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Plantation Planning and Design
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Site Factors
Topics include:Climate
Tree species are adapted to a specific range of climatic conditions. Since Wisconsin has a wide range of climates, our state hosts a wide variety of native tree species. Therefore it is important to select species that are adapted to the climatic conditions of the planting site. For example, several species reach the northern limit of their range in Wisconsin. Species such as black walnut are limited to the southern portion of the state by climatic factors such as minimum winter temperature. Other climatic factors to consider when initiating a plantation are timing and amounts of precipitation, the potential for ice storms and snow loads, and risks associated with early or late frosts.
Soils
Soil properties affect the moisture and nutrients available for tree growth. Therefore, a careful analysis of the soil characteristics and uniformity is a critical step in selecting trees species that are well adapted to the planting site. If possible, examine the soil to a depth of 2-5 feet paying particular attention to:
- Soil texture (is it too coarse or sandy?)
- Depth of topsoil (what is the available rooting depth?)
- Parent material (is high or low soil pH a potential problem?)
- Available moisture (is there adequate soil organic matter?)
- Internal drainage (does water drain freely or puddle following rain?)
- Nutrients (does current vegetation appear lush or chlorotic?)
- Bulk density (is the soil compacted or have a hard pan due to past land use)
- Erosion patterns (has original topsoil been heavily eroded?)
A careful soil examination is the best way to evaluate the potential of any site to support tree growth. Site quality is almost impossible to change significantly once trees are planted, so a careful assessment of soil and site characteristics is essential. Soil uniformity can also be checked so that species recommendations can be customized to fit the site. Alternative methods of soil evaluation include the use of published soil surveys and completion of soil lab analysis. Soil survey reports and/or soil maps offer a general assessment of landscape soil features but may not be sufficiently detailed to help with small plantings. And older soil surveys may not reflect current conditions if intensive agriculture or other development has reshaped the local soil resource. A soil lab analysis provides information on selected soil properties and can identify possible nutrient deficiencies. See the Resource Directory for sources of both soil survey reports and a soil lab analysis.
Competing Vegetation
Existing and potential vegetation will compete with young seedlings for moisture, nutrients, and light. Not all vegetation is alike in its ability to compete with young trees and therefore must be evaluated in order to determine the timing and extent of appropriate control measures. Vegetation existing on the planting site is an obvious consideration, but other plants that regenerate readily from dormant seeds or from well-established root systems also pose potential problems. The kinds and amounts of competing (or potentially competing) vegetation must be considered when selecting appropriate planting stock, site preparation treatments and maintenance activities.
Topography
Elevation, slope, aspect (north, south, east or west), and surface drainage affect the local environmental conditions of a planting site. For example, north aspects generally have lower evaporation rates and therefore greater available soil moisture to support plant growth. Topographic affects may influence more than just growth potential. White pine blister rust incidence can be worse in certain landscape positions (e.g. certain drainage channels, or some ridges) where humidity and the aerial movement of spores increase.
Productivity
Site productivity is the capacity of a site to yield a given forest product in a specified period of time, and has traditionally been measured as gross volume per acre per year. Evaluation of productivity levels will help in the selection of species that will exhibit optimal growth on the planting site. Productivity can be evaluated in several ways:
- Site index, by examining the growth rates of existing or adjacent forest trees.
- Habitat type classification, by using other plant community information.
- Site productivity history, from records of past yields or performance.
Some of these measures are necessarily indirect and provide estimates of potential productivity rather than precise measurements. What may be viewed as adequate productivity for one species may prove to be inadequate for others - generalizations from one species to the next may be difficult or impossible.
Insects, Diseases, and Animals
Insects, diseases, and animals can have locally devastating impacts on young plantings and hamper reforestation success. Proper site evaluation must include an assessment of these risks. The key to recognizing potential pest or predation problems is to examine the following:
- Site history (were earlier forest stands disease or predation prone?)
- Population trends (are new pests/pathogens present?)
- Evidence of pests and alternate hosts on the planting site (are site conditions conducive to problems?)
- Vulnerability of tree species to infection based on site characteristics (does the preferred reforestation species have a history of pest/predator problems?)
Landscape Position
The benefits of a forest planting can be enhanced if it is compatible with and complimentary to the surrounding forest cover types and ecological communities. Examine the broader landscape to assess existing cover types, habitat needs and management trends. For example, tree planting may be used to establish mast-producing species, such as red oak, in areas where the oak resource is declining due to natural succession or species conversion. Alternatively, past development practices may have fragmented a landscape that can now be coalesced via a successful planting.
Succession
Forest plantings can have long-term effects on the landscape. Planted species may begin to regenerate naturally, affecting the future species composition on the current and nearby sites. Landowners may wish to purposely introduce a seed source into a new planting in the expectation that it will create natural regeneration opportunities at stand rotation. A mixed red and white pine plantation that has developed an understory of white pine seedlings is a good example of the long-term effects of seed source introduction.
Endangered Resources
Endangered, threatened and special concern species can be impacted by site preparation activities, by altering the existing vegetation, or by introducing new species. Perform a Natural Heritage Inventory (NHI) screening prior to reforestation activities in order to identify and address potential impacts, or otherwise alter your choice of species or regeneration technique. (See Chapter 3, Wildlife Habitat for more information on NHI)
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