FIR
DeportFALL 1988
Inside
VOL. 10 NO. 3
The Southwest Oregon Forestry Intensified Research
Program (FIR) is a cooperative effort between the College of Forestry at Oregon State University and the
Pacific Northwest Research Station of the USDA Forest
Service. The FIR Program assists foresters and other
resource management specialists in solving complex biological and management problems endemic to southwest
Oregon. FIR specialists organize, coordinate, and conduct educational programs and research projects specifically tailored to meet the needs of this area.
established
in October 1978, the FIR Program is sup rted jointly by Oregon State University, the Bureau of
Land Management, USDA Forest Service, O &C Counties,
and the southwest Oregon forest products industry. It
represents a determined effort by the southwest Oregon
forestry community and county governments to find practical solutions to important forest management problems.
The "FIR REPORT" is one of the principal methods of
reporting recent technological advances and research results pertinent to southwest Oregon, and alerts area natural resource managers to upcoming continuing education
opportunities. Comments and suggestions concerning the
content of "FIR REPORT" are welcome and encouraged.
This newsletter is prepared quarterly and is mailed free
on request by contacting us at this address: FIR REPORT,
1301 Maple Grove Drive, Medford, OR 97501.
For the FIR Staff,
VEGETATION DOMINATES
DOUGLAS -FIR RESPONSE
Controlling vegetation after planting dominates
seedling response in machine site preparation
2
SEEDLING RESPONSE TO
PRESCRIBED BURNING VARIES
Planting quality and timing of operations
affect seedling response
3
DOUGLAS -FIR CAN'T DO IT
Young pine and manzanita pull more water
4
WHERE DOES IT GO?
Fate of triclopyr herbicide applied to foliage
6
SURVIVAL OF DOUGLAS -FIR IS HIGH
Survival is high regardless of stocktype,
planting season, or aspect of seed sources
7
study
out of rocks
CONTINUING EDUCATION
8
NEW TOOLS FOR PLANTING SEEDLINGS
Ever try driving a hole in gravelly soil?
9
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
OSU, and Pacific Northwest and Intermountain
Research Station have several pubs available
9
OREGONSTATE
David H. McNabb
Extension Watershed Specialist
-
UNIVERSITY
SERVICE
FORESTRY INTENSIFIED RESEARCH
SERVING SOUTHWEST OREGON THROUGH RESEARCH AND EDUCATION
Adaptive FIR
tered sprouts of madrone and Oregon white oak. The
soil is a sandy loam with few coarse fragments develop
ing in an ash -flow tuff (loamy, mixed, mesic, Dystri
Xerochrept).
1301 MAPLE GROVE DRIVE
The site and five machine treatments have previously been
described (FIR Report 10(1):4-5). Briefly, the five treatments include a handcleared control, scarification with a
slash rake, scarification followed by tillage with rock rippers, soil removal (treatment removed approximately 4 cm
of soil in addition to the slash, remaining trees, and
shrubs), and soil removal followed by tillage. The site
was harvested from designated skid trails, and site preparation was done during the summer; scarification treatments did not compact the soil or remove significant
amounts of soil.
MEDFORD, OR 97501
(503) 776 -7116
FIR Specialists
OLE HELGERSON, Silviculture
STEVE HOBBS, Reforestation
JOHN MANN, Harvesting
DAVE McNABB, Watershed
STEVE TESCH, Silviculture
The five treatments were replicated three times. In addition, each plot was split and vegetation controlled yearly
by hand grubbing and slashing on half of each plot. The
post- planting control of vegetation separates the effects
of machine treatment on soil productivity from the effects the treatment has on competing vegetation. Thus,
the experimental design was a randomized, split -block.
First -year survival ranged between 86 and 94 percent for
the machine treatments with an average survival of 91
percent (FIR Report 8(2):2). Average survival was the
same whether competing vegetation was controlled the
first year or not. After three years, average survival on
vegetation controlled treatments declined by only 2 percent while the average decreased by 13 percent when the
vegetation was not controlled (Table 1).
For specifics on the overall FIR Program, contact Jack
Walstad, FIR Program Leader, Forestry Sciences Laboratory, 3200 Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, (503)
757 -4617; or Steve Tesch, Adaptive FIR Project Leader
at the Medford address.
Because of space limitations, articles appear as extended
abstracts. Results and conclusions presented herein may
be based on preliminary data or analyses. Readers who
are interested in learning more about a study are encouraged to contact the principal investigator or wait for
formal publication of more complete results.
Current
Research
Adaptive FIR
After three years, differences in seedling size among machine treatments were not significant; however, seedlings
where vegetation was controlled are significantly larger
than those where vegetation was not controlled (Table 2).
Seedlings are 23 percent taller and 40 percent larger in
diameter where vegetation is controlled. The diameter of
seedlings in the control plots where vegetation is removed
is consistently larger than those in the other treatments.
TABLE 1. First and third year survival of 2 -0 bareroot,
Douglas -fir seedlings at the Millcat Machine site
preparation study site with and without subsequent control
of competing vegetation.
N
Survival
Vegetation
Vegetation Not
Controlled
Controlled
VEGETATION CONTROL ENHANCES SEEDLING RESPONSE TO MACHINE SITE
PREPARATION
Treatment
Third year results from the Millcat replication of the machine site preparation study show machine treatments have
an insignificant effect on seedling survival or growth but
differences from post treatment control of competing
vegetation have had an increasing effect on both.
The Millcat site is in the foothills of the western Cascade Mountains north of Medford at an elevation of 600
m. On the average, the site receives about 90 cm of
precipitation annually. The vegetation following site
preparation is predominantly grasses and forbs with scat-
2
1st Yr 3rd Yr 1st Yr 3rd Yr
Control
89
84
86
69
Scarify
93
93
90
79
Scarify and Till
93
90
94
82
Soil Removal
89
88
93
90
Soil Removal and Till
92
88
93
77
Average
91
89
91
78
TABLE 2. Third-year size of 2 -0 bareroot Douglas-fir seedlings
machine site preparation on plots with and without
subsequent control of vegetation.
was burned in mid -March 1986, and the entire site planted
This combination of treatments reflects
a week later.
current forestry practices, although the short time intervals between treatments are less common.
