Long-term effects of vegetation control treatments for release of Engelmann spruce from a mixed-shrub community in Southern British Columbia

Abstract

In British Columbia, vegetation management treatments are widely used to ensure successful establishment of young stands and achievement of free-growing requirements. A study was established in 1991 to examine the effectiveness of vegetation control treatments for release of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry) seedlings from a mixed-shrub community. The study consisted of eight treatments replicated three times in a completely randomized design. The treatments comprised six combinations of spring, summer and annual repeated manual cutting, a single application of glyphosate, and an untreated control. Controlling the mixed-shrub community one-year after planting using glyphosate and manual cutting treatments significantly improved spruce survival. Repeated manual cutting significantly improved survival over that achieved with only a single treatment. Consequently, the density of well-spaced trees was significantly increased in the repeated manual cutting and glyphosate treatments. In 2001, the untreated control only has 27% of well-spaced spruce trees that are free growing compared to more than 50%, 75% and 83% in single cutting, repeated manual cutting and glyphosate treatment, respectively. Treatments significantly increased height and groundline diameter from the third through the seventh year but not in year ten. Continued mortality of suppressed seedlings after year seven is a probable cause of lack of treatment differences in the tenth year. However, height-to-diameter ratio was significantly reduced in year ten for all treatments over the control and for repeated versus single cutting treatments. Ten-years after treatment, significant differences in vegetation community percent cover, richness, and diversity were not detected among treatments.