Description
Book SynopsisThe most up-to-date, comprehensive resource on silviculture that covers the range of topics and issues facing today's foresters and resource professionals The tenth edition of the classic work, The Practice of Silviculture: Applied Forest Ecology, includes the most current information and the results of research on the many issues that are relevant to forests and forestry. The text covers such timely topics as biofuels and intensive timber production, ecosystem and landscape scale management of public lands, ecosystem services, surface drinking water supplies, urban and community greenspace, forest carbon, fire and climate, and much more. In recent years, silvicultural systems have become more sophisticated and complex in application, particularly with a focus on multi-aged silviculture. There have been paradigm shifts toward managing for more complex structures and age-classes for integrated and complementary values including wildlife, water and open space recreation. Extensively revi
Table of ContentsPreface xvi
Acknowledgements xvii
Part 1 Introduction to Silviculture 1
1 The History and Philosophy of Silviculture 3
Introduction 3
Silviculture, its Origin and Development as an Applied Ecology 3
The Philosophies of Silviculture as a Practice 12
Silviculture as a Body of Knowledge 17
References 19
2 Silviculture and its Place in Managing Current Forests and Woodlands 22
Introduction 22
The Purpose of Silviculture Today 22
Definition of Silviculture 22
Scope and Terminology of Silvicultural Practice 25
The Silviculture Framework for Managing a Forest 29
References 31
Part 2 Ecological Foundations of Silviculture 33
3 Ecological Site Classification, Stands as Management Units, and Landscape‐Scale Planning 35
Introduction 35
Ecological Methods of Identifying and Classifying Sites 36
Stands as Management Units 48
New Developments in Landscape‐Level Ecological Planning 56
References 59
4 Stand Dynamics: The Ecology of Forest Succession 63
Introduction 63
Initiating Disturbances and Sources of Regeneration 63
Stages of Stand Development 63
Defining Cohorts and Age Classes 68
Defining Canopy Stratification by Age Class 68
Relationship of Stand Dynamics to Other Interpretations of Vegetational Development 75
Choice of Developmental Patterns 77
References 78
5 Ecology of Regeneration 80
Introduction 80
Ecological Role of Natural Disturbance 80
The Regeneration Process 92
Disturbance, Climate, and Regional Patterns in Floristics of Forest Regeneration 104
Regeneration Methods as Analogs to Natural Disturbance 111
References 112
Part 3 Methods of Regeneration 117
6 Development of Silvicultural Systems and Methods of Regeneration 119
Introduction 119
Conceptual Formation of Silvicultural Systems: The Science of Place 119
Classification of Natural Regeneration Methods 124
Classification of Plantations and Artificial Seeding 129
Naming Silvicultural Systems: The Taxonomy 131
Summary Remarks 135
References 136
7 Site Treatments 137
Introduction 137
Disposal of Logging Slash 137
Treatment of the Forest Floor and Competing Vegetation 145
References 162
Part 3A Natural Regeneration Methods 169
8 Natural Regeneration: The Clearcutting Method 171
Introduction 171
The Protocol 171
Regeneration of Pure Stands from Natural Seeding 173
Applications of True Clearcutting: Case Studies from North America 177
References 183
9 Natural Regeneration: The Seed‐Tree Method 185
Introduction 185
The Protocol 187
Variations in Spatial Patterns of Stand Structure 192
Application of Seed‐Tree Methods 193
References 201
10 Natural Regeneration: The Shelterwood Method 204
Introduction 204
The Protocol for the Uniform Shelterwood 206
Protocols for Alternative Arrangements 212
Application of Shelterwood Methods 215
References 224
11 Natural Regeneration: Irregular Seed-Tree and Shelterwood Methods (Multi-Aged Systems) 228
Introduction 228
Development of Two‐ or Three‐Aged Stands 229
Regeneration Methods Including Reserve Trees within Irregular Seed‐Tree and Shelterwood Systems 229
Application of Two‐ or Three‐Aged Systems 233
References 248
12 Natural Regeneration: The Coppice Method 251
Introduction 251
Vegetative Regeneration and the Nature of Disturbance 251
The Physiology and Morphology of Sprouting 252
Types of Vegetative Regeneration 252
Simple Coppice Systems 257
Coppice Systems with Irregular Structures and Age Classes 265
The Role of Coppice Stands in the Past, Present, and Future 267
Conversion of Coppice Stands to High Forests 269
References 269
13 Natural Regeneration: Selection Methods 272
Introduction 272
The Protocol 273
The Selection Regeneration Method and its Variations 273
Managing for Balanced All‐Aged Stands 277
Managing for Unbalanced All‐Aged Stands 286
Application of the Selection Method of Regeneration 288
References 300
Part 3B Methods Based on Artificial Regeneration 303
14 Species Selection and Genetic Improvement 305
Introduction 305
Selection of Species and Provenances 306
Adaptation to Site 306
Genetic Improvement 312
References 320