Seedling Height Seedling Diameter
Veg. Veg. Not Veg. Veg. Not
Cont.
Cont.
Cont.
Cont.
After 5 years, seedling survival at Spring -White is high
on both the burned and unburned plots (Table 1). Seedlings on burned plots are 15 percent taller and 31 percent
larger in diameter than those on unburned plots. Differences in seedling size are statistically significant. The
stem volume of seedlings indicates a greater exponential
growth rate on the burned plots than on the unburned
plots (Figure 1)
ollowing
Treatment
cm___
Control
Scarify
Scarify/Till
Soil Removal
Soil Removal and Till
Average
71.4
66.2
71.1
57.2
58.2
56.5
69.1
67.2
69.0
55.7
53.9
56.3
-
--
20.3
14.4
15.9
15.7
15.4
16.3
mm
-
- - -
11.0
11.2
11.1
11.1
TABLE 1. Survival, height, and diameter of Douglas -fir
seedlings planted at Spring -White (5 years) and Skeleton
Mountain (2 years) prescribed- burning test sites.
10.9
11.1
Vegetation will be controlled on these plots for at least
two more years; it is anticipated that differences in
seedling performance will continue to increase among
Competition from vegetation currently is
treatments.
dominating seedling performance and is masking any
differences in seedling response due to the site
Differences in seedling
preparation treatments.
performance from site preparation, however, should
become more obvious in the next year or two.
2 -0 Bareroot Douglas -fir Seedlings
Diameter
Height
Survival
Site and
Treatment
cm
mm
92
87
89.4
77.6
11.8
65
39
46.7
49.4
9.9
9.3
%
Spring -White
Burned
Unburned
Skeleton Mountain
Burned
Unburned
DM
'
9.0
SEEDLING RESPONSE TO PRESCRIBED
BURNING VARIES BY SITE
Prescribed burning is an important site preparation practice on steep mountain slopes in southwest Oregon but
are difficult to quantify because of the
its benefits
variability in sites and objectives for burning. Sites
burned may contain mostly slash from a recent harvest, a
combination of brush and slash, or brush from a
brushfield conversion. The time of year that sites are
30_
25-
.
STEM VOLUME
burned and the times between harvest, burning, and planting also vary. These few situations alone yield numerous combinations of potential responses to prescribed
burning, excluding the effects of different intensities of
burn. The two Adaptive FIR prescribed burning study
sites are beginning to provide data that illustrate how
differences in site conditions and timing of burns affect
seedling response to prescribed burning.
Spring -White is a low elevation (700 m) site with a northeasterly exposure east of Selma, Oregon. The site had at
least two previous harvest entries and was covered with
several species of brush that were 2 to 5 m tall. The
brush was slashed during the summer of 1981, half the
unit was broadcast burned in June 1982, and the entire
unit was planted with 2 -0 bareroot Douglas -fir seedlings
in early March, 1983. This combination and timing of
treatments is typical when using prescribed fire for
brushfield conversion in southwest Oregon.
o
'UNBURNED
BURNED
2015-
10-
°I
I
SPRING FALL
1983
83
Skeleton Mountain is a mid -elevation (1100 m) site with
a southwesterly exposure north of Grants Pass, Oregon.
The site was clearcut harvested in June 1985; the dominant hardwood species was large madrone that were
yarded from the site prior to burning. Most of the unit
I
I
r
FALL
FALL
FALL
FALL
84
85
86
87
I
FIGURE 1. Growth of Douglas: fir seedling stem volume at
Spring -White over the 5 years since planting.
3
Vegetation cover after 5 years is high on both treatment
areas at Spring -White, averaging 68 and 81 percent cover
for burned and unburned plots, respectively. However,
differences in cover were more pronounced the first fall
after planting, averaging 20 and 40 percent, respectively.
The large initial difference in vegetation cover results
from the prescribed burn destroying most of the sprouts
that grew prior to burning.
have full benefit of the brush control that the prescribed
burn provided.
At Skeleton Mountain the timing of harvesting and reforestation events was excellent. The time between opening of the stand and planting of seedlings was only 9
months; this short period limits the time for sprouts and
other vegetation to get started. Such timing is less common than that typified by the timing of events at Spring
White but is clearly an opportunity on which several
foresters have been able to capitalize.
After 2 years, overall survival at Skeleton Mountain is
lower than at Spring -White, which may be due to the
poorer quality of the seedlings planted. Survival was
particularly low on the unburned plots, and is attributed
to poorer planting quality. Seedlings on the burned plots
were planted deeper, apparently because slash limited
planting access on unburned plots; seedlings on burned
plots have consistently been 2.5 cm shorter than those on
unburned plots. Diameter of seedlings, however, is increasing faster on burned plots than on unburned plots.
In conclusion, the benefits of prescribed burning for site
preparation are variable but also predictable. The greatest benefit of prescribed burning will be achieved when
the time between opening the site and its reforestation is
kept to a minimum. This is particularly important when
reducing the cover of sprouting vegetation is the principle objective of prescribed burning. Second, planting
quality is an important factor that can limit reforestation
success in the region but is difficult to always detect or
quantify. Finally, delaying the planting of a site because
it was not burned, as happened with the unburned plots
at Spring -White, may not always result in improved
seedling performance because of the delay.
Differences in survival between the two sites illustrate
the problems often encountered in planting seedlings in
untreated slash or brush. These differences not only limit
the number of planting spots but also restrict access to
those available (both sites were operationally planted).
The effect of planting qualitya on seedling performance
may be difficult to detect, as evident from Skeleton
Mountain where the most obvious difference was that
seedlings in the unburned plots averaged 2.5 cm taller.
Most seedlings on burned and unburned plots were planted
correctly. Poor planting most likely has a greater effect
on survival when the planting stock is of poor quality.
DM
Fundamental FIR
Growth of seedlings at Spring -White is obviously better
on the burned plots where competition from sprouting
brush is less severe than on unburned plots (Figure 1).
