Summary
Publish in Forest Science 65(4): 411-419
The management of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) at the northern edge of its range is mainly oriented toward timber production, from trees of higher grades. However, both the quality of mature trees in natural stands and how the quality may vary depending on the silvicultural treatment are unknown, especially under northern conditions. The objective of this study was to describe the variation in stem quality of mature maple trees (diameter >33 cm) according to climatic, geographic or soil variables, and to evaluate the effects of a first selection cutting cycle on this quality. Annual temperature (1.7–4.1° C) was the most important variable explaining differences in the proportion of higher-grade trees, with a 16 percent gain associated with every additional increase in degrees Celsius. The practice of a first selection cutting was associated with an 11 percent gain in this proportion. Although the actual proportion of high-quality trees was below 35 percent on the coolest sites, a proper tree selection through silviculture could likely improve this proportion in future decades, whereas the potential effects of climate change are unclear.
File
Sector(s):
Forests
Categorie(s):
Scientific Article
Theme(s):
Silviculture
Departmental author(s):
Author(s)
GUILLEMETTE, François and Steve BÉDARD
Year of publication :
2019
Format :
ISBN
0015-749X
Keywords :
coupe de jardinage, classement des arbres, changement climatique, amélioration, qualité, sylviculture et rendement des forêts naturelles - peuplements feuillus, article scientifique de recherche forestière, forestry research scientific article, silviculture and yield of natural forests - hardwood stands, selection system, tree grade, climate change, stand improvement, stand quality
