Six-year response of red oak seedlings planted under a shelterwood in central Ontario
1995
Gordon, A.M. (University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.) | Simpson, J.A. | Williams, P.A.
This study investigated the potential for underplanting 1+0 and 1+1 northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) in conjunction with a two-cut shelterwood harvest of a low-quality, ridgetop, tolerant hardwood stand in central Ontario. Growth patterns were followed for 6 years; herbicide (glyphosate) application and prescribed fire (two burns, 3 years apart) were used as competition control measures in an experimental design that tested all possible combinations of stock type, competition control, and clipping 2 years after planting. Six years after outplanting the mean height attained across,all treatments for 1+0 stock was 76 cm and for 1+1 stock, almost 90 cm. Depending upon treatment, some individuals were almost 3 m tall. In the presence of heavy deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman) browsing, competition control of any type does not appear to be warranted. Clipping also does not appear to be advantageous. We can speculate that competition control made seedlings more susceptible to browsing by deer or damage by heavy snow and ice accumulation. The competitive ability of red oak on these sites is such that it will respond well to even late release from normal competition resulting from overstory disturbance (i.e., control treatment). The general technique for establishment of oak in this manner appears to be logical for these site conditions, but further investigation is necessary to address the direct impact of browsing pressure on seedling growth and the potential for similar silvicultural prescriptions on more marginal oak sites
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