2409.17_4
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FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
ALASKA REGION (REGION 10)
JUNEAU, ALASKA
FSH 2409.17 – SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
Supplement No.: R-10 2409.17-2001-4
Effective Date: September 14, 2001
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: /s/ James A. Caplan for
Acting Regional Forester
Date Approved: August 30, 2001
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook
number and calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it
with this supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The
last supplement to this Handbook was R-10 Supplement 2409.17-2001-3 to chapter 8.
New Document
2409.17_4
12 Pages
Superseded Document(s)
(Supplement Number and
Effective Date)
2409.17_4 (R-10 Supplement 2409.172001-2, effective 3/30/2001)
13 Pages
Digest:
4.3 – Corrects the number of seeds per gram for Western redcedar.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-4
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2409.17_4
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
Table of Contents
4.1 Cone (Seed) Collection and Procurement ................................................................. 3
4.11 Cone (Seed) Collection or Purchase ................................................................... 3
4.2 Cone and Seed Processing ........................................................................................ 4
4.3. Seed Yield ............................................................................................................... 4
4.4 Seed Collection Areas ............................................................................................... 5
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-4
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2409.17_4
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
4.1 Cone (Seed) Collection and Procurement
Seed collection is an important phase of the reforestation program. Successful
performance requires a thorough knowledge of:
1. Seed collection zones.
2. Location of desired seed supplies.
3. Seed abundance.
4. Dates of seed maturity.
5. Collection techniques.
6. Correct seed handling procedures.
7. Approximate needs by collection zones.
4.11 Cone (Seed) Collection or Purchase
Seed should be collected from trees of superior form and growth characteristics. The
following seed sources are suggested:
1. Superior trees within existing sale units in which cutting can be coordinated to
agree with cone collection.
2. Young trees within thinned areas from which cones can be collected without
damage to the parent tree. These trees should be marked and referenced for future cone
collection efforts as well.
If there is a need to purchase cones from the open market, Forests should designate cone
collection areas and require that cones be properly identified and handled during
collection and delivery to the Forest Service.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-4
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2409.17_4
Page 4 of 12
FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
All bags of cones should be labeled with heavy-duty tags indicating:









Species
Forest and Ranger District
Location (geographic location: mainland, island name, and so forth)
Seed sub-region (see 4.4 – Exhibits 01a-d and 2)
Longitude and latitude
Elevation
Aspect
Date collected
Collector’s name
4.2 Cone and Seed Processing
Seed extraction, cleaning, testing, storage, and treatment will be done at the Region 10
Seed Processing Facility, located in Petersburg, Alaska. Forests and Districts are
responsible for shipping seed to this facility. The District Silviculturist, Petersburg
Ranger District, will be responsible for proper storage, handling, and processing of seed.
4.3. Seed Yield
Following are some general guidelines on the number of acres that may be planted from
seed having a specific Pure Live Seed (PLS) and number of seeds per pound. The
number of acres that can be planted per pound of seed will vary based upon the number
of seedlings planted per acre. Since seedling yields will vary by seed source, nursery,
and other factors, each Forest is encouraged to develop seedling yield criteria for local
use, which is based on nursery seed quality, sowing, and production records.
Species
Alaska yellow-cedar
Sitka spruce
Western hemlock
Western red cedar
PLS
70
70
70
70
Ave. No. of Seed per Pound
108,000
200,000
260,000
420,000
Planted Acres per
Pound
100
130
150
400
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-4
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2409.17_4
Page 5 of 12
FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
The following is based on extraction rates from the Region 10 Seed Processing Facility in
Petersburg.
Species
Clean Seed
Grams/bushel
W
227
Seed/
gram
S
440
Sitka
Spruce
Alaska
478
240
Cedar
Western
152
610
Red cedar
Trees per bushel (T) = (S*W*P)/G
85
Seed
Sown
per Cell
G
2.1
Purity
Factor
%
P
79
Number of
Trees/
Bushel
(thousands)
T
37.6
40
4.8
73
17.4
60
3.8
79
29.4
Germination
Rate (%)
The purity factor (P) is calculated by dividing 1.0 by the oversow falldown and seed
waste factors. The oversow falldown is 1.15 for Western red cedar and 1.25 for lots
greater than 100 grams for Alaska cedar. The seed waste factor is 1.1 for all species.
Seeds sown per cell (G) vary by germination rate. When the rate is not determined, use
85 percent for Sitka spruce, 40 percent for Alaska cedar, and 60 percent for Western red
cedar.
4.4 Seed Collection Areas
There are twenty-seven (27) seed collection areas (seed sub-regions) on the Tongass and
Chugach National Forests (Alden, 1991). These names and codes are to be used in the
identification of seed and maintenance of planting and seeding records.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-4
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
Tongass and Chugach Seed Collection Areas
Seed Collection Area Map
Symbol (See Exhibits 1a-d and 2)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Seed Collection Area Geographic Name
Portland Canal
Behm Canal mainland
Revilla and adjacent islands
Prince of Wales and adjacent islands
Wrangell and adjacent islands
Kupreanof and adjacent islands
Fredrick Sound-Stephen Passage mainland
Admirality Island
Baranof and adjacent islands
Chichagof and adjacent islands
Juneau mainland
West Lynn Canal mainland
Upper Lynn Canal mainland
Glacier Bay
Yakutat
Yakutaga
East Prince William Sound-mainland
West Prince William Sound-mainland
Prince William Sound islands
Southern Kenai Peninsula
Afognak and adjacent islands
Kodiak and adjacent islands
East Cook Inlet
West Shelikof Strait
West Cook Inlet
Susitna River (North Cook Inlet)
Kenai
These seed collection areas (sub-regions) are groupings of provisional seed zones, and
follow physiographic boundaries (Alden, 1991). These boundaries limit north-south seed
transfer to about one degree latitude. When transferring seed within seed collection
areas, the following guidelines should be followed:

Transfer seeds only from natural populations in environments that are similar to
the environment of the planting site.

Avoid transfer of seeds from upland populations to flood-plain sites and from
flood-plain populations to upland sites.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-4
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2409.17_4
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED

Collect seed from as many well-distributed trees as possible to maintain genetic
integrity and diversity.

As much as possible, seed collected in one seed collection area should not be used
in a different seed collection area unless no other reasonable alternative is
available. If seed must be transferred across seed collection boundaries, follow
the three guidelines above as much as possible and avoid transferring seed across
major genetic barriers such as mountains, glaciers, and above treeline.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2409.17_4
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
4.4 - Exhibit 01a,
Tongass National Forest Seed Collection Zones 1 - 5
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
4.4 -Exhibit 01b,
Tongass National Forest Seed Collection Zones 6 –10
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
2409.17_4
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
4.4 - Exhibit 01c,
Tongass National Forest Seed Collection Zones 11 – 14
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
4.4 - Exhibit 01d,
Tongass National Forest Seed Collection Zone 15
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 2409.17-2001-3
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/14/2001
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
FSH 2409.17 - SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 4 – TREE SEED
4.4 - Exhibit 02,
Chugach National Forest Seed Collection Zones
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