Research

Current Projects

Silviculture

Improving forest productivity and the efficiency of forest management

Commercial Thinning Research Network

Over the past decade, partial cutting (which involves harvesting only some of the trees from any specific stand) has come to dominate over 95% of the forest harvests in the state of Maine. CFRU researchers and members recognized that a better understanding was needed about how the forest will respond to the various forms of partial cutting taking place across the Maine woods.

In response, the CFRU Commercial Thinning Research Network was established in 2000. The goal of the network, which consists of a fifteen study sites across the state on CFRU member lands, is providing a better understanding about how spruce-fir stands respond to various forms of commercial thinning. Results from the network will be be used to improve growth and yield models for Maine's forest. Read more.

Hardwood Regeneration Improvement and Spatial Ecology of Beech-Dominated Understories in Maine

A growing concern among landowners in Maine is that their hardwood stands are primarily regenerating to American beech, especially post-harvest, but not developing into mature trees due to the disease complex known as beech bark disease. The shrubby beech trees that are growing have a tendency to outcompete sugar maple, yellow birch, and other species that have the potential to develop into mature trees. It is often possible to control undesirable species while releasing more desirable species by selectively using herbicides, but it is necessary to know the proper amount of herbicide to apply in order to target the proper species while retaining the desirable species. This study attempts to determine the proper amounts of herbicide to use effectively as well as examining the spatial patterns of hardwood regeneration, which are another critical factor in determining the effectiveness of using herbicides to address the hardwood regeneration problem. See here for more information.

Response of Tree Regeneration to Commercial Thinning in Spruce-Fir Stands of Northern Maine: First-Decade Results from the CFRU’s Commercial Thinning Research Network

With thousands of acres in Maine reaching an age and size where commercial thinning will become a viable silvicultural option for foresters it becomes necessary to understand more about how the forest will react to these treatments. This study addresses the area of forest regeneration and will examine what types of seedlings, as well as how many, will begin to grow after a commercial thinning, utilizing the CFRU’s extensive Commercial Thinning Research Network (CTRN). For more information, see the proposal here.

Early Commercial Thinning Harvest Systems: A Silvicultural and Operational Assessment

Results from the CFRU’s Commercial Thinning Research Network (CTRN) have already shown that commercial thinning would benefit thousands of acres in Maine. However, many of the stands on may not yet be commercially viable from an operational standpoint using the harvesting equipment that is commonly available. This study looks at the use of specialized equipment for the purpose of harvesting small diameter stems, like those found on the CTRN sites, and seeks to evaluate the viability of using these pieces of equipment, both from a silvicultural perspective regarding how well the equipment is able to implement the prescription, and an operational perspective, assessing the productivity and cost of the machine. For more information, see the proposal here.

Preparing for Spruce Budworm in Maine: Decision Support and Strategies to Reduce Impacts

The spruce budworm (SBW), a native pest that has periodic outbreaks every 30 to 50 years, is a dominant factor in the decisions that are made regarding managing forests in Maine. Managing for SBW in between outbreaks is critical to reduce the impacts of the next outbreak, and it is equally important to have a strong understanding of the land that is being managed so that managers can quickly adapt their management plans during an outbreak to minimize losses due to insect damage. Good progress towards achieving both of these goals is made by having a strong decision support system (DSS) that helps managers understand where on their land they will have the biggest problem with SBW so that they can attempt to mitigate the effects of SBW before the outbreak and more quickly react when the outbreak starts. This project adapts an existing SBW DSS from New Brunswick, Canada, and applies it to the lands of CFRU cooperators helping them be better prepared for the next SBW outbreak. For more information, see the proposal here.