R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
2409.26g,10
Page 1 of 13
FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
DENVER, CO
FSH 2409.26g - TREE IMPROVEMENT HANDBOOK
Region 2 Amendment No. 2409.26-96-22
Effective July 17, 1996
POSTING NOTICE: Amendments are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and calendar year. Post by
document name. Remove entire document and replace with this amendment. Retain this transmittal as the first
page of this document. The last amendment to this Handbook was Amendment 2409.26g-96-21 to 2409.26g,90.
This supplement supersedes Supplement 2409.26g-96-5 to 2409.26g,10.
Document Name
2409.26g,10
Superseded New
(Number of Pages)
10
Digest:
10 - This is a technical amendment to add an omitted exhibit.
ELIZABETH ESTILL
Regional Forester
11
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2409.26g,10
Page 2 of 13
FSH 2409.26g - TREE IMPROVEMENT HANDBOOK
R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
CHAPTER 10 - INTRODUCTION
In the 1985 update of RPA the stated goal for timber is to "meet growing domestic and export demands for wood
products by using economic opportunities for management and assistance, and by development of new technology to
increase and extend timber supplies while protecting the environment and providing opportunities for wildlife,
recreation, and other multiple uses of Forest lands.
The 1985 RPA update showed that timber consumption in the U.S. increased from about 11 billion cubic feet in the
late 1950's to nearly 14 billion cubic feet in the late 1970's. Long-range projections, based on increases in
population, economic activity and a continuation of price trends show that demands will grow to a level of about 25.8
billion cubic feet by 2030. This amounts to an increase in demand of about 74 percent compared to the current
domestic harvest level.
Supplies of timber available to meet these demands show slower increases; this will result in rapid increases in the
relative prices of timber and timber products.
There are three major ways to meet this increasing demand for timber:
1) extend supplies through improved utilization, 2) increase net annual growth, and 3) increase harvests from the
existing resource. While the increasing demand will be met through use of all these methods, each will require an
investment of time and money in order to meet the demands. These demands for increased supplies of timber must
come from a reduced land base on which to grow the timber. Net annual timber growth from National Forest
System lands can be increased by:
1. Regeneration of non-stocked and poorly stocked commercial timber land, regeneration of mature Forest
stands, and conversion of existing stands to more desirable species.
2. Utilizing sound management (silviculture) and harvesting practices to reduce losses resulting from natural
mortality, undesirable vegetation, fires, pests, and poor timber harvesting practices.
3. Developing and utilizing more intensive management practices such as spacing control, fertilization,
vegetation management, and use of genetically improved trees.
The Rocky Mountain Regional Guide lists 11 timber related goals. Two of the goals are:
R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
2409.26g,10
Page 3 of 13
1. Manage highly productive and suitable Forest lands to maintain or increase capability for fiber production.
2. Plant stock from well-adapted local seed sources or plant stock from well adapted genetically improved trees.
11 - POLICY. The National Forest Management Act of 1976 directs the National Forest System to annually
regenerate, by planting, seeding, or natural regeneration, an area equal to the area deforested annually. And, with
some exceptions, stands will be regenerated within 5 years of final harvest.
One of the objectives of the Forest Service reforestation program is to improve the quality and yield of new timber
stands through the use of genetics where appropriate (FSM 2472.02). This means: 1) use of sound genetic
principles in stands to be regenerated naturally, and 2) use of the best quality seed and seedlings available and
adapted to sites to be regenerated artificially.
The Rocky Mountain Regional Guide states that acceptable management practices, including tree improvement, will
be applied on a site-by-site basis to meet Forest Plan objectives. All Forest Land and Resource Management Plans
in Region 2 direct that the best available seed and seedlings will be used for artificial regeneration. Although Forest
Plans do not mention genetic improvement through natural regeneration, sound genetic principles should be utilized
in the regeneration of all Forest stands, regardless of the regeneration method.
12 - NATIONAL FOREST LANDS IN REGION 2. The suitable acres of National Forest System lands in Region 2
are summarized in Table 1. Of the total of 10.1 million acres of suitable NFS lands about two-thirds, or 6.9 million
acres are in the 20-49 CF/Ac/Yr. site productivity class. Most of the remaining acres are in the 50 to 84 CF/Ac/Yr.
class. By Forest type, about 30 percent of the suitable acres are in spruce/fir, 21 percent in lodgepole pine, 20
percent in ponderosa pine, 18 percent in aspen, and 11 percent in Douglas-fir. By site productivity, in excess of 90
percent of the lodgepole pine and ponderosa pine occurs on site productivity 20-49 CF/Ac/Yr. land; about two thirds
of the aspen is in this productivity class, and about one-half of the Douglas-fir. Only in the spruce/fir type does more
than one-half (55 percent) of it occur on the higher site productivity (50+ CF/Ac/Yr.) lands.