Brush is a serious competitor on this site as evident by
the seedlings having a smaller diameter to height ratio
than seedlings at Skeleton Mountain. A low seedling
diameter to height ratio is also evident in other Adaptive
FIR studies where seedlings are growing in brush (e.g.,
brushfield ecology and hack- and -squirt sites, see FIR
Report 10(1):2-3 and 9(2):3, respectively). Seedlings at
Skeleton Mountain also have larger diameters at 2 years,
regardless of treatment, compared with the fifth -year
diameter of seedlings on unburned plots at Spring -White,
but this may also reflect differences in soil.
PINE AND MANZANITA PULL WATER OUT
OF ROCKS
Long -term experiments studying competition between
whiteleaf manzanita and conifers in southwestern Oregon
have demonstrated striking negative relationships between
herb and shrub density and growth of conifers. In these
studies, we observed that shrubs continue to transpire long
after extractable soil water was exhausted from the soil
horizons, in June. This year, we asked the question,
where does the manzanita get this water, and how important is it for over -all competitive relations in young
plantations? The following offers preliminary insight.
Although seedlings at Skeleton Mountain are of similar
size, the diameter of seedlings on the burned plots is increasing faster than for those on the unburned plots suggesting that larger differences in size between treatments
can be anticipated. Differences in total vegetation cover
were larger the first year, 10 versus 21 percent, than the
second year, 56 versus 64 percent, for burned and unburned plots, respectively.
Once soil water is exhausted, we postulated that the only
other water source would be in the rock. Partially weathered rock (saprolyte) has minute fissures that might conceivably be penetrated by fine roots. To explore the
degree to which roots are invading the rock and using its
water content for plant growth, we used a jackhammer to
drill neutron probe access tubes to 180 cm (6 feet) on a
site where soil depth ranges from 50 -90 cm deep, ( >2 to
3 feet).
The rock below 90 cm was too hard to drill
with a power auger with a hardened steel, 1 -1/2 inch bit.
We installed access tubes in fifteen plots representing five
types of vegetation at three sites where growth has been
monitored since 1980. Vegetation types were:
In addition to differences in the rate competing vegetation
grew between these two locations, the differences in timing of the harvesting or slashing, burning, and planting
are also factors affecting seedling performance.
At
Spring- White, soil moisture was significantly higher in
burned plots the summer following the burn, but because
the site was burned in late spring, the site could not be
planted until the following spring. Differences in soil
moisture content between burned and unburned plots were
much smaller the second summer (the year seedlings were
planted). Thus, seedlings in the burned plots did not
4
1.
No trees or shrubs, annual herb cover;
2.
Trees and herbs only, dominated by 8- year -old
Douglas -fir;
3.
4.
5.
TABLE 1.Change in centimeters of water stored in soil and
saprolyte between June 18 and August 23, 1988, under five
vegetation types near Ruch, Oregon.
Trees and herbs only, dominated by 8-year -old ponderosa pine;
Whiteleaf manzanita and mixed conifers, 70% pine,
with 500 conifers per hectare (200 /ac) and 13402
manzanita/ha (5426/ac), all 8- years -old;
Whiteleaf manzanita, 8- years -old, at 13402/ha, no
conifers.
Vegetation
Type
This design permitted the evaluation of conifer withdrawals of water independently of those of manzanita. In all
situations, herbs had been controlled through the fourth
year and three spots surrounding conifers in each plot in
the fifth year, after which herbs had been allowed to
develop in competition with the woody species. In the
eighth year, all herbs were free to grow, and showed no
In each comparison of
effects of earlier clearing.
Douglas -fir and pine, they were within 10m of each other
under similar site conditions.
Soil
(0 -75 cm)
Water Loss By Depth
Saprolyte
(75 -165 cm)
Total
Centimeters of Water Depleted ± 95% C.I.
Herbs only
Douglas-fir &
herbs
Ponderosa pine
& herbs
Manzanita &
conifers
Manzanita only
Soil water depletion was measured with a neutron probe
soil moisture meter on June 18, July 8, July 29 and
August 23, 1988. This period spans the hottest summer
period after surface soil water was mostly depleted. At
each measurement date, water was determined at depth
increments of 30 cm down to 150 cm (5 ft) depth. Water
measured below 90 cm was exclusively that held by rock.
Average soil depth was 75 cm.
1.66 t.67
1.72 +1.47
338 ±1.51
131 ± .57
2.81
±
.45
4.12 ± .72
4.83 ±1.01
5.17 ± 1.84
10.00 ±2,01
4.07 ± .91
4.02 ±3.75
4.26 +1.05
5.64 ±2.35
9.66 ±4.31
$33 ± 139
Water depletion from the deep layers of saprolyte is significant. Excavation with dynamite revealed fine roots
below 165 cm and permeating very hard rock. The
quantity depleted represents an important addition to the
conventional estimates of site water available for woody
plant growth on sites with shallow soils in dry summer
climates. The inability of Douglas -fir to use water stored
in saprolyte makes them more susceptible to herbaceous
In the eighth year, heavy
and/or shrub competition.
mortality is now occurring in Douglas -fir established in
all but the sparsest shrub cover, despite several years of
herb control. Douglas -fir growing without herbs had displayed vigor characteristic of much better sites as long
as weed control continued, but are now failing under
unrestricted, late -developing competition wherever shrub
density is at more than 3400/ha (1400/a). Ponderosa pine,
however, is continuing to accelerate in growth, and is at
relatively low water stress when estimates of water stored
in the soil profile suggest it should be under severe stress.
Manzanita is using the deep water, but is under extreme
stress, hence the pine may be using the water more efficiently or may be tapping water deeper in the saprolyte,
below the depth measured, than the shrubs.
Three important findings have surfaced. First, a large
amount of water is held by saprolyte. Second, a significant amount of this water is gradually used by woody
vegetation, and third, species apparently differ in their
ability to use it. In June, water in saprolyte at 120 and
150 cm depths was generally in the range of 30 -40 percent by volume. The minimum observed was 25 percent
at 150 cm, in June, and the maximum was 43 percent.
By late August, the extremes were 23 and 40 percent, by
volume, respectively.
We have not yet learned the
minimum quantity that is extractable.
