Two videos: Natural disturbance-based silviculture and restoring late-successional structure

Back in June 2009, someone named Tom posted a great question about applying the Dauerwald concept in Minnesota.  In a nutshell, the Dauerwald approach involves intensive management designed to maintain a high diversity of tree species and ages.  This approach can be attractive to those interested in active management but less comfortable with more extensive harvests such as clearcuts or shelterwood treatments.

This month we feature a two-part video response to Tom’s question and the ensuing discussion from Tony D’Amato, silviculturist at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Forest Resources.  Tony’s first video addresses the concept of natural disturbance-based silviculture.  His second video addresses a somewhat related concept, of active management to restore late-successional structure. Tony discusses how ecological forestry can complement other approaches like production forestry and multiple use sustained yield forestry on the landscape.

Ecological forestry: Natural disturbance-based silviculture

Links:

• Minnesota DNR’s Native Plant Community Field Guides
• Natural disturbance and stand development principles for ecological forestry

Ecological forestry: Restoring late-successional forest structure

Links:

• Restoring Late-successional Forest Structure, by Tony D’Amato and Paul Catanzaro (PDF)
• More info and links on restoring late-successional and old growth characteristics from MassWoods.net.

Your turn

How does (or doesn’t) ecological forestry fit into your woodland plans?  Why or why not?  Leave a comment below or add to the initial discussion begun by Tom.

Conference: Growing the Bioeconomy

Some MyMinnesotaWoods readers may be interested in this early December, 2009 event:

Growing the Bioeconomy: Solutions for Sustainability

Dec. 1-2, University of Minnesota Continuing Education and Conference Center, St. Paul campus

Hosted by University of Minnesota Extension and the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment. Cost is $50 per day, $85 for both days.
Program schedule and registration.

This two-day conference will bring together national and local players from Minnesota’s bioeconomy to explore renewable energy opportunities. Agricultural producers, landowners, community and business leaders, and citizens interested in economic development and biorenewables are encouraged to attend and identify ways they can participate in solutions to the global climate change and energy supply issues facing Minnesota.

On December 1, you’ll be part of a virtual conference hosted by 12 Midwest universities. You’ll get a big picture overview of the issues through broadcast viewing and a live panel discussion. Speakers include: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu, Renowned biochar and climate change expert Dr. James E. Lovelock.

December 2 is all about Minnesota. We’ll focus on local success stories, getting your questions answered, and giving you information you can put to use right away.

Learn more about the conference, including agenda and registration, here.Conf

Emerald ash borer and your Minnesota woodlands

A few months ago, we heard from a frustrated reader.  Noting the abundant info about emerald ash borer (EAB) in urban environments, he could find almost nothing on managing ash in woodland stands.  Philip Potyondy created this video to begin to answer that question.

The video has four sections:

• First Extension’s Jeff Hahn reviews basic EAB biology, dispersal, and impacts on host trees.
• Second, Keith Jacobson of the MN DNR’s Utilization & Marketing unit briefly reviews markets for ash wood in Minnesota.
• Third, we head to the woods for brief comments from Paul Dickson, president of the Minnesota Association of Consulting Foresters.
• We close with a summary of research and management recommendations for woodland ash stands from Extension’s Angela Gupta.

Special thanks to Jeff Hahn, Keith Jacobson, Paul Dickson, and Angela Gupta for their contributions to this video.  You can learn much more about EAB in Minnesota at the UMN Extension EAB page.

What are you doing to prepare your woods for EAB?  Leave a comment to let us know.

The Minnesota moose population

There’s been a lot of news lately about declining moose populations in Minnesota.  According to NRRI, the northwest Minnesota population has declined from over 4,000 to fewer than 100 over the past 20 years.  There’s some concern now about a decline in northeastern Minnesota as well.

The following announcement is from the KAXE radio website:

REPORT YOUR MOOSE SIGHTINGS
We talked with Mark Johnson, Executive Director of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association, about what he learned as a member of theMinnesota Moose Advisory Committee. The Minnesota moose population is facing a lot of biological and natural threats, and has seen sharp declines in the Northwestern part of the state.

While the decline has not been as dramatic in Northeastern Minnesota, biologists and others interested in moose populations are still concerned. Mark indicated that we have a lot to learn about what is affecting the population, and one of the ways that you can help is to report your moose sightings on a special website.Please report your moose sighting(s) here, or read why it’s important to report what you see.

Read more about what’s happening to moose in Northeastern Minnesota on NRRI’s Moose in Minnesota website.

MLEP offers online Landview mapping training

The Minnesota Logger Education Program announced a new online mapping training this month.  The new training is based on the Minnesota DNR’s Landview application.  A basic version of Landview is already online, but this training introduces a newer, far more powerful version that can be downloaded to any PC running Windows.

The training has two components: Introduction and Advanced.  The training is best suited to those comfortable with computing and working through a relatively high-speed internet connection.  It may be of greatest interest to loggers, natural resource professionals, and advanced woodland owners.  Beginners may be more comfortable with the more basic mapping options, as well as links and tutorials, on our Maps & Airphotos page.

Why is MLEP’s new training worth the time? The version of Landview covered in the training offers excellent quality airphoto imagery as well as numerous data layers not available through other sources.  It also has other important features, notably the ability to transfer GPS data to or from your GPS receiver.  This version is far more powerful than most online mapping applications.

Best of all, there’s no charge and the presentation is excellent.  Check out MLEP’s new Landview training now.

Woody biomass: Sept. 2009 bio-baler demonstrations

I received the following announcement from Dean Current, University of Minnesota Department of Forest Resources, today.  It may be of interest to loggers, natural resource professionals, and some woodland owners considering woody biomass harvest options.  -ed.

Update: these demonstrations have passed. A nice KEYC TV news story with video of the harvester is here.  We’re working on a video from the demos and will post that link shortly.

FLD image

Attached is a schedule of September 2009 Minnesota demonstrations of a bio-baler that has been developed for small diameter woody vegetation (Short rotation crops – willow, poplar, brushlands and young aspen thinnings.  The bio-baler will be in Minnesota from Sept. 17th to Sept. 24th starting in Waseca at the Southern Research and Outreach Center harvesting short rotation willows and finishing up near Hibbing doing a thinning in young aspen.  This could be an option for recovering biomass from some of the DNR’s wildlife habitat projects,short rotation woody crop plantings and other brushlands on a one-time or continuing basis.  It might even be used for controlling hazel underbrush.

As woody and herbaceous biomass becomes more and more viable for renewable energy, equipment companies have started engineering machines capable of harvesting the biomass quickly and efficiently. One such company is FLD Biomass Technologies of Canada who specialize in the design and manufacturing of machinery for agricultural and forestry production.  A number of organizations are proud to be funding a demonstration tour of FLD Biomass Technologies’ FLD Biobaler WB55 in various locations around the state of Minnesota from September 17 to September 25, 2009. Click here for detailed schedule and contact info for the Minnesota demonstrations.

The FLD Biobaler WB55 is an all-in-one tractor-pulled machine capable of cutting, compacting, and baling biomass up to four inches in diameter and 25 feet in height.  This maneuverable machine has a rotating blade or hammer cutting system that has a low power requirement and produces naturally drying bales that can be transported using standard equipment.  The Biobaler is suitable for many woody crops including: willow, poplar, aspen, alder, under story vegetation, invasive woody vegetation.

Dates and locations:  (CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS)
September 17: Waseca – U of M SROC
September 18: Madelia – Rural Advantage
September 19: Faribault – The Nature Conservancy and MN DNR  
September 20: Afton – Belwin Conservancy
September 21: Ogilvie – Ann Lake WMA – MN DNR 
September 22: Hinckley – St. Croix State Park. – MN DNR
September 23: Aurora – Koste and MN DNR
September 24: Hibbing – MN DNR

A video of the FDL biobaler in action:

Click here for detailed schedule and contact info for the Minnesota demonstrations.

Sponsors of the FLD Biobaler WB55 Demonstration Tour include: Belwin Conservancy, The Blandin Foundation, CINRAM – University of Minnesota, Iron Range Resources, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Power, The Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, The Minnesota Sharptailed Grouse Society, The Nature Conservancy, Rural Advantage, Southern MN Initiative Foundation, University of Laval – Canada, University of Minnesota Extension, University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment, University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center – Waseca, The Wildlife Management Institute, and Woodcock Minnesota.

Light on the Land Small-scale Logging field day: Sept. 19, Brainerd

Small-scale Logging Field Day: September 19, 2009, Brainerd. Download complete event details (PDF)

Small-scale logging is a system and a range of equipment that increases logging flexibility and extends production seasons.  Small-scale logging is designed for harvesting operations where maneuverability is a primary concern.  It is not logging small trees and/or small volumes.

