Full text of this article is only available in PDF format.

Joseph Buongiorno (email), Audra Kolbe, Mike Vasievich

Economic and ecological effects of diameter-limit and BDq management regimes: simulation results for northern hardwoods

Buongiorno J., Kolbe A., Vasievich M. (2000). Economic and ecological effects of diameter-limit and BDq management regimes: simulation results for northern hardwoods. Silva Fennica vol. 34 no. 3 article id 627. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.627

Abstract

The long-term financial and ecological effects of diameter-limit regimes and basal-area-diameter-q-ratio (BDq) regimes were compared by simulation in the case of northern hardwood forests. Varying the cutting cycle between 10 and 20 years had little effect on returns or stand structure. A 28-cm diameter-limit cut gave the highest production and financial returns, and the highest species diversity, but considerably lower size diversity. A 38-cm diameter-limit cut and a heavy BDq selection harvest gave high returns, while maintaining high levels of diversity. On lands of equal site quality, Michigan’s stands were more productive than Wisconsin’s. The results suggest that it is possible to manage northern hardwood stands sustainably with diameter-limit cuts, combined with removal of poorly performing understory trees. Adjusting the diameter limit gave rise to stands similar in productivity and structure to those obtained by BDq cutting regimes. Given their simplicity of implementation and monitoring, more attention should be given to diameter-limit cutting regimes, with attendant stand improvement measures, as a practical means for uneven-aged management of northern hardwoods.

Keywords
diversity; hardwoods; simulation; uneven-aged management; economics; mixed-species stands

Author Info
  • Buongiorno, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53705, USA E-mail Jbuongio@facstaff.wisc.edu (email)
  • Kolbe, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53705, USA E-mail ak@nn.us
  • Vasievich, USDA Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station, 1407 S. Harrison Road, Suite 220, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA E-mail mv@nn.us

Received 11 October 1999 Accepted 5 May 2000 Published 31 December 2000

Views 2053

Available at https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.627 | Download PDF

Creative Commons License CC BY-SA 4.0

Register
Click this link to register to Silva Fennica.
Log in
If you are a registered user, log in to save your selected articles for later access.
Contents alert
Sign up to receive alerts of new content

Your selected articles
Send to email
Buongiorno J., Kolbe A. et al. (2000) Economic and ecological effects of diameter-limi.. Silva Fennica vol. 34 no. 3 article id 627 (remove) | Edit comment
Your search results