..
During the summer, Douglas -fir depleted the least water
from the saprolyte, averaging about 2.3 cm of stored
water. Ponderosa pine and manzanita depleted about the
same amounts of water from saprolyte, almost 5 cm,
although manzanita use was more variable. Where trees
and herbs had been removed, followed by re- establishment of herbs, depletion was similar to that of Douglas fir. Total water depletion in the surface 75 cm of soil
and the underlying 90 cm of saprolytic rock is shown in
Table 1.
There is an inverse and strong relationship between
density of manzanita and growth of pine. We therefore
conclude that manzanita will continue to be a severe
competitor for either pine or Douglas -fir if not controlled.
We also observe that Douglas -fir is at risk and may
remain at risk to long -term competition indefinitely,
because it has not reached, and may never reach, the
water stored in the saprolyte on which it might depend
for the long dry summers. Despite good survival and
juvenile growth under total weed control, intraspecific
competition will be more of a problem for Douglas -fir
than for pine, which accesses a larger water reservoir.
The ability of pine to use water stored in saprolyte also
suggests that areas now considered non -commercial forest
sites might become productive in the absence of manzanita and associated shrubs.
Michael Newton
Atilio Ortiz -Funez
John C. Tappeiner
At the end of the last measurement period, water in the
saprolytic rock under Douglas -fir averaged almost 10 percent higher than that under the manzanita /conifer mixture, presumably reflecting differences in withdrawal
occurring before the start of the measurements in addition to the above -cited summer depletion.
The similarity of withdrawal patterns of Douglas - fir/herbs
to herbs alone suggests that herbs and Douglas -fir are
competing directly for the same water resource. The pine/
herb type has access to much more water than fir or herbs
lone or in mixture. Although pine used marginally more
water than manzanita alone, water use by conifers (70%
pine) with manzanita is much the same as either pine/
herbs or manzanita alone.
5
FOLIAR PENETRATION, PHOTODEGRADATION AND DISLODGEABLE RESIDUES OF
TRICLOPYR HERBICIDE ON LEAF AND
GLASS SLIDE SURFACES
-
The application of triclopyr herbicide to foliage and glass
slides is being investigated in laboratory experiments to
determine environmental conditions affecting volatilization and photodegradation during the first three days
following application. In an earlier report (FIR Report
9(3):9 -10), we discussed the results obtained from these
experiments in the dark treatments (no photo degradation).
This report will compare the dark treatment results to results observed with degradation by artificial sunlight.
Models have been developed from this study, and verified with outdoor observations. Results of simulations
for 2 different dates in the spring and early summer will
be shown.
FIGURE 1. The quantity of triclopyr remaining in surface
deposits over time at different temperatures. Data represent that
of a mean surface (average of deposits remaining on glass slides,
and madrone and chinkapin leaves).
-
The main part of the study was done in the laboratory,
with excised leaves of Pacific madrone and giant chinkapin, and glass microscope slides. Glass microscope slides
provide inert surfaces to compare the behavior observed
with foliage, and give an estimate of volatilization and
photodegradation in the presence of just the herbicide
formulation (Garlon 4). Surfaces were exposed to conditions of steady temperatures of 50, 77, and 104 °F in either
the dark or artificial sunlight. Surfaces were removed
from treatment at 14, 27, 41, 54, and 68 h after herbicide application. All treatments were repeated 3 times.
three and a half times as air temperature increases from
77 to 104 °F (data not shown). Where there is concern
over the potential for post- application volatilization to
damage adjacent property, daily maximum temperatures
must also be considered in conjunction with the optimal
temperatures for uptake.
Simulations were run for two imaginary days to show the
effect of weather on triclopyr. The April 15 simulation'
was made with assumptions that temperatures never exx
ceeded 59°F, skies were clear. Assumptions for the June
15 simulation were that maximum daily temperatures were
86°F, minimum daily temperatures were 50 °F, and days
were clear. A further adjustment is that madrone foliage
intercepted 0.60 lbs/ac of the applied spray, while chinkapin foliage intercepted 0.90 lbs /ac of the applied
spray , (chinkapin and madrone stands are on different
Exposure to sunlight significantly reduces the quantity of
triclopyr in surface deposits, versus the dark, at temperatures below 77°F (Figure 1). At higher temperatures the
balance between volatilization, photodegradation, and foliar penetration make the effect of light not different from
observed losses in the dark. This means that photodegradation is an important loss path for triclopyr on foliar
and impenetrable surfaces, when other processes are not
in operation (e.g., washoff, volatilization, etc.).
sites).
Triclopyr penetrates the foliage of some plant species
more readily than others (Figure 2). This may be the
basis for some selectivity of the herbicide in evergreen
broadleaf species, however, the concentration at sites of
action in tissues and metabolic degradation are probably
more important. `. On surfaces where penetration is low or
non -existent, loss of triclopyr increases with a rise in temperature, and is higher than on surfaces where more
penetration occurs. Penetration may deviate from these
results if a different spray mix is used. For instance, in
Oregon it is a common practice to prepare a spray mix
with 60% diesel oil, 38% water and 2% Garlon 4 (by
volume), instead of the aqueous formulation we used.
This mixture may enhance foliar penetration by disrupting leaf cuticles or it may decrease penetration if triclopyr is less soluble in leaf tissues than the spray
deposit. No data are currently available on this.
From an efficacy standpoint, optimal meteorological conditions for application of triclopyr appear to be during
days when there are several hours of temperatures above
77 °F (Figure 2).
Higher temperatures may result in
greater uptake by some species; however, volatilization
also increases rapidly at higher temperatures. For instance, the loss of triclopyr by volatilization increases
FIGURE 2. The quantity of triclopyr that has penetrated in
foliage over time at different temperatures. Data represent t
means for both light and dark treatments, since there was no
difference in foliar penetration with exposure to light.
6
PROPAGSOILS
IN
SKELETAL
PLANTED
ULES
SURVIVAL OF DOUGLAS -FIR
askFigure
3 summarizes the results of the simulations. Temperature and increasing daylength are both important contributors to the redistribution of triclopyr from deposits.
