Comparative analyses on the cycle time, productivity, and cost between commercial thinning and clear-cutting operations in Nasu-machi Forest Owners’ Co-operative, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

Published Date
April 2016, Volume 21, Issue 2, pp 99–104

Short Communication

First Online: 

13 January 2016

DOI: 10.1007/s10310-015-0518-x

Cite this article as: 

Mizuniwa, Y., Nakahata, C. & Aruga, K. J For Res (2016) 21: 99. doi:10.1007/s10310-015-0518-x

Author

• Yoshiko Mizuniwa
• Chikara Nakahata
• Kazuhiro ArugaEmail author

Abstract

This study investigates clear-cutting operations on moderately and gently sloping sites. Cycle times, productivities, and costs of those operations are analyzed and compared with those of commercial thinning operations, to enable logging contractors to easily find trends of those three variables. Felling cycle times of clear-cutting were lower than those of commercial thinning operations. Processing cycle times of clear-cutting on the gently sloping site were lower than those of clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site and commercial thinning. However, processing cycle times of clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site were similar to those of commercial thinning. Forwarding cycle times of clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site were the lowest among the estimated forwarding cycle times. Costs of operation systems were the lowest with clear-cutting on the gently sloping site, followed by clear-cutting on the moderately sloping site, and then commercial thinning with mechanized and current operation systems according to forwarding distance, with extracted volume 0.5 m3/stem. Costs of the current thinning operation system were less than those with a mechanized thinning system below extracted volume 0.3 m3/stem, because of smaller machinery expenses.

References 

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For further details log on website :
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10310-016-0519-4

Sustaining Forests

Thinning treatments

Research Issue

Competition for site resources among trees in a forest is virtually constant.  As the crowns and root systems of trees increase in size, severe competition for sunlight, soil nutrients, or soil moisture inhibits the growth of some trees and causes them to die. Tree mortality results in a temporary reduction in competition, thus allowing the surviving trees to capture more site resources and grow to a larger size.  As the surviving trees grow, the forest becomes crowded again, and the cycle of competition, mortality, and growth goes on.  

Land managers can prescribe thinning treatments to control the degree of crowding in a forest, promote faster growth of desirable species, increase wood yield by removing trees before they die, and influence the diversity and distribution of trees as the forest matures.  

To apply effective thinning treatments, land managers need answers to several important questions: How do individual trees respond to reduced crowding?  How does thinning affect wood quality and tree vigor?  How does thinning affect wildlife habitat? Do harvest operations associated with thinning damage the residual forest? What are the financial impacts associated with thinning?

Our Research

Long-term field trials were employed to test the impact of thinning to various levels of residual forest density.  Permanent research sites and the individual trees within them were observed for more than 20 years after commercial, or real-world, thinning operations were conducted. Repeated measurements were collected on more than 18,000 individual trees. Residual density affected overall wood yield, average diameter growth of residual trees, and the dynamics of vertical position, or crown class of individual trees over time. Within those field trials, the impact of free growing space around individual trees was related to tree growth, crown expansion, and wood quality, thus providing insight into the microsite effect of thinning treatments.  In a related study, the effect of thinning treatments on the availability of snags for cavity nesting birds provided guidelines for enhancing bird habitat.

Expected Outcomes

Land managers can use this information to prepare thinning treatments that help meet several management objectives in hardwood forests.  Specifically, research results define the appropriate level of area-wide residual forest density and the appropriate level of residual crowding around individual trees to maximize growth, vigor, and quality of desirable trees in immature forests.  These results also provide an estimate of the effect of thinning on tree crown expansion and crown class dynamics that can be useful in sustaining desired species composition in current and future forests.  A major benefit of thinning treatments is that they provide an opportunity to select and favor productive seed trees when the forest is young. Later, those seed trees can contribute abundant seed crops and new seedlings to the regeneration process when the forest is mature.

Research Results

Brooks, John R.; Wang, Jingxin; LeDoux, Chris. 2011. Thinning strategies to increase the regional availability of oak timber in the Mid-Appalachian region. In: Fei, Songlin; Lhotka, John M.; Stringer, Jeffrey W.; Gottschalk, Kurt W.; Miller, Gary., eds. Proceedings, 17th central hardwood forest conference; 2010 April 5-7; Lexington, KY; Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-78. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 2-9. 

Rentch, J.S.; Miller, G.W.; Gottschalk, K.W. 2009.  Crown class dynamics of oaks, yellow-poplar, and red maple after commercial thinning in Appalachian hardwoods: 20-year results. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 26(4):156-163.

Miller, G.W.; Graves, A.T.; Gottschalk, K.W.; Baumgras, J.E. 2008. Accuracy of tree grade projections for five Appalachian hardwood species.  Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 25(1):45-51.

