Hardwood tree quality development in the white mountains of new hampshire

Abstract

Few studies in New England have related timber cutting in northern hardwood stands to improvements in timber quality. The objective of this study was to assess tree-quality improvement for lumber production from initial cutting in a northern hardwood forest on the Bartlett Experimental Forest in New Hampshire that occurred about 40 yr ago. This study used nine compartments on the Forest that were initially cut in the 1950s. Cutting methods included three diameter-limit cuts and six individual tree selection cuts followed by timber stand improvement by chemical girdling. The nine compartments remained undisturbed by cutting for approximately 40 yr. By 1996, average tree grade had improved in all compartments, from 3.8 to 3.1 for the diameter limits combined and from 3.2 to 2.7for the selection compartments combined. Returns per acre of standing inventory were influenced by tree quality but also were confounded with compartment volume and species mix. In general, return of standing inventory in 1996, whether per acre orpermbf, was greater in the selection compartments, but one of the diameter limits had a significant volume of high value red oak timber that skewed its total value upward.