Foliar penetration is increased with warmer temperatures,
and therefore, efficacy would be expected to be better.
This has been observed by foresters in the field. The
amount of triclopyr remaining in deposits represents a
potentially dislodgeable residue. Current data on worker
exposure from rubbing against treated vegetation are lacking. Estimates of dislodgeable residues are important for
setting worker reentry times on treated sites.
'
Sites with skeletal soils have historically been difficult
to regenerate in southwest Oregon. A Fundamental FIR
study was begun in 1983 to test how three factors
stocktype, seed source, and planting season -affect survival and growth of Douglas -fir seedlings planted on both
north- and south- facing slopes with skeletal soils. Four
stocktypes were tested: plug -1 bareroot transplants, 2 -0
bareroots, 1 -0 164 -cm3 Ray Leach plugs, and 1 -0 Styro5 plugs. Seeds were taken from both north- and south aspect sources. Seedlings were planted in both fall and
winter. Two north -aspect and two south-aspect sites were
planted during the 1985 -1986 planting season, but only
three sites (one north- aspect and two south -aspect) were
planted during the 1986-1987 season because the fourth
could not be prescribed burned as originally planned.
Planting sites are located in the Glendale and Grants Pass
Resource Areas of the BLM Medford District.
-
MADRONE - JUNE 15
MADRONE - APRIL 15
1.50
SURFACE
1.12-
0.75
-
SURFACE
-
Survival of seedlings in all treatments and for all planting periods remains high, with no striking differences
although survival of 2 -0 bareroot stock is slightly less
than other stocktypes (Tables 1 and 2). Seedling growth
data have not been analyzed but plug -1 seedlings appear
more healthy and robust than other stocktypes. We also
noted that they appear to be more resistant to the down slope movement of ravel and slash.
LOST
0.38 -
,
LOST
II
TISSUES
o
T
I
TISSUES
I
T
CHINKAPIN - JUNE 15
CHINKAPIN - APRIL 15
The final collection of field data will occur this fall, and
the study will be completed during 1989. More complete
reports of results from this study will appear in forestry
publications over the next two years. Abstracts of these
reports will be published in future issues of the FIR
1.12
SU R
SURFACE
0.75
0.38
UES
LOST
.
ISSUES
14
28
42
56
Report.
OST
0
14
28
42
TABLE 1. Average second -year (1987) percent survival of
Douglas -fir seedlings planted on north - and south aspect sites with
skeletal soils. Percentages represent the average survival of two
sites per aspect.
56
HOURS
FIGURE 3. The quantity of triclopyr that is 1) lost - from
volatilization and photodégradation; 2) in foliar tissues; and 3)
remains in surface deposits. Application is assumed to be 1.5 lbs
triclopyr a.iJac. Surfaces are assumed to have received the total
quantity applied.
Stocktype/
Planting
Season
Planting Site Aspect
South
North
Seed Source Aspect
South
North
South
North
Average
% - -
Plug -1
Fall
Winter
99
95
95
91
86
96
92
95
94
Fall
90
90
Winter
83
75
86
79
83
88
81
90
98
96
90
98
98
97
99
94
98
98
93
99
98
93
86
86
92
94
92
93
94
90
90
98
2-0 Bareroot
In summary, this study demonstrates the importance of
temperature in driving the environmental redistribution of
triclopyr from a Garlon 4 spray deposit. Increases in
temperature, especially above 77 °F, cause an exponential
increase in the loss of triclopyr. On foliar surfaces, where
deposits spread over large areas, such as chinkapin leaves,
foliar penetration also increases exponentially with higher
temperatures. Foliar penetration is unaffected by photo
degradation.
1
87
-0 Ray Leach
Fall
Winter
1-0 Sytro-5
Fall
Winter
Ken Bentson
Logan Norris
OSU (503) 757
Average
7
FOREST VEGETATION MANAGEMENT
TABLE 2. Average first -year (1987) percent survival of Douglas fir seedlings planted on north- andsouth aspect sites with skeletal
soils. Percentages represent the survival of one north- and the
average survival of two south-aspect sites.
Stocktype/
Planting
Season
Planting Site Aspect
North
South
Seed Source Aspect
North South North South
January 31 - February 2, 1989. Corvallis. The aim of this year's
Forest Vegetation Management course is to explore the expanding
information and tool base for determining the current and future
intensity of competition, examine the impact of vegetation management tools on competition, and predict the growth response of
conifer seedlings. The program will also include updates on new
developments in vegetation management technology. CONTACT:
Conference Assistant, Oregon State University (503) 754 -2004.
Average
90
Plug -1
Fall
Winter
2-0 Bareroot
Fall
Winter
1
95
98
96
99
99
100
97
99
97
97
95
88
89
96
89
92
93
93
94
100
100
98
98
98
98
98
98
99
97
100
100
100
95
98
97
98
97
99
98
97
96
96
Winter 1989. Medford, OR. Program will address the general problems of reforestation of high elevation sites including the climate,
soil physical, chemical, and biological environment, pests, and artificial and natural reforestation strategies. Workshop director: Ole
Helgerson. CONTACT: Lenore Lantzsch, Adaptive FIR, (503)
776 -7116.
-0 Ray Leach
Fall
Winter
1
97
100
REFORESTATION OF HIGH ELEVATION SITES
IN SOUTHWEST OREGON AND NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA
APPLICATION OF FOREST SOILS INFORMATION TO FOREST MANAGEMENT IN SOUTHWEST OREGON
-0 Styro -5
Fall
Winter
Average
Spring 1989. Medford and Roseburg, OR. Two separate one -day
programs to be held at each location. One program will discuss the
soil physical environment and the second will discuss the nutrient
and biological environment. The programs will review forest soils
the specific knowledge gained about forest soils in southwest
gon in the last decade and the application of this information to
forest management. Workshop director. Dave McNabb. CONTACT: Lenore Lantzsch, Adaptive FIR (503) 776 -7116.
