Stand InformationJavascript is required to view this map.State or Province: MinnesotaNearest city or town: Goodland, MNDescribe the location: West of Hart Lake, east of Grand Rapids MNLandowner: UPM-Blandin Cover-type: Mixed WoodsMN ECS Native Plant Community System: Fire DependentPlant community or habitat classification and growth stage: AbPiVForest Health Threats: N/AEstimated year of stand origin: 2007Silviculture System: Other Silviculture SystemBrief silvicultural objective: Regenerate spruce and aspen in mixed stand for future commercial harvestsSoils: Menahga-Itasca complex, 0-10 percent slopes and 10 to 25 percent slopesStand area: 30 acresTreatment area: 30 acres OverviewThis case describes treatments implemented at three different sites, labeled Hart Lake, Prairie River, and Shoal Lake. All sites are on industry-owned land dedicated to commercial timber production. The silvicultural objective is to regenerate aspen-spruce mixed woods for multiple commercial entries. [We have decided to publish all three as the same case. Treatments are identical, only locations differ. The Photographs section includes photos from all three sites. -ed.] Silviculture Objective(s)To regenerate conifer and aspen for multiple entries for commercial harvests. Pre-treatment stand description and conditionStand establishment and management history: Aspen clearcut, planted with white spruce, and aspen allowed to resprout. No herbicides used. Pre-treatment species composition: Aspen, white spruce, balsam firLandowner objectives/situation: Industrial land, for commercial timber production. Silviculture PrescriptionManually release 3’ radius around all conifer seedlings with brush saws. 1100 trees per acre is the goal upon completion What actually happened during the treatmentMigrant crews used brush cutters in summer of 2011 to remove all woody competition within 3 foot radius of each conifer on the site. A control area had been cordoned off and not cleared for comparison. Plots within control and treated sites were measured by Pike, Warren, Humenberger 2011 after treatments were completed. Plots were finished in 2015. Post-treatment assessmentConifer trees within the treated plots were more vigorous than those in the untreated plots. Overall survival of planted spruce trees was high across the site (>75%). The prescription appears to be favorable to health of the conifers. We observed pockets of balsam fir, and occasional white pine trees that seeded in naturally. Costs and economic considerationsHarvest was clearcut, pre-commercial treatment required approximately three days to complete on the 19-acre Shoal Lake site. Other notesWe established four 1/5 acre plots with rebar center posts in treated and adjacent control (untreated) areas to monitor the effects of the treatments over time. We collected baseline data for future study. Summary / lessons learned / additional thoughtsThe planted white spruce seedlings were vigorous; the overstory above them seemed to protect the seedlings from effects of early spring frost. The release was necessary and successful at invigorating the seedlings. Photographs KeywordsWhite sprucePicea albaindustrypre-commercialthinningreleasetrembling aspenPopulus tremuloidesmixedwoodsmixed woodsItasca CountyBlandin Biography Name: Quintin LeglerOrganization: UPM-Blandin Paper CompanyInitial sale set up by UPM-Blandin (Quintin Legler, Gene Grell (retired), Cheryl Adams). Study plots installed by FR Department at UM: C. Pike, E. Humenburger, J. Warren, J. HendricksonAddress: Grand Rapids , MN Phone Number: (218) 327-6304Email: quintin.legler@upm.com Add new comment