Early Successional Habitat Dynamics in Former Plantations
The Harvard Forest plans to harvest about 100 acres of mature plantation forests in Winter 2007-2008 in order to terminate these long term experiments, to regenerate a diversity of native tree species and restore native forests to these sites, and to initiate a new suite of long term experiments. For the next 10-15 years, the harvested areas will provide early successional habitat for a variety of wildlife species. The area of this harvest represents just over 3% of the Forest's 3,000 acre land base in Petersham, and three-quarters of the remaining plantation land on the property. The plantations of primarily non-native conifers (including red pine and Norway spruce) were established in old fields during the early years of the Harvard Forest as long-term experiments on forest growth, productivity, and suitability of species to New England conditions. In the early 1900s, forestry was a new science and practice in the United States and much emphasis was placed on plantation forestry. In contrast, current forest practices in Massachusetts emphasize working with natural processes and native species. The stands we are planning to harvest are 60 - 90 years old and are nearing or past maturation. They range in size from 0.5-15 acres, plus one 47-acre block. Some of the stands have substantial areas blown down and the harvest will take down trees in a controlled way.
Frequently Asked Questions about this experiment
Silviculture
Scientists at the Harvard Forest are working with foresters of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) to determine the best way to harvest these plantations. The current plan is to clear-cut stands that are smaller than three acres, and to remove 85-90% of the overstory canopy with reserved 'islands' of trees in stands that are larger than three acres. Mechanized harvest with cut-to-length forwarder operations will be used. Approximately 40 acres of other plantations will remain unharvested to protect existing study sites and to provide for scientific comparisons with the harvested stands. Harvesting will be carried out when the ground is frozen to minimize damage to soil.
Habitat
The early successional woodlands that this harvest will create are uncommon in the North Quabbin Region and throughout western Massachusetts. For the next one to two decades, the harvested areas will provide food, shelter and breeding habitat that may benefit several at-risk species, including regionally rare or declining bird species such as golden-winged warbler and yellow-breasted chat, as well as American woodcock, chestnut-sided warbler, blue-winged warbler, and rufous-sided towhee. For more information, the Massachusetts Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy is available from DFW at: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/cwcs/cwcs_home.htm. The quality of the habitat will be enhanced by controlling exotic invasive plant populations in and around harvest areas. As the stands age they will provide important structural diversity to the Harvard Forest and regional landscape, which is dominated by mature forests.
Management Combined with Research
Harvard Forest also plans to conduct intensive long-term studies of the flora and fauna in the early successional habitats that are created by the harvest. Considerable information on the planting histories and long-term management of these stands is available to help understand ongoing changes in the forest vegetation. Sampling of the plantations began during the summer of 2007. This pre-harvest sample provides important base-line data for documenting the impacts of the harvest. For the next two decades, the Harvard Forest research team will examine: changes in composition of native and non-native plants, changes in composition of ants and beetles, the influence of site history, soil conditions and forest composition on subsequent vegetation and arthropod dynamics, and the trajectory of habitat changes over time. To broaden the range of research at the Harvard Forest and on these sites we are inviting interested researchers and naturalists to join this effort to address basic and applied questions.
Contact:
Audrey Barker Plotkin: aabarker@fas.harvard.edu, 978-724-3302 x268