Ore-
Steve Hobbs
Jeff Graham
OSU (503) 754 -2244
OLD-GROWTH DOUGLAS -FIR FORESTS: WILDLIFE COMMUNITIES AND HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS
Continuing
Education
March 29 -31, 1989. Portland, Oregon. A symposium based on the
results of the research conducted by the USDA Forest Service
Old-Growth Forest Wildlife Habitat Research Program and cooperators. Topics include the ecological definition and classification
of old- growth Douglas -fir forests, characteristics of forest development, and vertebrate abundance along environmental, habitat
association, and landscape gradients. CONTACT: Continuing
Education Office, College of Forest Resources, AR -10, University
of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195. (206) 543 -0867.
PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF PACIFIC
NORTHWEST FORESTS THROUGH INTE-
GRATED PEST MANAGEMENT: A SYMPOSIUM
FOR FOREST MANAGERS
FUTURE PROGRAMS AT OSU
January 17 -18, 1989. Corvallis. The symposium is designed for
forest resource managers responsible for the stewardship of managed forests and the control of insect, disease, weed, and vertebrate pests that are a threat to the health and productivity of the
forests. The program will blend pest management with other
silvicultural considerations and present new techniques and strategies for dealing with pest problems. CONTACT: Conference Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331. (503) 7542004.
March 7 -9, 1989. Reforestation planning and cost control.
March 13 -17, 1989. Aerial photo interpretation.
April 3-7, 1989. Variable probability sampling: Variable plot &
three -P.
May 24-26, 1989. Data base management systems for foresters.
CONTACT: Conference Assistant, Oregon State University, (503)
754 -2004.
8
Recent
Publications
Of Interest
NEW TOOLS TO PLANT GRAVELLY SOILS
Copies of the following publications are available from
the source noted in parentheses at the end of each abstract. Addresses for sources are listed below:
In addition to lower availability of soil water and greater extremes
in soil temperature that impair seedling performance, gravelly or
cobbly soils are also more difficult to plant. Scattered coarse
fragments can result in shallow planted seedlings because penetration of a planting hoe is less consistent and increases fatigue and
stress on tree planters. As the size and volume coarse fragment
content of the soil increases, excavation of planting holes becomes
more difficult, and segregation of fine soil particles from coarse
fragments becomes a problem. Of course, only the rocks remain
to fill the planting hole, causing air voids around the roots that
further lower the availability of soil water. Changes in planting
technique are needed to improve our ability to artificially reforest
sites with high volumes of coarse fragments.
(INT) - Intermountain Research Station
324 25th St.
Ogden, Utah 84401
(OSU) - Forestry Business Office
College of Forestry
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
(PNW) - Pacific Northwest Research Station
Forestry Sciences Laboratory
P.O. Box 3890
Portland, OR 97208 -3890
The USDA Forest Service Equipment Development Center, Missoula, Montana has developed two new tools, a cone-shaped,
power -driven auger and a hammer -action hand planter, that may
improve planting of some soils high in coarse fragments. The
auger has a tapered tip that allows it to work down between rocks
while being less likely to catch on rocks. In field comparison with
straight -sided augers on the Boise National Forest, the excavation
and planting of tapered holes was slower than that achieved with
4 -inch standard augers but faster than a 6-inch standard auger.
Fifth -year survival and growth was higher when seedlings were
implanted in taper-augered holes. Auger planting of seedlings can be
effective in southwest Oregon when the coarse fragments are large
and relatively few (FIR Report 3(4):3).
(BLM) - Bureau of Land Management
Oregon State Office
Branch of Forestry
P.O. Box 2965
Portland, OR 97208
BULLDOZER FIRELINE PRODUCTION RATES -1988
UPDATE by C.B. Phillips, C.W. George and D.K. Nelson. 1988. USDA For. Serv. Res. Pap. INT -392, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden, UT. Presents current
(1988) fireline production rates for bulldozers, by size of
machine, fuel type, slope, and site conditions. Includes
nomograms and a master table for estimating production
rates. Describes how data were collected and production
rates were calculated. (INT)
The coarse fragment content of many soils in southwest Oregon is
sufficiently high that auger planting of seedlings is impractical
because of the difficulty of penetrating the soil and the loss of fine
soil needed to backfill around seedlings. The hand planter may
work on these sites. It is constructed with different tips which
vary in shape from a dibble to a wedge. The tip is driven into the
ground with a sliding handle. The action of the tool is similar to
using a fence post driver to drive a steel post into the ground. The
advantage of this tool is that segregation of fines from the coarse
fragments ought to be minimized and depth of planting should be
more consistent. The hand planter may improve planting of these
soils, possibly exceeding the quality achieved with a hoe or shovel.
The tool is probably best suited for planting container seedlings.
PROCEEDINGS- FUTURE FORESTS OF THE MOUN-
TAIN WEST: A STAND CULTURE SYMPOSIUM by
W.C. Schmidt, compiler. 1988. USDA For. Serv. Gen.
Tech. Rep. INT -243, Intermountain Research Station,
Ogden, UT. 402 p. Includes 57 papers and 14 poster
synopses that present current technical information about
young forests of the Mountain West- forests that range
from the east slopes of the Cascades and Sierras to the
high plains of the United States and Canada. ,(INT)
The tapered auger is commercially available, and design plans and
details on both the auger and hand planter can be obtained from
Eli Milodragovich (406) 329 -3956 or Dick Hallman (406) 3293946, Missoula Technology and Development Center, Fort Missoula Building I, Missoula, MT 59801.
BEAVER IN WESTERN NORTH AMERICA: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. 1966 TO 1986 by D.E. Medin
and K.E. Torquemada. 1988. USDA For. Serv. Gen. Tech.
Report INT -242, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden,
UT. This annotated bibliography of 206 references is
provided as a working tool for natural resource specialists, land -use planners, and others charged with managing
beavers and their habitats. References include both technical and popular articles. Emphasis is on the Western
United States and Canada. (INT)
Better planting techniques are needed to improve reforestation of
many soils with a high coarse fragment content. These tools,
particularly the hand planter, offer new options for consideration.
Neither tool has been thoroughly field tested, and such testing will
be necessary before they become fully operational. Adaptive FIR
does not plan to conduct such tests but we would be willing to
report the results of any who do.
