The fallingsnow Ecosystem Project: documenting the consequences of conifer release alternatives

Abstract

The Fallingsnow Ecosystem Project is documenting the terrestrial ecological consequences of alternative conifer release treatments. Although long-term responses are unknown, results to date indicate that cutting and herbicide treatments are relatively inconsequential for most environmental components found in regenerating northern forests, including soil nutrients and species richness of vegetation, insects, gastropods, amphibians and reptiles, songbirds, and small mammals. Still, given the growing opposition to herbicide use in forestry, managers must expect that social input into natural resource management will become more common, if not required.