Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
The Woods in Your
Backyard
Welcome to The Woods In Your Backyard Workshop
March 7, 2015
Learning to Create and
Enhance Natural Areas
Around Your Home
Jonathan Kays
Natural Resource Extension Specialist
jkays@umd.edu
We will start at 9:00 a.m. “Educating People to Help Themselves”
4 Minutes to a Better Backyard
WIYB Resources & More
www.extension.umd.edu/woodland
What We Do Today
• Utilize the Woods in Your Backyard book and
workbook to help you learn more about your
land.
• Develop some priorities and projects to help
you be a better steward of the property.
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
-Tell us how much
land you own
-Tell us a few
questions or
issues you want
to have addressed
today?
1
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
WIBY Calls for a Paradigm Shift
Woodland Ownership Trends
•
•
•
•
 woodland owners
 ownership tract acreage
short tenure of ownership
new/different owner’s
ethic)
• The words we use:
• Think about planting many
trees and shrubs, not just a
few
• Move from micromanagement to thinking at a
system scale
• Design a system that
contributes to community
social and ecological values
(land
Forests >
Woods >
[Natural Areas]
Develop facilitating functioning systems!
Number of MD Private Forest Owners (1000’s)
Percentage with 1–9 Acres of Forest
# of O wners (x1000)
175
156
150
131
125
100
95.8
75
50
Trend of Private Land Parcelization
Challenges Traditional Forest Industry
55%
65%
85%
1989
2006
1976
1989
2006
25
0
1976
Year of Survey
USDA Forest Service National Woodland
Owners Survey – 1977, 1989, 2006
Leaving the forest alone is best for
wildlife, forest health, & biodiversity
Purpose of Workshop
Transition from mowed to
natural use
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
Enhance existing natural
areas
2
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Lawns in the U.S.
Invasive Specie Concerns
Changing the Landscape
Reduce Wildife Abundance & Diversity
Redesigning the American Lawn by F. Herbert Bormann,
Diana Balmori, Gordon T. Geballe, Yale University Press,
1993
Guide Overview
A Learning Approach
• Part 1: Introduction: Assessing
your interests in your land
• Part 2: Get to Know Your
Property
• Part 3: Ecological Principles
• Part 4: Put Your Knowledge into
Practice
• Part 5: Workbook
• Appendices
From: Bringing Nature Home Doug Tallamy
80
70
Number of lepidopteran species
• 45 million acres of Turf
• Largest irrigated crop – 69 million acre feet
of potable water used each year.
• 800 million gallons of gas used each year.
• 17 million gallons spilled each year
• Over 100 million tons of fertilizer applied to
residential lawns and gardens annually.
(Audubon stat)
• 70 million pounds of synthetic pesticides
are used on lawns each year – 10 times the
rate/acre used by farmers.
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Native Woody
Non-Native Woody
Many more caterpillar species
on native woody plant genera in
the mid-Atlantic states
Conceptual Framework of Looking
at Your Property
• Three types of
land use:
– Intensive use –
buildings, sheds, paved
areas, etc
– Intermediate use –
lawns, garden, pasture,
orchard
– Natural use – forested,
unmowed areas with
small trees & shrubs
Intensive –
Intermediate – Natural
Use Areas
Natural Succession –
Some Planting after 3
years
Paired 3-acre plots
Opportunities in backyard woods
management appeal to a landowners
interests
►Amenity resources
►Forest health
►Wildlife
Natural Succession –
Some Planting after 16
years
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
►Water management
►Fire risk reduction
►Tree planting
►Income generation - last
3
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Starting with Values
Amenity resources
►Scenery
►Trails
►Privacy
►Shade
Typically the MOST important product of
personal natural areas
Potential Natural Area Improvement
Projects
• Remove damaged trees and/or limbs
• Control exotic and/or invasive species
• Improve tree growth by thinning an overcrowded
stand
• Plant trees
Potential Wildlife Habitat
Projects
• Create brush or rock piles
• Encourage growth of wildlife food trees
• Improve shelter opportunities by planting trees,
brush piling or creating soft edge
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
• Can you articulate the values you have for
you property
• Values Process gives more weight to
what’s important to you to make:
–
–
–
–
Inform decisions
Evaluate options
Choose wisely
Solidify foundation for
future actions
Potential Forest Products
Projects
• Firewood for personal or others’ use
• Ginseng or other medicinal plants from the natural
areas of the property
• Grapevines for wreaths
• Shiitake mushrooms
Potential Water Resources Projects
• Establish or enhance forest cover around streams,
seeps, springs, or ponds
4
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
Potential Recreation Projects
•
•
•
•
Create or improve trails
Create a campfire or camping area
Create a natural-area haven (place to relax)
Improve opportunities for hunting or wildlife watching
09/11/2006
Potential Aesthetics Improvement Projects
• Create or enhance a scenic view
• Plant trees that have brilliant fall color
• Clean up natural areas damaged by insects, disease,
or storms
• Increase privacy
• Plant flowering trees and shrubs
Your Place in the Landscape
Google earth is a great tool!