INCREMENT-BORER METHODS FOR DETERMINING
FIRE HISTORY IN CONIFEROUS FORESTS by S.W.
Barrett and S.F. Arno. 1988. USDA For. Serv. Gen. Tech.
DM
9
Report INT -244, Intermountain Research Station, Ogden,
UT. Describes use of increment borers for interpreting
fire history in coniferous forests. These methods are
intended for use in wildernesses, parks, and other natural
areas where sawing cross-sections from fire -scarred trees
is prohibited. (INT)
EVALUATION OF SEEDLING PROTECTION MATERIALS IN WESTERN OREGON by D.L. Campbell, J. Evan*
and G.B. Hartman. 1988. USDI Bureau of Land Manage
ment Tech. Note T/N OR -5, Filing Code: 5700. 14 p. A
3 -year comparison was made for six materials to protect
Douglas -fir seedlings from damage by wildlife. No treatment materials were maintained after the initial application. Tests were run on BLM Districts in western Oregon. Materials included a nested plastic mesh tube, a
split plastic mesh tube, a paper bud cap, a plastic mesh
tube cap, BGR spray and BGR powder Big Game Repellent. Nested plastic mesh tubes provided the most protection and significantly better growth than other treatments. Split, small- diameter plastic mesh tubes protected
seedlings better and generally provided more growth than
bud caps or repellents. Bud caps and repellents provided
some protection and growth depending on type of damage
and season of damage. Costs and comparisons of seedling growth for different materials are reported for Resource Areas. Damage was primarily caused by mountain beaver, elk, and black -tailed deer. (BLM)
CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR FOREST ROADS by J.
Balcom. 1988. Forest Research Laboratory Research Bull.
64, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Forest -road construction costs monitored at 23 sites totaling 4.8 miles
are reported for pioneering, right -of-way logging, clearing and grubbing, subgrade excavation, and sidecast pullback. The use of crawler tractors, hydraulic excavators,
and scrapers individually and in combination is compared
for a variety of road -site conditions. Two hypothetical
examples illustrate the effects of construction alternatives
on total road cost. This information, added to existing
data, should help those designing and building roads
choose the most efficient techniques to maximize production and minimize total road -construction costs. (OSU)
LARGE DOUGLAS -FIR SEEDLINGS PERFORM BEST
ON OREGON COASTAL SITES by R.D. Iverson and M.
Newton. 1980. International Paper Co. Tech. Note No.
55. Lebanon, OR. Douglas -fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii
[Mirb.] Franco) planting stock grown as 1 -0 plug and bullet seedlings, .2 -0 seedlings, and 1 -2 transplants were
compared for survival and growth on 28 sites in coastal .:
Oregon. Large stock types and seedlings survived and
grew better than others, especially where vegetative competition was severe. The larger 1 -2 transplants were the
most economical choice for planting in coastal Oregon,
ECONOMICS IN WOOD INDUSTRY by D.M. Adams,
K.C. Jackson and R.W. Haynes. 1988. USDA For. Serv.
Resour. Bull. PNW -RB -151, Pacific Northwest Research
Station, Portland, OR. This report provides 35 years of
information on softwood timber production and consumption in the United States and Canada.
Included are
regional time series on production and prices of softwood
lumber, plywood, residues, and pulpwood; timber harvest
volumes and values; production costs; and recovery factors. (PNW)
despite their higher cost per surviving seedling.
RECENT CHANGES IN COSTS OF SHIPPING FOREST
PRODUCTS BY RAIL by K.C. Jackson. 1988. USDA For.
Serv. Res. Note PNW -RN -471, Pacific Northwest Research
Station, Portland, OR. Costs for shipping lumber, ply wood, and paper by rail are used by the USDA Forest
Service in periodic timber assessments to measure the
average cost of transporting forest productsfrom producing locations to the point of final consumption. The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 authorized deregulation of the
Nation's railroads. The purposes of this study were to
determine whether changes in transportation costs have
occurred since deregulation and to analyze the effects of
deregulation on transportation costs between regions. The
effects of the Staggers Rail Act on rail freight rates and
services offered to this sector of the U.S. timber economy are discussed, as are changes in comparative advantages for the various regions. Results for these transportation costs indicated that some changes have occurred
since passage of the Staggers Rail Act, although changing economic conditions may have also affected these
costs. (PNW)
(OSU).
OREGON LUMBER PRODUCERS: EXPORT MARKET-
ING TRENDS BETWEEN THE MID -19605 AND MID 1980S by R. McMahon and J. Gottko. 1988. Forest Prod.