Miller, Gary W.; Gottschalk, Kurt W.; Graves, Aaron T.; Baumgras, John E. 2003. The effect of silvicultural thinning on tree grade distributions of five hardwood species in West Virginia. In: Smalley, Bryan, ed.; Proceedings of the 29th Annual Hardwood Symposium: Sustaining Natural Resources on Private Lands in the Central Hardwood Region. May 16-19, 2001; French Lick, IN: National Hardwood Lumber Association, Memphis, TN: 146 p.; 39-48.

Rentch, James S.; Fekedulegn, B. Desta; Miller, Gary W. 2002. Climate, canopy disturbance, and radial growth averaging in a second-growth mixed-oak forest in West Virginia, USA. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 32: 915-927. 

Graves, Aaron T.; Fajvan, Mary Ann; Miller, Gary W. 2000.  The effects of thinning intensity on snag and cavity tree abundance in an Appalachian hardwood stand. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 30: 1214-1220.

Miller, Gary W. 1997. Effect of crown growing space and age on the growth of northern red oak.  Keynote Address, In:  Spiecker, H.; Rogers, R.; Somogyi, Z., comps. IUFRO Proceedings: Advances in Research in Intermediate Oak Stands; July 27-30, 1997; Freiburg, Germany:  University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany: 140-159.

Miller, Gary W. 1997. Stand dynamics in 60-year-old Allegheny hardwoods after thinning. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 27: 1645-1657. 

Brock, Samuel M.; Jones, Kenneth D.; Miller, Gary W. 1986.  Felling and skidding costs associated with thinning a commercial Appalachian hardwood stand in northern West Virginia. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 3(4): 159-163.

Miller, Gary W.; Sarles, Raymond L. 1986. Costs, yields, and revenues associated with thinning and clearcutting 60-year-old cherry-maple stands.  Res. Pap. NE-582. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station, 8 p.

Miller, Gary W.; Lamson, Neil I.; Brock, Samuel M. 1984. Logging damage associated with thinning central Appalachian hardwood stands with a wheeled skidder. In: Peters, Penn A. and Luchok, John. eds.  Proceedings: Mountain Logging Symposium. June 5-7, 1984; Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University: 125-131.

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

• Gary W. Miller, US Forest Service-Northern Research Station Research Forester

Research Partners

• James S. Rentch, Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University
• Kurt W. Gottschalk, US Forest Service-Northern Research Station Research Forester and Project Leader

For further details log on website :
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/monitoring_carbon/forest_carbon_budgets/

Fine root dynamics in organic and mineral soil layers of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don plantation

Published Date
April 2016, Volume 21, Issue 2, pp 67–72

Original Article

First Online: 

04 February 2016

DOI: 10.1007/s10310-016-0519-4

Cite this article as: 

Tawa, Y. & Takeda, H. J For Res (2016) 21: 67. doi:10.1007/s10310-016-0519-4

Author

• Yusuke TawaEmail author
• Hiroshi Takeda

Abstract

Fine root dynamics and root architecture were studied in the organic and mineral soil layers of a Cryptomeria japonica plantation. Fine root biomass (<1 mm) showed seasonal changes whereas fine root biomass (1–2 mm) was unchanged over the study period. Root tips were grouped into size classes based on root tip diameter, including <0.5, 0.5–1, and 1–2 mm. Root tip density (<1 mm) was significantly correlated with fine root biomass (<1 mm). Root tip density and fine root biomass (<1 mm) increased in summer and decreased in winter, and both showed a similar seasonal pattern. Root tip dynamics influenced fine root dynamics. Root architecture as expressed by branching intensity changed with root tip production and mortality. Branching intensity also showed a similar seasonal pattern of root tip density dynamics. Root tips of both <0.5 and 0.5–1 mm were mainly produced in the organic soil layer, while root tips of 0.5–1 mm were mainly produced in the mineral soil layer. Because of the high RT1 root tip production in the organic soil layer, branching intensity was higher in the organic soil than in the mineral soil layer during summer. Root tip dynamics influenced fine root dynamics and the architecture of root systems in both organic and mineral soil layers.

References 

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15. Sakai M, Inoue K (1986) Fine root biomass related to the slope position in Chamaecyparis obtsusa stand. Trans Jpn For Soc 97:221–223 (in Japanese)Google Scholar
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For further details log on website :
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10310-015-0517-y

Crop Tree Management

Research Issue

Crop tree management (CTM) is a widely applicable silvicultural technique used to enhance the performance of individual trees.  It offers flexibility in that it can be applied on small or large properties and, with certain modifications, it can be applied as a precommercial or commercial operation. By favoring the development of selected crop trees within a hardwood stand, the landowner can meet a variety of area-wide management objectives such as wildlife habitat, recreation, timber value, esthetic beauty, and species diversity.  CTM can be applied at various stages of development, including sapling, pole, and sawtimber stands, depending on the specific opportunities to improve stand conditions.  In some cases, it may be advisable to apply CTM more than once during the rotation.  As forest managers gain experience with CTM, many come to realize that it is a versatile silvicultural technique that can be effective in many situations.