What are some of
the things you
would like to do?
Patch Characteristics Affect Habitat Value
• Your property’s in the
landscape
• Surrounding properties
• Land management units
or “Habitat units”
• Basic tree and shrub
identification
Online Mapping Tools
Google Maps
MdMerlin
www.mdmerlin.net
• Patch size and proximity affect wildlife habitat
• Larger, closer, and connected habitat is more useful to wildlife
• Figure D above is best for wildlife; Figure A is worst
Forests for the Bay – Landserver mapping
www.forestsforbay.org
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
5
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Finding Your Place In the Landscape
Google Earth
Comparing Views of Mapping Programs
4 ac.
5.2 ac.
Google Earth
www.mdmerlin.net
Web Soil Survey
Map Out Your Property
http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov
Draw or Use Google Earth Printout
•
•
•
•
•
Organizing the Landscape
Examples of Habitat Area Types
Old field
Pine woods –
Hardwood
Are trees > or < 30 feet
Lawn
Pine-hardwood
mix
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
Outline property
Structures
Roads & trails
Streams or creeks
Lawn and woods
One Acre Lots
Lawn Conversion Options?
Stream -wetland
Trees < 30 ft
6
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Trees, Old Fields, Privacy Screens
Small Farm
6.5 acres
MDMerlin
Google Earth
Creating Natural Areas
1.2 Acre Homesite
Expand Existing Areas. Other Options?
What Can You Do?
Google Earth
MDMerlin
Google
Expanding existing forest areas
MDMerlin
Designate Habitat
Management Units
Which of the following below do
you see?
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
• (Left) The planting area expands the existing riparian
area.
• (Right) Planting area should try to expand existing
forest area.
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
Large hardwoods
Large pine-hardwood
Old field area
Lawn
Pasture
Young woods
Streamside area
From: mdmerlin.net
7
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
Opportunities to Work
Across Boundaries
Which of the following below do
you see?
09/11/2006
Get to Know Your
Property:
Management Units
► Tree identification basics
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Large hardwoods
Large pine-hardwood
Old field area
Lawn
Pasture
Young woods
Streamside area
From: mdmerlin.net
Small Group Exercise
• Identify 3-5 Habitat Areas
– Intermediate Areas
• Lawn & pastures
– Natural Habitat Areas
• Large & small hardwoods (greater or less than 30’ tall)
• Large & small pines (greater or less than 30’ tall)
• Mixed pines & hardwood (indicate large or small trees)
• Old field area – unmanaged pasture (crowns of tree closed or
open)
• Streams - springs
• Wetland area (wet at least 4-6 months per year)
Things You Need To Know
•
•
•
•
Tree identification
Ecological principles
Land care practices
How to make it happen – having a plan
• “How to use your maps activity”, page 6 in workbook
• Add to your map with Activity 2 in the workbook
• The above refer to Activity 1, page 7 and Activity 7 (pg.23) in book
Logging in Large-Lot Suburban
Developments with a Good Forester
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
Use smaller and lower impact harvesting
and processing equipment
8
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
Part III - Ecological Principles
Ecology: the study of natural communities and how they
function and interact
– Principles of succession
– Principles of forestry
– Water resources and your
natural area
– Principles of wildlife
ecology
09/11/2006
The Dynamic Natural Area:
Principles of Succession
1. Natural areas change over time, whether or not
you do anything to them.
2. You can alter the process of succession
3. Tree vary in their requirement for sunlight.
The first vegetation to grow is that
which like full sunlight
Succession Principle 3
Tree Planting:
Push succession
ahead
• Trees vary in their requirement for sunlight.
Forest Harvesting:
Push succession back
Table 2, Page 32
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
9
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
How Your Woodland Develops…
• A function primarily of
–
–
–
–
site quality
Past history
current practices (grazing, for example)
species composition
A photographic history from the Allegheny Plateau in
Pennsylvania (1927-1998)
Changing forest ecosystems
West. MD.
Central MD.
East. Shore
Southern MD.
Climate, soil, available water, and nutrients all affect how
well a tree grows. If minimum requirements are
not met, a tree may not grow in a given area.
South-facing
Slope
Oaks are better adapted to dry and shallow
hilltop soils, while yellow-poplar trees are
found on more fertile lower slopes
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
North-facing
Slope
Effect of Aspect on Site Quality
10
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Plow Layer
Root Mat that holds
soil in place
1927
1928
Forests are resilient and renewable
1937
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
1947
11
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
1958
1968
1978
1998
The Dynamic Natural Area:
Principles of Succession
4. Different successional stages provide
different wildlife habitat, aesthetics, and
recreation.
