|
|||||
 |
|
||||
Paludification Project
140-702
Description: Paludification, where organic material accumulates on the forest floor creating a cold, water logged environment for tree growth, is a dominant process in the CLay Belt where slight slopes and fine soils are common. Paludified stands, where tree roots are in the organic material and not in the mineral soil due to water table rise, present a unigue problem for forest management, as naturally they would be regenerated by a high severity fire that would remove a significant portion of the organic matter, and create appropriate seed beds for seed establishment. However, current harvesting techniques (CLAAG) are closer to a low severity fire where only the tree layer is removed, leaving the organic material intact.
The objectives of this study are to:
- Determine the actual stocking levels and growth rates on sites that were harvested using past techniques (clear cut with and without prescribed burn) and current techniques (CLAAG, CPRS)
- Determine which harvest method and site preparation treatment results in the best regeneration establishment, highest growth rates, and foliar nutrition on paludified black spruce sites in the Clay Belt of Ontario and Quebec
- Determine which harvest method and site preparation treatment is the most effective at reducing paludification
The Project Team: Yves Bergeron, UQAT, David Pare, CFS, John Parton, OMNR, Louis Dumas, Tembec, Nicole Fenton, UQAT
Project Outputs:
Forest Productivity Decline Caused by Successional Paludification of Boreal Soils
Predicting Potential Productivity Gains of Paludified Black Spruce Forests
Effect of Prescribed Burning on Paludification and Black Spruce Growth - Presentation
Project Work Report (2007-2008)
For Additional Information Contact: