(4) Fire and Thinning Promote Oak Regeneration on the Domain

     Oak regeneration and recruitment of oak seedlings into the sapling stage is a major goal for many land managers in the southeastern US. Over the past seven years and on three sites on the Domain, we have attempted to... [ view full abstract ]

     Oak regeneration and recruitment of oak seedlings into the sapling stage is a major goal for many land managers in the southeastern US. Over the past seven years and on three sites on the Domain, we have attempted to restore forest stands that were partially planted in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) in the 1960s back to oak dominated stands. The primary objectives of this work were to examine the effectiveness of thinning and fire in the restoration of the native hardwood component, particularly with regard to our primary oak species (Quercus alba, Quercus montana, Quercus velutina, Quercus coccinea), to integrate undergraduate students into the management process (inventory, tree marking, prescribed fire), to create long-term research sites for student projects,  and to create habitat diversity in a matrix of closed upland forest. After basal area reductions ranging from 21-60% and three fires, oak seedling densities greatly increased at two sites and remained the same at one site. Mean litter depths ranged from 0.4 to 1.2 cm, and we found no statistical difference for litter and O Horizon depth among the three sites. Browse of oak seedlings has been light (less than 10%); Vaccinium spp., Smilax spp., Sassafras albidum and Nyssa sylvatica were preferred species.