Stem vigour and growth of tolerant hardwoods

Key to ensure the growth response of tolerant hardwood stands to partial cut is to carefully select the unacceptable growing stock, and thus leave the most vigorous trees standing. However, it remains unclear how vigour evolves over time, and whether the stem defect criteria used in operational tree marking guidelines are good predictors of tree vigour. A PDF will take advantage of unique historic longitudinal datasets available at the HA and NS Hub sites with the objective to determine how various types of defects affect tree growth and stand dynamics over time. The PDF will first identify the factors (including species, defect types and climatic stress events, etc.) leading to a loss of vigour over time, and then devise partial cutting guidelines to maximise resilience and growth. Outcome: A set of trees marking guidelines to promote stand vigour in northern hardwoods.

Guillaume Moreau, PDF at University of Toronto
Main Partner: Haliburton Forest (Ontario)
Professor John Caspersen
Collaborator Alexis Achim