Maintaining species diversity in the central Appalachians

Abstract

Maintaining species diversity is the key to sustaining production of desired benefits in central Appalachian forests. Long-term research indicates that traditional uneven-aged silviculture based on single-tree selection eventually reduces the abundance of certain species, but desirable species composition can be maintained in two-aged stands or in uneven-aged stands where sizable canopy openings are created. In both situations, silvicultural treatments are needed to prepare for desirable reproduction before harvest operations. The increased application of two-aged systems in the central Appalachians is an example of how silvicultural strategies can evolve in response to emerging management goals.