Why attend?
Whether you are a logger, forester, woodland owner, or other land manager, this field day will show you how to maximize profitability through the use of small-scale logging and harvesting equipment, using efficient and safe techniques.

From tree  to finished product is the main theme of this event, with a focus on the private landowner.

Equipment displays:

• Peterson swing blade sawmill
• Mulch-R’Down brush clearing
• ATV arches
• Farmi Winch
• Portable Winch(TM)
• Log-rite Tools

Informational Displays and Forest Products:

• Lumber drying
• Lathe turnings
• Custom log work
• Growing mushrooms
• Maple syrup
• Silent Auction
• Wood carving, crafts, furniture,
• misc. lumber, etc.

For more details, including schedule and registration information, check out the event brochure (PDF) or contact Gary Bradford at (218) 927-4599 or Patrick Lanin at (218) 764-3315.

This event is hosted by Northwoods Forestry Cooperative and the Brainerd Chapter of the Minnesota Forestry Association.

Sign up for Conservation Stewardship Program by Sept. 30

ST. PAUL, Minn. (9/9/2009) —Registration for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is taking place now until Sept. 30, 2009. The CSP is a voluntary program through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities; and improving, maintaining and managing existing conservation activities.

CSP is available on Tribal and private agricultural lands and non-industrial private forest land in all 50 States. This program has a continuous sign up, however the first-round deadline is Sept. 30.

The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) will provide financial and technical assistance to eligible producers to conserve and enhance soil, water, air and related natural resources on their land. Eligible lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forest lands, agricultural land under the jurisdiction of an Indian tribe, and other private agricultural land (including cropped woodland, marshes, and agricultural land used for the production of livestock) on which resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed.

CSP encourages land stewards to improve their conservation performance by installing and adopting additional activities, and improving, maintaining, and managing existing activities on agricultural land and non-industrial private forest land. CSP is available nationwide on a continuous application basis.

The entire operation must be enrolled and must include all eligible land that will be under the applicant’s control for the term of the proposed contract (CSP is a five-year contract program) that is operated substantially separate from other operations.

CSP offers participants two possible types of payments:

1. Annual payment for installing and adopting additional activities, and improving, maintaining and managing existing activities
2. Supplemental payment for the adoption of resource-conserving crop rotations

Estimated Range for Annual Payments
Cropland: $12 to $22 per acre
Non-industrial private forestland: $6 to $12 per acre
Pastureland: $7 to $14 per acre
Rangeland: $5 to $10 per acre

Estimated Range for Supplemental Payments
Resource-Conservation Crop Rotation: $12 to $16 per acre

Landowners should contact their County USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office for more information and pick up a copy of the “Producer Self-Screening Checklist.” More information is also found at the NRCS website.

Comments sought on state invasive species management plan

(Released by Minnesota DNR on September 3, 2009)

A draft Minnesota Statewide Invasive Species Management Plan (PDF) is now available for public review and comment until Sept. 22.

The plan was developed by the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council, co-chaired by the Minnesota’s departments of Natural Resources (DNR) and Agriculture.

It is designed to provide a framework for addressing both aquatic and terrestrial invasive species issues in Minnesota.

The plan includes strategies and actions to address the main issues related to invasive species: prevention of new introductions into the state; early detection and rapid response to new introductions; containment of populations; and management of established populations to reduce their harm.

This draft plan reflects several years of work by many organizations from the local, state and federal government levels and a number of nongovernmental organizations.

“It will be a good framework for addressing the invasive species issue,” said Jay Rendall, DNR invasive species prevention coordinator. “However, we want to have more input on strategies and actions that could be taken in the future.”

Comments from individuals and organizations will be used to refine and expand the actions identified in the draft plan. When completed, the plan will also provide opportunities for improved coordination and partnerships between federal, state and local governments, tribes, conservation organizations and others working to minimize the impacts caused by invasive species in the state.

The draft plan and information about submitting comments is available on the DNR Web site. Printed copies can be requested by calling 651-259-5100. Written comments can be submitted in writing to Invasive Species Program, Minnesota DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155, or by e-mail.

Northern Minnesota phenology report: September 2009

By John Latimer, KAXE radio, Grand Rapids

Garter snake: Flickr photo by jereandregan. Click for original.

In late September and early October garter snakes begin to search out places to hibernate. It isn’t a matter of choice. Their food supply is going to disappear and cool temperatures will force all cold-blooded critters to slow down. To avoid freezing to death the snake must locate a place below the frost line.

