymond and Bédard ). Results of our caching study suggest that timber harvest altered microsite characteristics important to small mammals, but the stand‐level habitat heterogeneity was diverse enough to leave cache pilferage behavior unaltered at the treatment (stand) level.…”