J. 38:44 -46. This article compares export marketing of
Oregon lumber producers in the mid -1960s and the mid 1980s. The comparisons are drawn from two studies, one
for each period. Although limited in scope, the earlier
study provided a reference point for identifying important
changes in marketing. The later study provided a basis
for judging which companies are likely to respond to programs designed to encourage and expand Oregon's lumber exports. In the mid -1980s as compared with the mid1960s, significantly more of Oregon's lumber producers
had export sales of either less than 1 percent of their total sales (but greater than zero) or greater than 20 percent of total sales. Firms in the 1980s were more likely
than those in the 1960s to have begun exporting for active
reasons (e.g., to expand sales) instead of passive ones
(e.g., to unload surplus production). Marketing with a
firm's own sales staff, as well as with licensing /franchising and joint ventures were more frequent modes of distribution in the 1980s than in the 1960s. Subsequent articles will report the results of the later study. Included
will be a comparison of the characteristics, attitudes, and
practices of exporters and nonexporters. (OSU)
"
;
,
,,
STRUCTURAL , AND FUNCTIONAL DIVERSITY ' IN
TEMPERATE FORESTS by J.F. Franklin. 1988. Biodiversity, Washington, D.C. This paper reviews concerns
related to preservation of biological diversity in temperate forest regions. Major needs are (1) maintaining an
array of successional stages, including old-growth forest;
(2) maintaining structural (for example, snags and logs)
and functional (for example, nitrogen fixers) diversity; (3)
protecting aquatic diversity; and (4) developing effective
stewardship programs for preserves. Integrating diversity
objectives into regimes for intensively managed temperate lands is critical because preservation of natural areas
alone cannot achieve the desired goals. (PNW)
THE FLEXURAL BEHAVIOR OF SECOND -GROWTH
DOUGLAS -FIR SPARS by M.R. Pyles, J.E. Ammeson and
J.W. Mann. 1988. Forest Prod. J. 38 :58 -62. Structural
analysis of cable logging spars requires that modulus
elasticity (MOE) of the spar be known. Analysis
bending tests on 14 standing second -growth Douglas -fir
spar trees yielded an average MOE 25 to 30 percent
10
headwater overtopping the roadfill. Installing the next
larger pipe size at an additional original installation cost
of about 14 percent would have allowed nearly all these
culverts to pass the 25 -year peak flow. Culvert capacity
varied with ownership and watershed size. (OSU)
higher than the average value for minor test specimens
ublished by the American Society for Testing and Mate
rials (ASTM). The test trees ranged from 11.2 to 20.9
inches diameter at breast height, were 85 to 130 feet tall,
and were approximately 50 years old. The standing tree
test results were confirmed by simple- support whole -log
laboratory bending tests on three of the trees. Although
rigorous statistical comparison was not possible, the MOE
values from the test trees appear to be statistically different than the ASTM value. The difference appears to be
due to member characteristics. The higher MOE values,
when more fully established, region-wide, should be appropriate for such problems as analysis of Douglas -fir
cable logging tail spars and intermediate supports. (OSU)
WATER STRESS OF PINUS PONDEROSA IN RELATION
TO FOLIAGE DENSITY OF NEIGHBORING PLANTS by
T.D. Petersen and B.D. Maxwell. 1987. Can. J. For. Res.
17:1620-1622. The relationship of predawn needle water
potential of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex
Laws.) and the foliage density of neighboring plants was
examined after experimental gradients of foliage were
established on two sites in northwestern Montana. In
late summer, soil water content linearly decreased in relation to the amount of foliage of herbs and shrubs.
Predawn needle water potential of pine seedlings planted
along the gradient ranged from -0.5 MPa when competitor foliage was near zero to less than -3.0 MPa when
such foliage was more extensive. Even when neighboring plants had a small amount of transpiring foliage at
this time of year, the pine seedlings had an increased
level of water stress. (OSU)
GROWTH AND WATER RELATIONS OF PINUS PONDEROSA SEEDLINGS IN COMPETITIVE REGIMES
WITH ARCTOSTAPHYLOS PATULA SEEDLINGS by L.J.
Shainsky and S.R. Radosevich. 1986. J. of Applied Ecology 23, 957 -966. (1) Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa
Dougl. ex P &C Lawson) seedlings were planted into handthinned plots of manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula Greene)
seedlings in a modified replacement series with five tree to -shrub proportions approximating 0:100, 25:75, 50:50,
75:25 and 100:0. Competitive performance in mixture
and monoculture was assessed from relative growth rates
and relative yields that were calculated from estimates of
canopy volume. (2) Soil- moisture depletion and photosynthetically active radiation were measured monthly in
each treatment plot. Leaf water potential and leaf conductance to water vapor of both species were assessed
monthly. (3) Soil moisture was more depleted in mixed
stands than in pine monocultures, but no change in the
fight environment was observed. Leaf water potential of
rees was less negative and leaf conductance was significantly greater in monoculture than in mixed stands. (4)
Leaf conductance of manzanita seedlings was consistently
higher than that of pine seedlings. Ponderosa pine seedlings were less competitive and had lower relative yields
and lower relative growth rates in mixed stands than in
monoculture. (5) Results suggest that competition with
greenleaf manzanita for soil moisture can reduce ponderosa pine productivity significantly during early site development. (OSU)
INFLUENCE OF CEANOTHUS VELUTINUS AND ASSOCIATED FORBS ON THE WATER STRESS AND
STEMWOOD PRODUCTION OF DOUGLAS -FIR by T.D.
Petersen, M. Newton and S.M. Zedaker. 1988. For. Sci.
34:333 -343. Stem dimensions for two age groups of
Douglas -fir growing in the central Cascade Mountains of
western Oregon were related to water stress and the
amount of interference from dense Ceanothus velutinus
and forbs 8 years earlier. In 1978, three regimes were
established in four 5- year -old and four 10- year -old stands
by means of controls (no treatment) and two herbicide
treatments to individual trees in each stand: a partial
treatment (ç. velutinus eliminated) and a complete treatment (both shrubs and forbs eliminated). In the subsequent year, soil water potential during late summer was
< -1.5 MPa at 10-, 40 -, and 100 -cm depths where C. velutinus was growing with forbs. In the absence of shrubs
and forbs, soil water potential at 100 cm was near field
capacity throughout the 1979 growing season. Predawn
stem water potential of Douglas -fir during late summer
was significantly lower for trees competing with Ç. velutinus and forbs than for trees without competitors in
the complete treatment, or for trees competing with forbs
in the partial treatment, in the four 5- year -old stands and
in two of the 10- year -old stands. By 1986, Douglas -fir
stems were 2 to 6 cm larger in basal diameter and 1 to
2 m taller in the absence of competitors. Interference
from C. velutinus and forbs had a greater effect on stem
size of 5- year -old than 10- year -old trees. The correlation
between growth and water stress suggests that interspecifie competition for soil water during summer drought is
a factor limiting stemwood production. (OSU)
FLOW CAPACITY OF CULVERTS ON OREGON COAST
RANGE FOREST ROADS by B.T. Piehl, M.R. Pyles and
R.L. Beschta. 1988. Water Resources Bull. 24:631 -637.
One hundred twenty -eight stream- crossing culverts in the
central Oregon Coast Range were evaluated for peak flow
capacity and were compared with current design guidelines. Their ability to pass the 25 -year peak flow, as
mandated by Oregon State Forest Practice Rules, and their
maximum flow capacity were determined. Over 40 percent of the culverts were unable to pass the 25 -year peak
flow at a headwater to diameter ratio of 1. About 17
percent could not pass the 25 -year peak flow without
11
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nor is any discrimination intended,
by Oregon State University.
FIR
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