R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
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12 - Exhibit 01
Table 1 - Suitable NFS Lands by Forest Type and Productivity Class #
(M Acres)
Productivity Class
Forest Type
20-49 CF/Ac/Yr
50+ CF/Ac/Yr
Total
Spruce/Fir
% of total
1,341
44.6
1,664
55.4
3,005
29.8
Lodgepole Pine
% of Total
1,878
90.7
194
9.3
2,072
20.6
Ponderosa Pine
% of Total
1,887
92.0
164
8.0
2,051
20.3
Aspen
% of total
1,277
68.7
581
31.3
1,858
18.4
Douglas-fir
% of Total
558
50.8
545
49.2
1,103
10.9
6,941
68.8
3,148
31.2
10,089
100
Total Cares
% of Total
A summary of suitable land by Forest type for each Forest is included in Table 2, and a further breakdown by
productivity class is includes in Table 3.
Information in Table 2 shows that about 42 percent of the spruce/fir type occurs on the three southern Colorado
Forests (Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre/Gunnison, Rio Grande, and San Juan NF's) and an additional 22 percent occurs
on the Routt NF and White River NF in western Colorado. For lodgepole pine, about one-half occurs on the
Medicine Bow, Arapaho/Roosevelt and Routt NF's. The ponderosa pine type occurs in three rather distinct areas:
about 50 percent occurs on the Black Hills NF, 12.5 percent of the Pike/San Isabel NF in the front range, and 27
R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
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percent occurs in southwest Colorado on the Grand Mesa/Uncompahgre/Gunnison and San Juan NFs. About twothirds of the Douglas-fir type occurs in southern Colorado on the Pike/San Isabel, Rio Grande, and San Juan NFs.
R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
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12 - Exhibit 02
Table 2 - Suitable NFS Lands by Forest and Forest Type
(M Acres)
Forest Type
Forest
Spruce/Fir Lodgepole
Pine
Pine
Ponderosa Aspen Douglas-fir
Bighorn
% of Type Total
146
4.9
Black Hills
% of Type Total
20
0.7
GMUG
% of Type Total
466
14.8
Medicine Bow
% of Type Total
307
14.8
55
5.0
Total
7
0.3
5
0.3
520
1,033
50.4
28
1.5
194
9.4
219
10.7
517
27.8
44
4.0
1,420
258
8.6
367
17.7
74
3.6
55
3.0
21
1.9
775
Rio Grande
% of Type Total
460
15.3
18
0.9
30
1.5
246
13.2
112
10.2
866
Arapaho/Roosevelt
% of Type Total
282
9.4
479
23.1
98
4.8
69
3.7
59
5.3
987
Routt
% of Type Total
305
10.1
187
9.0
30
1.5
218
11.7
112
710
Pike/San Isabel
% of Type Total
283
9.4
177
8.5
256
12.5
158
8.5
423
38.3
1,297
Shoshone
% of Type Total
85
2.8
222
10.7
30
13
0.7
122
11.1
442
1,081
R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
White River
% of Type Total
Region 2
% of Total
2409.26g,10
Page 7 of 13
365
12.1
121
5.8
3,005
29.8
2,072
20.5
2,051
20.3
302
16.3
46
4.2
834
,1858
18.4
1,103
10.9
10,089
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2409.26g,10
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12 - Exhibit 03
Table 3 - NFS Land by Forest, Forest Type and Productivity Class1
Productivity Class
|
20-49 CF/Ac/Yr.
||
50+ CF/Ac/Yr.