Our Research

CTM is an intermediate silvicultural treatment intended to provide increased growing space to selected trees through the removal of crown competition from adjacent trees. CTM differs from traditional thinning in that it assures that most site resources are focused on a small number of selected trees rather than being widely distributed to all residual trees. It is applicable in any situation where the forest manager intends to reallocate site resources to selected crop trees.  While the term “crop tree” suggests a tree that has been selected for future harvest, in reality CTM can be applied to trees that will be either harvested in the future or retained for any number of years, depending on how they provide desired benefits or meet management objectives.

Two key concepts are important to consider for optimal use of this technique. These concepts include understanding how crop trees help meet management objectives and how reducing competition for site resources around individual crop trees enhances their vigor and development.  Our products provide forest managers and landowners with technical information based on long-term research and guidelines for applying CTM in hardwood forests.  Several mechanical and chemical methods for releasing crop trees are available, and useful references are provided for more in-depth coverage of specific topics. 

Expected Outcomes

The CTM system focuses on promoting the vigor and development of a few trees per acre that will yield desired landowner benefits. This system also fosters an approach to land management that clarifies the landowner’s long-term goals for his or her property and the potential of the property to meet those goals.  It also provides a welcome enhancement of communication between the landowner and forest management professionals about how to plan for and accomplish multiple ownership objectives. The CTM system can be used to improve species diversity, wildlife habitat, recreation, timber quality, forest health, or any combination of such benefits as determined by the landowner.  The key is to understand how individual crop trees contribute to woodland attributes and then apply CTM to achieve the desired outcome. 

Research Results

Perkey, Arlyn.W.; Miller, Gary W.; Feicht, David l. 2011. Coopers Rock Crop Tree Demonstration Area – 20-yr results. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-83. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 28 p.

LeDoux, C.B.; Miller, G.W. 2008. Exploring the optimal economic timing for crop tree release treatments in hardwoods: results from simulation. In: Proceedings of the 16th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; April 7-9, 2008; West Lafayette, IN: Gen. Tech. Rep. GTR-NRS-P-24; Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 265-273. 

Miller, Gary W.; Stringer, Jeffrey W.; Mercker, David C. 2007. Technical guide to crop tree release in hardwood forests. Southern Regional Extension Forestry publication SREF-FM-011: 24 p. 

Miller, Gary W.; Stringer, Jeffrey W. 2004. Effect of crown release on tree grade and dbh growth of white oak sawtimber in eastern Kentucky.  In: Yaussy, Daniel A.; Hix, David M.; Long, Robert P.; Goebel, P. Charles, eds. Proceedings: 14th Central Hardwood Forest Conference; March 16-19, 2004; Wooster, OH: Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-316; Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station: 539 p. [CD-Rom]; 37-44. 

Kochenderfer, Jeffrey D.; Zedaker, Shepard M.; Johnson, James E.; Smith, David W.; Miller, Gary W. 2001. Herbicide hardwood crop tree release in central West Virginia. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 18(2): 46-54. 

Miller, Gary W. 2000.  Effect of crown growing space on the development of young hardwood crop trees. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry 17(1): 25-35. 

Miller, Gary W. 1997. Effect of crown growing space and age on the growth of northern red oak.  Keynote Address, In:  Spiecker, H.; Rogers, R.; Somogyi, Z., comps. IUFRO Proceedings: Advances in Research in Intermediate Oak Stands; July 27-30, 1997; Freiburg, Germany:  University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany: 140-159.

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

• Gary W. Miller, US Forest Service-Northern Research Station Research Forester

Research Partners

• Arlyn W. Perkey, USDA-Forest Service- Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry, Field Representative (retired)
• Jeffrey D. Kochenderfer, USDA-Forest Service- Monongahela National Forest Silviculturist

For further details log on website :
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/monitoring_carbon/forest_carbon_budgets/

The Ecology and Silviculture of Oaks

Research Issue

Although the literature on North American oaks dates to the colonial period, most of it was written within the last 50 years, and a large proportion of that within the last 25 years.  However, much of this literature resides in relatively obscure scientific and technical journals, proceedings of professional and scientific meetings, government publications, and other sources that are often difficult to locate and retrieve.  But even with ready access to this abundance of scientific literature, its synthesis into a holistic framework of knowledge is a daunting task due to disparity in geographic coverage, dynamic forest conditions over time, inconsistencies in research methodologies, and constantly evolving management objectives.   

