Regeneration and Growth following Silvicultural Treatments in a Productive Central Hardwood Forest

Abstract

The lack of desirable oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration on upland sites is a problem in the Central Hardwood Region. While the reintroduction of fire, thinning, and/or harvesting has been proposed as a solution to increase oak regeneration, these treatments may have limited impact on productive sites, and the effects on the growth of residual midstory oak stems is not clear. This study examined the regeneration response and growth of residual midstory white oak (Quercus alba) stems in a mature, oak-dominated, upland forest following four treatments: (1) burn, (2) thin and burn, (3) harvest and thin and burn, and (4) no treatment (control) at Trail of Tears State Forest located in southern Illinois. Results indicated there was no significant difference in oak density among treatments for any regeneration size class. In addition, none of the treatments resulted in a radial growth release in residual midstory white oak stems. These results suggested these treatments may need to be modified to increase oak regeneration on productive sites and indicated that there may not have been enough time since treatment application, or treatments may not have been intense enough, to release midstory residual stems.

Keywords

• <i>Quercus</i>
• prescribed fire
• regeneration
• release
• thinning
• harvest