| Forest
2
Forest | Type
| SF | PP | DF | LP | AS || SF | PP | DF | LP | AS | Total
Bighorn |M Acres | 103 | 7 | 34 | 298 | 5 || 43 |
| 21 | 9 |
| 520
|% of Forest | 19.8| 1.3| 6.6| 57.4| 0.9|| 8.3|
| 4.0| 1.7|
|
5.2
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
Black |M Acres | 2 | 937 |
|
| 21 || 18 | 96 |
|
| 7 | 1,420
Hills |% of Forest | 0.2| 86.7|
|
| 1.9|| 1.7| 8.9|
|
| 0.6|
10.7
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
GMUG |M Acres | 202 | 210 | 20 | 190 | 367 || 244 | 9 | 24 | 4 | 150 | 1,420
|% of Forest | 14.2| 14.8| 1.4| 13.4| 25.8|| 17.2| 0.6| 1.7| 0.3| 10.6|
14.1
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
Medicine|M Acres | 112 | 74 | 11 | 304 | 26 || 146 |
| 10 | 63 | 29
| 775
Bow |% of Forest | 14.5| 9.6| 1.4| 39.3| 3.3|| 18.9|
| 1.3| 8.1| 3.7|
7.7
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
Rio |M Acres | 264 | 23 | 64 | 18 | 145 || 196 | 7 | 48 |
| 101 | 866
Grande |% of Forest | 30.5| 2.6| 7.4| 2.1| 16.7|| 22.6| 0.8|
5.5|
| 11.7|
8.6
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
Arapaho/|M Acres | 186 | 98 | 48 | 460 | 53 || 96 |
| 11 | 19 | 16 | 987
Roos. |% of Forest | 18.8| 9.9| 4.9| 46.7| 5.4|| 9.7|
| 1.1| 1.9| 1.6|
9.8
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
Routt |M Acres | 60 |
|
| 138 | 153 || 245 |
|
| 49 | 65 | 710
|% of Forest | 8.4|
|
| 19.4| 21.6|| 34.6|
|
| 6.9| 9.1|
7.0
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
Pike/ |M Acres | 197 | 239 | 288 | 169 | 96 || 86 | 17 | 135 | 8 | 62 | 1,297
San Is. |% of Forest | 15.2| 18.4| 22.3| 13.0| 7.4|| 6.6| 1.3| 10.4| 0.6| 4.8|
12.9
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
San Juan|M Acres | 83 | 299 | 80 |
| 196 || 272 | 35 | 141 |
| 51 | 1,157
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|% of Forest | 7.2| 25.8| 6.9|
| 16.9|| 23.5| 3.0| 12.2|
| 4.4|
11.5
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
3
Shoshone|M Acres | 9 |
|
|207 | 6 || 76 |
| 122 |153 | 7
| 442
|% of Forest | 2.0|
|
| 47.0| 1.3|| 17.3|
| 27.5| 3.3| 1.6|
4.4
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
White |M Acres | 123 |
| 13 | 94 | 209 || 242 |
| 33 | 27 | 93 | 834
River |% of Forest | 14.7|
| 1.6| 11.3| 25.1|| 29.1|
| 3.9| 3.2| 11.2|
8.3
| Total |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
Region 2|M Acres |1341 |1887 | 558 |1878 |1277 ||1664 | 164 | 545 | 194 | 581 |10,089
|% of Total | 13.3| 18.7| 5.6| 18.6| 12.6|| 16.5| 1.6|
5.4| 1.9| 5.8|
1 Suitable From Forest Inventories and 1979 RPA Assessment Data
2 SP=Spruce/Fir, PP=Ponderosa Pine, DF=Douglas-fir (includes white fir), LP=Lodgepole pine, AS=Aspen
3 Includes Whitebark and Limber pine
2409.26g,10
Page 10 of 13
Data in Table 03 shows that one half of all the lands in the 50+ CF/Ac/Yr productivity class is Spruce/fir, 36 percent
is in Douglas-fir and Aspen, and 11 percent is in lodgepole and ponderosa pine. Table 3 also shows that all Forests
in Region 2 have some spruce (white spruce or Engelmann spruce); one Forest (Black Hills) does not have Douglasfir; two Forests (Black Hills and San Juan) have essentially no lodgepole pine, although a remnant population of
lodgepole pine does exist on the Black Hills NF; and three Forests (Routt, Shoshone, and White River) lack
ponderosa pine.
13 - REFORESTATION PROGRAM. Since enactment of the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) in 1976, the
magnitude of the Forest Service reforestation program has been directly tied to the timber sales program. NFMA
dictates that the Forest Service will annually reforest an area equal to the area deforested through timber harvest.
The magnitude of both the timber sales and reforestation programs are now defined in the Forest Land and
Resource Management Plans.
For Region 2, the most recent version of the Forest Plans call for an average annual reforestation (natural and
artificial) program of about 16,300 acres (Table 4); and of this total, about 90 percent (14,500 acres) will be naturally
regenerated and 10 percent (1,800 acres) will be artificially regenerated by planting or direct seeding.
