Preparing Cutover Woodland for Longleaf Establishment

1
Preparing Cutover Woodland for Longleaf
Establishment

• By
• Larry J. Such
• NC Division of Forest Resources

2
There is a strong, direct, and positive
correlation between percent survival and
initiation of height growth with intensity of
site preparation (NCFS Forestry Note No. 61,
Establishment and Growth of Longleaf Pine on
Droughty Sites in North Carolina, May 1988
3
Importance of Site Preparation

• Longleaf pine is a very intolerant species and
  is difficult to regenerate without effectively
  controlling competing vegetation
• (Regenerating Longleaf Pine with Artificial
  Methods, USDA, Forest Service, Southern Forest
  Experiment Station, 1989
• Much of the failure in (longleaf) plantations is
  due to submarginal nursery stock or inadequately
  prepared planting sites.
• (Longleaf Pine Management, USDA, Forest
  Service, Forestry Report R8-FR 3, December 1983)

4
Importance of Site Preparation

• Longleaf . . . will grow best in the complete
  absence of all competition, . . .
• (Silvics of North America, Vol. 1, USDA, Forest
  Service, Ag. Handbook 654)
• . . . it is imperative that adequate site prep
  be completed prior to tree planting . . .
• (Don H. Zippo Robbins, 1996 memo to Technical
  Development Unit)

5
Site Prep Considerations?
6
Site Preparation Considerations

• Landowners Objectives Commitment
• Why does L/O want Longleaf? Timber? Straw?
  Wildlife?
• What level of financial time commitment does
  L/O have?

• Site Quality
• Good sites require more complete site prep

• Composition of Previous Stand
• Was there a hardwood or brush component?

Competition Potential
7
Site Prep Methods
Mechanical / Heavy Equipment
Herbicides
Prescribed Burning
Hand Tools
8
Mechanical Site Prep

• KG / Shear and Pile
• Expensive
• High Potential for Site Damage
• Provides optimum vegetation control
• Best control when done after full leaf early
  to mid summer
• Can be combined with other treatments such as
  bedding

9
(No Transcript)
10
For best results Keep the blade sharp!!
11
(No Transcript)
12

• Avoid site damage -
• minimize soil movement / displacement
• avoid compaction
• leave the litter layer to minimize evaporation
  and erosion potential

13
Site Prepared - KG Sheared, Piled, Bedded
14
Mechanical Site Prep

• Drum Chopping
• Less Expensive than KG / Shearing
• Less Potential for Site Damage
• Provides acceptable vegetation control
• Best control when done soon after full leaf
  late spring or early summer
• Can be combined with other treatments such as
  burning and / or bedding

15
(No Transcript)
16
Drum Chopped Area
17
Site Prep - Chopped Burned
18
Chopping minimizes soil disturbance
19
Mechanical Site Prep

• Bedding
• Adds more cost to project
• Provides an elevational advantage
• Incorporates organic matter in beds
• Provides additional vegetation control
• Usually combined with other treatments
• Beds must be allowed to settle before planting

20
Savannah Bedding Plow
21
(No Transcript)
22
V-Shear Bed
23
Mechanical Site Prep

• Other Mechanical Methods
• Root-Rake Pile
• V-Blade
• Furrowing
• Discing

24
(No Transcript)
25
Herbicides

• ground, aerial, by hand
• soil and/or foliage active
• tank mix to control species mix
• usually provides optimum long-term control
  because it kills the entire plant !!
• always follow the label

26
(No Transcript)
27
Prescribed Burning

• used in combination with other treatments
  (chopping or herbicides) to provide a better
  level of site prep

• helps reduce germination of seeds stored in the
  litter layer

• DOES NOT usually provide sufficient control when
  used as a single treatment

28
Burning after chopping or herbicide treatments
makes tree planting easier and more likely to
succeed!!
29
Burning removes the litter layer which
facilitates planting seedlings at the proper depth
30
If you plan to plant longleaf, do it right the
first time -- dont scrimp on the site prep.
Inadequate site prep will cost more in the long
run!!!
31
Closing Remarks
First year survival is often more difficult to
attain with longleaf pine than with other (pine)
species. The seedlings usually remain in the
grass (stage) for 3 to 5 years, and, . . .
Places longleaf at a disadvantage in comparison
with other southern pines. It also handicaps
longleaf in competition with hardwood sprouts and
brush and even grass and weeds, . . . Where
height growth is unduly delayed, mortality is
likely to continue annually for many years.

Source Planting the
Southern Pines, Philip Wakeley, USDA -FS, Ag.
Monograph No. 18, 1954
32
QUESTIONS ???