Our Research

The Ecology and Silviculture of Oaks brings together a vast body of previously published and original research into a comprehensive 580-page book presenting ecological and silvicultural concepts that can be used to address an array of forest management issues and objectives. The book is designed and intended not so much as a how-to-do-it management manual as it is a source of ideas on how to think about oak forests as responsive ecosystems.  Chapters address the following topics in detail:  

• Oak taxonomy and distribution
• Regeneration ecology
• Site productivity 
• Development of natural stands
• Self-thinning and stand density
• Even-aged silvicultural methods 
• Uneven-aged silvicultural methods 
• Silvicultural methods for special uses and multi-resource management
• Growth and yield

Expected Outcomes

Managers and conservators of oak forests should be better positioned to practice silviculture to meet the diverse array of owner and societal forest management objectives. 

Research Results

Johnson, P.S.; Shifley, S.R.; Rogers, R. 2009.   The ecology and silviculture of oaks. 2nd Edition. Wallingford, UK: CABI Publishing, CAB International. 580p. 

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

• Paul S. Johnson, Research Forester (retired), US Forest Service, Northern Research Station 
• Stephen R. Shifley, Research Forester, US Forest Service- Northern Research Station 
• Robert Rogers, Emeritus Professor of Forestry, University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point

For further details log on website :
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/clean_air_water/monitoring_carbon/forest_carbon_budgets/

Forest Carbon Models and Budgets

Research Issue

There is increasing interest in accurate estimates of national, regional, state, and local carbon fluxes, and identification of the causes of land / atmosphere / ocean exchange of carbon.  Because forests store large quantities of carbon and these stocks are affected by many factors, accurate monitoring of forest carbon stocks and fluxes is a critical component of strategies to manage greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration.  Long-term operational forest monitoring programs are the basis for estimating and reporting carbon stocks and stock changes for forests of the United States.  Forest carbon monitoring is also important for supporting greenhouse gas registries and their reporting requirements, and is one of the main ways that forest carbon sequestration can be valued for trading as “offsets” in emissions reduction programs.  

One of the research challenges is to develop and provide cost-effective methods for measuring, monitoring, and modeling changes in forest carbon and attributing the observed changes to specific causes.  Without such methods, effective policies cannot be developed, and inclusion of forestry in greenhouse gas reduction programs will be minimized.  There is also a strong science applications component, since there is a very large unmet demand for consistent and reliable estimates of forest carbon stocks and changes in carbon stocks for States and other domains such as National Forests or watersheds.  

Our Research

This is one of the long-term emphasis areas of the Northern Research Station’s Global Change Research Program.

• We provide basic science and technical support for development of state, regional, national, and international greenhouse gas action plans.
• We quantify carbon stocks and fluxes in forests and wood products of the U.S., Canada, China, and Russia.  
• We develop methods and estimates for the forest sector of the U.S. greenhouse gas inventories compiled by USDA, EPA, and many states.
• We develop forest carbon accounting tools and information for forest landowners and managers responding to national and regional greenhouse gas registries.
• We conduct research on the role of forests in the global carbon cycle, and how carbon stocks change in response to management and disturbance. 

Expected Outcomes

Increased carbon sequestration in forests and forest products is an important element of a comprehensive strategy to reduce net emissions of greenhouse gases.  U.S. forests and forest products currently remove 200 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year, offsetting 10% of U.S. emissions from fossil fuels.  There are a variety of opportunities to develop and apply forest management technology to maintain and enhance the role of forests and forest products as carbon sinks, to provide additional income to forest landowners from sale of carbon credits, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The keys to increased carbon sequestration and reduced greenhouse gas emissions are enhanced productivity, sustainable resource management systems based on understanding and manipulating biological processes, and developing effective deployment strategies and implementation technologies.  Evolving markets may eventually increase the value of carbon sequestration in the U.S.  Forestry activities to improve carbon management support other goals of forest landowners such as producing wood products or restoring ecosystems.   

Research Results

NRS has developed an extensive list of research papers and applied products regarding forest carbon models and budgets, including: 

• Forest carbon management tools
• U.S. Greenhouse Gas Registry

Research Participants

Principal Investigator

• Rich Birdsey, Program Manager, US Forest Service- Northern Research Station
• Linda Heath, Research Forester, US Forest Service – Northern Research Station
• James Smith, Plant Physiology/Modeling, US Forest Service – Northern Research Station
• Yude Pan , Research Forester, US Forest Service – Northern Research Station
• Coeli Hoover, Research Ecologist, US Forest Service – Northern Research Station

Research Partners

• Paul Van Deusen, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement

For further details log on website :
http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_species/herbarium_culture_collections/