From the data presented in tables 1 and 3 it is evident that the majority of the reforestation program will occur on
the lower site productivity (20-40 cu. ft./ac/yr) lands since about two-thirds of the suitable areas are in this site
productivity class.
Since 1980 there has been a considerable decrease in the number of acres artificially regenerated annually from a
high of nearly 14,000 acres in 1980, during the peak of the backlog period to just over 3,000 acres in 1986 (Table 4).
The Forest Land and Resource Management Plans indicate that the number of acres planted annually will decrease
further to about 1650 during the next ten-year (1986-1995) period (Table 5). If total reforestation during this period
amounts to 16,322 acres annually, then about 1650 acres (10 percent) will be artificially regenerated while the rest
will be naturally regenerated. If the recent trends in artificial reforestation continue and the projected timber sales
program stays the same or increases slightly during the next 10-year period, then the acres to be regenerated
naturally (actual and percent) will continue to increase.
An annual planting program of 1650 acres will require about 750 M seedlings (bareroot and contanier) annually at a
planting rate of 450 trees/acre. Of these acres, about 40 percent will be planted to Engelmann spruce, 34 percent to
ponderosa pine and 24 percent to lodgepole pine. The remaining 1 to 2 percent will be planted with Douglas-fir.
R2 AMENDMENT 2409.26g-96-22
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13 - Exhibit 04
Table 4 - Planting and Direct Seeding
(Acres)
Accomplished
Pre backlog
Backlog
1976-1985
Post backlog
Planned
Year
Planting
Seeding
Total
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
7,343
6,940
5,916
7,030
4,289
5,305
4,302
9,435
10,470
13,592
6,213
8,409
6,608
7,553
4,845
2,909
456
862
699
671
1,223
4,278
1,627
1,713
2,435
349
719
831
833
715
551
205
7,799
7,802
6,615
7,701
5,512
9,583
5,929
11,148
19,240
13,941
6,932
9,240
7,441
8,268
5,396
3,134
1986-1996
1,658
122
1,780
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EFFECTIVE 7/17/96
2409.26g,10
Page 12 of 2
13 - Exhibit 05
Table 5 - Average Annual Planned Reforestation1
1986-1995
(Acres)
Forest
Bighorn
Black Hills
GMUG
Medicine Bow
Nebraska
Rio Grande
Arapaho/Roosevelt
Routt
Pike/San Isabel
San Juan
Shoshone
White River570
Region 2 Total
% of Total
Total
Planting
Seeding
Natural
675
7,000
376
776
105
155
1,700
503
935
2,315
212
570
335
-25
74
55
155
-101
262
465
11
175
--122
----------
340
7,000
229
1,702
50
-1,700
1,700
673
1,850
201
395
16,322
1,658
122
15,542
10.2
0.7
89.1
1 Information extracted from the Forest Land and Resource Management Plans
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This relatively low level of artificial regeneration will not support very intensive levels of tree improvement
associated with planting and seeding. However, when artificial regeneration is used, then the best quality seed
available that is adapted to the sites to be regenerated should be used.
When stands are to be naturally regenerated, sound genetic principles should be incorporated into their culture and
management to ensure that the genetic qualify of the stands is at least maintained and if possible, enhanced.
14 - OBJECTIVES. Therefore, the objectives of the Region 2 tree improvement program are:
1. To incorporate sound genetic principles in the culture and management of stands that are to be naturally
regenerated.
2. To provide a continuing supply of quality seed to meet annual planting and seeding needs for all species.
Use of improved seed will result in:
a.Increased survival resulting from use of well-adapted planted stock produced from local seed.
b.Increased yields of usable fiber (saw timber, poles, posts, etc.).
c.Improved tree quality.
d.Reduced susceptibility to diseases, insects and other pests.
Amounts of improvement that can be achieved through natural regeneration are limited by the genetic quality of
trees currently existing on a site. When qualify of potential seed trees is reasonably good and adequate genetic
variation exists, some improvement in tree quality and small increases in volume production (307 percent) can be
achieved. However, when poor quality trees exist, a loss in potential stand quality and production may result if the
poor quality trees supply the seed for natural regeneration.
In these situations, genetic quality of the stands can be improved only through artificial regeneration.
When artificial regeneration is used, substantially greater gains in stand quality and volume production (15-25
percent) can be achieved, as compared to natural regeneration.