Fuel reduction treatments affect stand structure of hardwood forests in western North Carolina and southern Ohio, USA

Published source details Waldrop T.A., Yaussy D.A., Phillips R.J., Hutchinson T.A., Brudnak L. & Boerner R.E. (2008) Fuel reduction treatments affect stand structure of hardwood forests in western North Carolina and southern Ohio, USA. Forest Ecology and Management, 255, 3117-3129.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Thin trees within forests: effects on young trees Action Link
	Thin trees within forests: effects on understory plants Action Link
	Use prescribed fire: effect on understory plants Action Link

Thin trees within forests: effects on young trees

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2000-2007 in temperate broadleaf forest in North Carolina and Ohio, USA (Waldrop et al. 2008) found that thinning trees increased the cover of seedlings and the density of tree saplings. At a 'cool temperate climate' site the number of hardwood-tree saplings (>1.4 m tall) (thinned: 800/ha, unthinned: 370/ha) and cover of shrub and tree seedlings (< 1.4 m tall) (thinned: 53%, unthinned: 27%) were higher in thinned than unthinned plots. At a 'warm continental climate' site, cover of shrub and tree seedlings was higher in thinned plots (thinned: 28%, unthinned: 18%), while numbers of tree saplings was similar between treatments (thinned: 1200/ha, unthinned: 1800/ha). Three pairs of thinned (in 2000-2002) and unthinned treatment units (10-26 ha) were established at each of the two sites. Data were collected 4-5 years post-treatments in 10 plots (0.1 ha) in each treatment unit.
Thin trees within forests: effects on understory plants

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2000-2007 in temperate broadleaf forest in North Carolina and Ohio, USA (Waldrop et al. 2008) found no effect of tree thinning on herbaceous cover. At a 'cool temperate climate' site the number of hardwood tree saplings (>1.4 m tall) and cover of herbs (thinned: 3-19%, unthinned: 5-13%) were similar between treatments. Three pairs of thinned (in 2000-2002) and unthinned treatment units (10-26 ha) were established at each of two sites. Data were collected 4-5 years post-treatments in ten plots (0.1 ha) in each treatment unit.
Use prescribed fire: effect on understory plants

A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 2000-2007 in temperate broadleaf forest in North Carolina and Ohio, USA (Waldrop et al. 2008) found that prescribed burning had mixed effects on the cover of different plant groups at two different sites. At the 'cool temperate climate' site the number of hardwood tree saplings (>1.4 m tall) (burned: 430/ha, unburned: 370/ha), cover of herbs (burned: 20%, unburned: 13%) and shrubs and tree seedlings (< 1.4 m tall) (burned: 50%, unburned: 25%) were higher in burned plots. At the same site, the cover of shrubs (>1.4 m tall) was lower in burned plots (burned: 2%, unburned: 8%). At the 'warm continental climate' site, the number of tree saplings (burned: 900/ha, unburned: 1,800/ha) and cover of shrubs (>1.4 m tall) (burned: 9%, unburned: 28%) were higher in unburned plots, while the cover of tree seedlings (burned: 8%, unburned: 6%) was higher in burned plots. At the 'cool temperate climate' site, cover of herbaceous species (burned: 4%, unburned: 5%) and shrub seedlings (burned: 8%, control: 11%) was similar between treatments. Three pairs of burned (in 2002-2003) and control (unburned) treatment units (10-26 ha) were established at each of a 'cool temperate climate' and 'warm continental climate' site. Data were collected 3-4 years post-treatments in ten plots (0.1 ha) in each treatment unit.