Abandoned anthills, up-turned stumps, rock crevices, and even foundations of buildings are among the suitable choices. It is challenging for snakes to find appropriate places to hibernate. In some areas they will congregate in large numbers to spend the winter together. In Manitoba the garter snakes all gather at a rock outcrop known as the Narcisse snake dens. Estimates range as high as 8000 garter snakes using this location. There simply is nowhere else to go. Here in northern Minnesota there are a few more options but it is still possible to have dozens of snakes heading to the same spot to spend the winter.

Garter snakes at the Narcisse snake dens, Manitoba. Flickr photo by James Sapara. Click for original.

Unlike bears or groundhogs, snakes do not sleep away the winter nor do they live off stored fat. They simply slow down. Their metabolism is reduced to the point where they may not even lose any weight during the winter. They usually avoid eating in the last few weeks before entering their hibernacula. Food taken late in the fall might remain undigested in the stomach and rot. They may be sluggish but they are alert and if necessary and possible, they will retreat further down to avoid frost.

Garter snakes are remarkably cold tolerant. They are among the last to seek out shelter from the cold. Often they can be seen basking on roads in the fall. This cold tolerance extends their range across the United States, with the exception of the arid southwest, and into sub-arctic Canada. They are the most northerly distributed serpents in North America.

Fall color Flickr photo by Bill.Roehl. Click for original.

As September trails off into October the deciduous forest puts on a show unrivaled in all of nature. Beginning with the black ash and continuing through to the various members of the willow family all will add their splash of color to the surrounding woods. Some are predictable and will be the same color year in and year out while others react to the conditions and surprise us with a new color each year. The sumacs shine red with a brilliance demanding your attention. The speckled alder seldom change at all and suddenly drop their still green leaves. Quaking aspen become a dependable yellow, while their cousins the big tooth aspens may follow along with yellow or they may show us a shade of orange not seen outside of the deer hunting season.

The real wonders come from the maples. Here we find the true measure of the fall. There are three factors that influence the leaf color, pigments that are present in the leaves, length of the nights, and weather.  The most significant of the three is the number of hours of darkness. Rainfall, food supply, and temperature are too unpredictable for the tree to rely on as triggers for shutting down. Only the increasing length of the night hours is unvarying enough to begin the process that results in fall colors.

Red maple Flickr photo by H Robertson Photography. Click for original.

These colors are the result of three pigments, chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. Chlorophyll is responsible for the green color seen all summer. It is the foundation for photosynthesis that produces the sugars the tree stores to make new leaves in the spring. Carotenoids supply the yellows, oranges, and browns in plants like bananas, corn, and carrots.

The anthocyanins provide the reds and blues for apples, bunchberries, raspberries, and blueberries. The first two chemicals can be found in the leaf throughout the summer, but the anthocyanins are produced in the fall as a result of bright sunlight and excess sugars. As night length increases chlorophyll production ceases and the underlying colors begin to show through.

If the weather is warm and sunny with cool but not freezing nights the leaves continue to produce sugars. Because the leaf is already in shutdown mode the avenues to move the sugar to the roots are constricting. The combination of lots of sugars in the leaf and bright sunlight combine to produce lots of anthocyanins. In these circumstances we will see sparkling reds, deep purples, and crimsons. In the absence of these favorable factors the carotenoids that are always present in the leaves will show through and the colors will tend to be more yellow orange and brown.

Wet warm falls tend to favor the yellow colors. A perfect year for brilliant colors would have a warm wet spring, followed by favorable summer weather and warm and sunny fall days with cool , but not freezing, nights.

In the end what causes the leaves to fall? All the while we are enjoying the fabulous fall colors a layer of corky cells is forming at the point where the leaf joins the stem. This is called the abscission layer. Basically the tree is forming a scab to prevent the loss of fluids at the junction of the leaf and the stem. Once the scab is complete the leaf is ready to fall. In some trees the leaf drops as soon as the layer of cells is complete, in others like the oaks and ironwoods the leaves may hang on all winter. In the case of the young ironwoods it seems as if the emergence of the new leaves in spring provides the impetus to drive the old leaves off. It is often April before these leaves fall.

John Latimer is well known throughout northern Minnesota for his phenology work. He appears weekly on KAXE radio in Grand Rapids, and audio and twitter archives are available here. His work is a frequent feature on MyMinnesotaWoods.  This article also appeared in the Duluth Senior Reporter.  It is printed with the author’s permission.