General stand history
Increment core and cross-section analyses suggest the oldest trees germinated around 1778. Many of these older individuals display fire scars that demonstrate a pre-European settlement surface fire regime with a return interval of approximately every ten to fifteen years; large diameter, gnarled branches in their lower canopy also indicate a history of a relatively open, low-density canopy conditions throughout period of stand development. The last fire in the scar record occurred in 1894, shortly before the University of Minnesota took over ownership and management of the land in 1909. Historical records indicate three different merchantable harvests in 1927, 1940, and 1951 to, primarily, remove jack pine and promote red pine crop trees (See “Previous Harvests” below). No treatments occurred after 1951. As such, additional recruitment of red pine, balsam fir, spruce, and paper birch increased the overall stand density and connected the biomass between understory and canopy strata via ladder fuels.
Previous harvests:
Cloquet Forestry Center records indicate the following three merchantable harvest entries occurred within the stand boundaries.
- A 1927 harvest which removed selected mature timber, primarily jack pine with some red pine, from the eastern tract.
- A 1940 clear cut of mature jack pine (other species not harvested) on the southern half of the western tract south of nursery road and the entire eastern tract.
- A 1951 harvest with a prescription of “cut as marked” to favor potential red pine crop trees. Species removed included red pine, white pine, jack pine, and aspen.
Research
Several research projects have occurred within the stand boundary, only one of which influenced this prescription:
A 2015-present study titled, “Impact of future changes in winter conditions on the environment below the snowpack.” Principle investigators are Jonathan Pauli and Benjamin Zuckerberg (University of Wisconsin – Madison). A 30 foot no-cut-zone was maintained around this project area. The total area impacted was roughly 1/10th of an acre and serves as an example of pre-harvest stand conditions.
General stand history
Increment core and cross-section analysies suggest the oldest trees germinated around 1778. Many of these older individuals display fire scars that demonstrate a pre-European settlement surface fire regime with a return interval of approximately every ten to fifteen years; large diameter, gnarled branches in their lower canopy also indicate a history of a relatively open, low-density canopy conditions throughout period of stand development. The last fire in the scar record occurred in 1894, shortly before the University of Minnesota took over ownership and management of the land in 1909. Historical records indicate three different merchantable harvests in 1927, 1940, and 1951 to, primarily, remove jack pine and promote red pine crop trees (See “Previous Harvests” below). No treatments occurred after 1951. As such, additional recruitment of red pine, balsam fir, spruce, and paper birch increased the overall stand density and connected the biomass between understory and canopy strata via ladder fuels.
Previous harvests:
Cloquet Forestry Center records indicate the following three merchantable harvest entries occurred within the stand boundaries.
- A 1927 harvest which removed selected mature timber, primarily jack pine with some red pine, from the eastern tract.
- A 1940 clear cut of mature jack pine (other species not harvested) on the southern half of the western tract south of nursery road and the entire eastern tract.
- A 1951 harvest with a prescription of “cut as marked” to favor potential red pine crop trees. Species removed included red pine, white pine, jack pine, and aspen.
Research
Several research projects have occurred within the stand boundary, only one of which influenced this prescription:
A 2015-present study titled, “Impact of future changes in winter conditions on the environment below the snowpack.” Principle investigators are Jonathan Pauli and Benjamin Zuckerberg (University of Wisconsin – Madison). A 30 foot no-cut-zone was maintained around this project area. The total area impacted was roughly 1/10th of an acre and serves as an example of pre-harvest stand conditions.