Regenerating, diversifying, selecting, and thinning—Ford Center and Research Forest demonstrates sustainability practices on a daily basis. Here's a summary of our recent research and management activity.
2009-2012: Diversity treatments in jack pine (Baraga Plains: Sections 14, 15, 22)
- MU17—Clearcut with reserves (light retention) plus two-pass anchor chain scarification, and red pine plantation thinning in 2009
- MU18—Thinned to approximately 400 trees/acre and 50-70 ft2/acre basal area in 2011
- MU19—Mechanical thinning to reduce density from 2,100 trees/acre, part of BURN-UP demonstration in 2010 (biomass utilization, Ponsse equipment demo), small clearcut with retention and supplemental planting
- MU16—Thinning plus gap/patch cuts in jack pine/black spruce in 2010-11 (multi-age initiation) MU22—Thinned to approx. 400 trees/acre and 50-70 ft2/acre basal area in 2011
- MU23—Thinned to approx. 400 trees/acre and 50-70 ft2/acre basal area in 2012
2008-2014: Northern hardwood management (Ford Forest, Baraga Plains: Sections 2, 18, 19, 30)
- MU8—Single tree and small group selection system to 80 ft2/acre basal area in winter 2008-9
- MU9—Single tree and group selection to 70-80 ft2/acre basal area plus small modified clearcut in winter 2009-10.
- MU30—Single tree and group selection to 70-80 ft2/acre basal area plus red oak gaps and release in fall 2011
- MU3—Single tree and small group selection system to 80 ft2/acre basal area in winter 2013-4
- MU4—Single tree and small group selection system to 80 ft2/acre basal area (advertised for winter 2014-5 and winter 2015-16; did not sell after open bids, attempting to negotiate a sale)
2015: Assisted northern conifer regeneration (Section 2)
- MU30—Scattered planting with white pine by Conservation District from DNR program
2016: Northern Hardwood – Silvicultural Experiment for Enhancing Diversity (NH-SEED)
- MU1—Even aged hardwood demonstration (replicated study-Dickinson, others) with shelter-wood, clearcut, and selection system installed during winter 2016-17
Proposed Treatments 2017-2020 (Sections 12, 18, 19, 30)
- MU25—Jack pine thinning to approx. 400 tpa and 50-70 ba/ac for late summer/fall 2016
- MU11—Red pine thinning and extended rotation management, plus shelterwood/seed tree in oak/pine area for summer/fall 2017
- MU10—Northern hardwood selection system (individual and small group) for winter 2017-18
- MU24—Jack pine thinning to approximately 400 tpa and 50-70 ft2/acre basal area for late summer/fall 2018
- MU8—Northern hardwood cutting trials (Bourdo study) for winter 2018-19
- MU2—Northern hardwood selection system (yellow birch gaps) for winter 2018-9 or 2019-20
- MU5—Northern hardwood selection system (individual and small group) for winter 2019-20
Ford Center and Research Forest 2009-2017 summary compiled by School Forester/Lecturer Jim Schmierer, and Associate Professor and Director, Ford Center and Forest, Robert Froese.