5. Every small wooded lot may not contain
every stage of succession
Principle: We manage wildlife species and groups
by managing the habitat. Forest management
practices a cost-effective way to alter habitat.
Three Options for
habitat
management:
• Cut something
• Plant something
• Do nothing at all
1) Forests change over time, whether or not we do anything.
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
12
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Habitat Areas Represent Different
Successional Stages
Lawn
Old field
Pine woods –
Hardwood
Are trees > or < 30 feet
Forestry Principles:
Getting Down to Basics
1.
Tree size not directly related to age
2.
Different tree species require
different conditions
3.
Trees grow at different rates compete for resources (i.e.,
sunlight, water, and nutrients)
4.
Forests are 3-dimensional
Stream -wetland
Pine-hardwood
mix
Trees < 30 ft
Tree Size and Age
A
B
The trees that are most successful in the competition for light
outgrow and overtop the others
Which tree is older? A or B?
Tree is a factory ...
Leaves use sun and
water to produce food...
More leaves…
More food…
More diameter growth...
Competing tree crowns
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
13
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Forestry Principles:
Getting Down to Basics
5.
6.
7.
Trees reproduce either from seeds or sprouts
Trees don’t live forever; dead trees valuable for wildlife
and soil
No matter how you manage your land, but especially if
you practice passive management, invasive and exotic
species will inhabit it.
Development of
vertical stratification
as trees die, holes are
filled, others seed in
Learn to Identify Invasive & Exotic
Species
Grapevine
Invasive and
natural species
can take over.
Especially in
early
succession
Kudzu
Forests and Water Resources
• Natural area soils act as a
sponge and filter, absorbing
water and removing
impurities
• Trees and shrubs grown on
banks prevent erosion
• Water attracts wildlife
• When used properly,
herbicide and fertilizer are
fine
Examples of Habitat Area Types
Old field
Pine woods –
Hardwood
Are trees > or < 30 feet
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
Lawn
Pine-hardwood
mix
Stream -wetland
Trees < 30 ft
14
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
The Nelsons’ Map
Vegetation type, Common Tree and Shrub Species, &
Successional Stage
09/11/2006
Small Group/Individual Exercise
For each habitat unit fill in what you can:
• Successional Stage of each area
• Dominant tree and shrub species
• Fill out Table A: The Vegetation on Your Land (pg 9) in workbook. Identify
common tree and shrub species and successional stage as best you can.
• Activity 8, page 28 in book
The Nelsons’ Map
Vegetation type, Common Tree and Shrub Species, &
Successional Stage
Tree and Shrub ID
Part II, Lesson 3, Page 25
• What kind of trees and shrubs grow on your
land?
• Use simple MD Leaf Key to start. Peterson’s
Guide to Trees and Shrubs a great resource.
Many online resources as well.
• The “manual” covers the bare basics
Tree Identification Resources
Leaf-type Comparison
http://dof.virginia.gov
www.extension.umd.edu/
woodland
From: Local Bookstore
Cost: $17
Online Resources:
– Leafsnap
– vTree Leaf Key – Virginia Tech
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
15
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Alternate
Leaf Arrangement
Opposite
Whorled
Catalpa
A Simple Leaf
Leaf Structure
Petiole (leaf stalk)
Bud
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
16
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
A Compound Leaf
A Compound Leaf
Leaflet
Leaflet
Petiole
(leaf stalk)
Petiole (leaf stalk)
Bud
Bud
Pinnately compound
Palmately compound
Evergreen Trees
Leaf margins
• Branching pattern not important
• Leaves or needles distinctive
Serrate
Double
serrate
Dentate
Lobed
– spruce - square needles
– fir - flat needles
– pines - grouped in fascicles
Entire
Deciduous Trees
• Type of fruit, called a cone
• Bark and tree form can be important
• Location important
Other Deciduous Characters
• Branching Pattern first character to check.
Only a few species have opposite branching.
• Leaf Type - simple or compound
• Leaf Shape - round, oblong, heart
• Leaf margin - smooth, toothed, lobed
REMEMBER! MADCAPHorse
M - maples
A - ashes
D - dogwood
CAP - viburnums, honeysuckle
Horse - horse chesnut
•Buds - size, color, shape
•Fruits - acorn, legume
•Smell - almonds, spice, nasty
•Tree Form - vase-shape, spreading
•Bark - platy, ridged
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
17
Silvics & Silviculture: An Introduction
09/11/2006
Questions?
Jonathan Kays
4-H Simple
Dichotomous
Leaf Key
Natural Resources Specialist
University of Maryland Cooperative
Extension
18330 Keedysville Road
Keedysville, MD 21756
301-432-2767 x323
jkays@umd.edu
www.extension.umd.edu/woodland
“Understanding
forest and wildlife ecology
is like studying forensics.”
Forest Landowner Workshop Series
18