The Interaction of Site and Silviculture: Lessons Learned from Long-Term Studies in the Northeast United States

Authors

  • Nicole Rogers University of Maine

Abstract

Integration of site features into silvicultural decision-making has been a tenant of hardwood management for over a century. In regions like the northeast United States, site-level silviculture is especially critical for systems that rely on natural regeneration. However, the hardwood forests of the northeast are nuanced and complex. Truly matching silvicultural practices with underlying site attributes to achieve consistent outcomes in composition and structure is difficult.  To further understand the relationship between site and silviculture, and the influence of their interaction on natural regeneration dynamics, we utilized long-term (20+ years) forest inventory data from three silviculture studies across the region. We will synthesize results for management recommendations in the context of ongoing and evolving forest challenges, such as the proliferation of American beech and resilience to climate change.  

Author Biography

Nicole Rogers, University of Maine

Nicole is the Assistant Professor of Silviculture at the University of Maine. She is a native of Maine and an alum of UMaine’s School of Forest Resources where she received her B.S. in Forest Ecosystem Science and Conservation in 2010. She also holds an M.S. in Sustainable Forest Management from Oregon State University and a Ph.D. in Natural Resources with a concentration in silviculture from the University of Vermont. Her research focuses on forests as a tool to meet ecological, economic, and social needs.   

Published

2023-10-31

Conference Proceedings Volume

2023: Leveraging Technology to Improve Silviculture and the Digitalization of the Value Chain

Section

Proceedings