15 Nursery, Planting, and Seeding Techniques 322
Introduction 322
Propagation 322
Planting and Seeding 337
References 348
16 The Arrangement, Composition, and Methods of Planting 350
Introduction 350
The Role of Planting 350
Density of Plantings 351
Spatial Arrangement of Plantings 352
High Forest Plantations 353
Low Forest Plantations 371
Protection of New Plantations 373
References 375
Part 4 Post‐Establishment (Intermediate) Treatments 379
17 Tree and Stand Growth 381
Introduction 381
Growth within Individual Trees 381
Stand Scale Patterns of Production 390
The Effect of Thinning on Stand Production 395
The Effect of Thinning on the Economic Yield of Stands 397
References 401
18 Post‐Establishment Tools in Silviculture 403
Introduction 403
Cutting and Girdling 403
Use of Herbicides 404
Methods of Applying Herbicides 410
Use of Insecticides 412
Prescribed Burning 413
Use of Fertilizer 419
Irrigation 420
References 420
19 Pruning Methods and Applications 424
Introduction 424
The Ecology of Natural Pruning Processes 424
Pruning Trees to Improve Timber Quality in Forests 428
Techniques of Pruning Open Grown Trees Within Urban Environments 434
Training and Pruning Fruit and Shade Trees in Orchards and Agroforestry Systems 438
References 441
20 Release Operations in Seedling and Sapling Stands 443
Introduction 443
Competing Vegetation 443
Concept of Free‐To‐Grow 444
Early Use of Release Treatments 444
Vegetation Control Methods 445
Timing and Extent of Release Treatments 451
Ecological Impact of Release Treatments on Plant Communities 453
Liberation Treatments 455
Release Treatments that Control Invasives 457
References 458
21 Methods of Thinning 461
Introduction 461
The Different Approaches to Thinning 461
Low Thinning 462
Crown Thinning 468
Dominant Thinning 473
Free‐Form Thinning 477
Variable‐Density Thinning 477
Geometric Thinning 478
Application of Thinnings 481
References 483
22 Quantitative Thinning: Theory and Application 486
Introduction 486
Conceptual and Experimental Proof for Thinning 486
Thinning and its Objectives 486
Quantitative Thinning Guidelines 496Density, Stocking, and Relative Density 496
References 504
Part 5 Silvicultural Considerations for Managing All Forests 507
23 Conservation Management Practices 509
Introduction 509
Management Practices 509
References 531
Contents xiii
24 Silviculture for Wildlife Habitat 534
Introduction 534
Habitat Elements Within Stands 535
Landscape Elements Across Stands 551
Examples of Application 555
Control of Wildlife Damage to Trees 560
References 561
25 Silvicultural Applications to Forest Restoration: Rehabilitation and Reclamation 565
Introduction 565
Degradation and Restoration Processes of Forests 565
Categories of Forest Degradation and their Restoration Treatments 567
Summary 593
References 594
26 Approaches to and Treatments for Maintaining Healthy Forest Ecosystems 597
Introduction 597
The Growing Threat of Non‐Native Invasive Insects and Disease 597
The Concept of Forest Ecosystem Health within Stand Dynamics 600
Protection Against Biotic Agencies: Insects and Disease 601
Protection Against Abiotic Agencies 606
Using Silviculture to Control Damage 611
References 615
27 Managing Forest Carbon in Changing Climates 618
Introduction 618
The Ecology of Forest Carbon 618
Avoiding Deforestation and Increasing Reforestation 620
Carbon Management in Existing Forests 622
The Use of Wood as Biomass Energyor in Wood Products for Carbon Storage 624
References 625
Part 6 Silvicultural Applications for Different Land Uses 629
28 Ecosystem Management: Managing Public Natural Forests for Multiple Values 631
Introduction 631
Regional and Global Differences in Public Land Ownership 631
Managing Complex Large‐Scale Forests 633
The Ecosystem‐Management Paradigm 633
Regional Examples of Ecosystem Management 636
References 642
29 Application of Silviculture to Watershed Management 645
Introduction 645
Baseline Watershed Conditions 646
Paired Watershed Studies: Impacts of Land Clearance and Forest Disturbance 649
Managing Forests for Water Quality: Examples from the United States 654
Managing Forests for Water Yield: Examples from the United States 660
Summary 663
References 663
30 Industrial Timber Management 665
Introduction 665
Principles of Regulating Timber Harvests 665
Considerations for Timber Production in Forests 666
Global and National Trends in Industrial Plantation Forestry 669
References 676
31 Application of Silviculture to Agroforestry 677
Introduction 677
Stages of Stand Development and Agroforestry 678
Successional Agri‐silvicultural Practices 679
Permanent Agri‐silvicultural Practices 683
Selection of Tree Species for Agroforestry 689
References 689
32 Application of Silviculture to Urban Ecosystems and the Urban–Rural Interface 694
Introduction 694
Aesthetics and Landscape Design of Urban Forests 694
Mitigating Urban Meso‐ and Micro‐Environments 701
The Application of Silviculture to Urban Watersheds 704
References 708
Common and Scientific Names of Trees and Shrubs Mentioned in the Text 711
Glossary of Terms 716
Index 731
