Broadcast burning slash favors black spruce reproduction on organic soil in Minnesota

Abstract

Slash burning tests showed that summer broadcast burning is superior to both winter progressive burning and no disposal for reproducing black spruce on clearcut areas in north-central Minnesota. Broadcast burning is superior because: 1 it exposes moist sphagnum moss and consumes dry mosses, and thus produces favorable seedbeds over the entire clearcut area; 2 it kills all residual conifers and eradicates dwarf mistletoe; and 3 assuming slash disposal is prescribed, it is much cheaper than progressive burning.