Forest Health Monitoring
description
Transcript of Forest Health Monitoring
Forest Health Forest Health MonitoringMonitoring
Presented ByAllison Kanoti
Notice
Much of the information from the following was gleaned from fact sheets produced by the forest service…More credits are due than are given on individual slides
USDA FOREST SERVICE
Several Branches–National Forest System–State and Private ForestryState and Private Forestry
•Forest Health Protection–Forest Health MonitoringForest Health Monitoring
–Research and DevelopmentResearch and Development•Forest Inventory and Analysis
FHP: Forest Health Monitoring
USDA Forest Service: State and Private Forestry: FHP: FHM
• Detection Monitoring• Evaluation Monitoring• Intensive Site Monitoring
Detection Monitoring
Components• Determine Baseline • Detect Change• Invasive Species
DetectionMethods• Remote Sensing• Aerial Survey• Ground Plots (FIA, Phase
3 Plots)
Evaluation Monitoring
Undesirable changes detected in Detection Monitoring:EM Investigates:
ExtentSeverityCauses
Project Proposals (often from FHP state Cooperators)Competition for funding in two categories (Base EM
and Fire EM)
e.g. State funding to investigate the impact of balsam woolly adelgid on balsam fir stands in New England
Intensive Site Monitoring
• detailed research – better understand complex ecosystem processes
• selected watershed study sites – represent major forest ecosystems
• E.G. Delaware River Basin Study – began in 1999 – Model for regional collaborative monitoring networks– Cooperative
• Forest Inventory and Analysis, • Forest Health Monitoring, • Global Change• U.S. Geological Survey (Water Resources Division).
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA)
Why is FIA important?
“Determining the ecological and biological significance of Determining the ecological and biological significance of our forest resources in an accurate and timely manner is our forest resources in an accurate and timely manner is one of the most important pursuits in modern forestryone of the most important pursuits in modern forestry. That is the mission of the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program. FIA is the most complete forest FIA is the most complete forest census in America, providing the only continuous national census in America, providing the only continuous national inventory that quantifies the status of forest ecosystems inventory that quantifies the status of forest ecosystems across all private and most public forestland.across all private and most public forestland.
Because of its fundamental importance in measuring sustainability, FIA is universally popular among professional FIA is universally popular among professional foresters, environmentalists, industry, private landowners, foresters, environmentalists, industry, private landowners, and virtually any other group that has an interest in forest and virtually any other group that has an interest in forest managementmanagement. . .” --Bob Goodlatte and James Garner, Journal of Forestry 12/99
Components of FIA
From: Forest inventory and Analysis Sampling and Plot DesignBill Burkman, 2005
Components of FIA
• 3 Components (Phases)– Phase 1: Remote Sensing
• Classify land into Forest and Non-Forest• Quantify fragmentation, urbanization and distance variables
– Phase 2: Forest Inventory Ground Plots• 1 plot per 6,000 acres• Forest (ecosystem variables) and non-forest (land use
changes)
– Phase 3: Forest Health Ground Plots• 1 per 16 Phase 2 plots (co-located with Phase 2 plots)• 1 plot per 96,000 acres• Forest health indicators (vegetation cover, crown, soil,
lichen diversity, down woody material, ozone damage)
Plot Design: Phase 2
• 4 subplots– 24 foot radius (~1/6 acre area)
• Condition Data– Site index– Stand: Age, Size, Forest Type,
Disturbance, Stocking– Land Use
–All trees >5” diameter–Species–History (what is condition now (live, natural mortality, removal) in comparison to past condition)–Diameter–Heights –Quality (cull, grading, merchantability)–Crown: position, condition, ratio
Plot Design: Phase 2
• 1 microplot/subplot (6.8’ radius)– All saplings 1”<DBH<5”
• Diameter, Height, Crown (position, ratio)
– Count of seedlings (tree species<1”)
• ME 3.7’ radius plot w/in microplot– Count of shrub species– Presence of dwarf shrubs and woody vines– Used by IF&W
Plot Design: Phase 3
In addition to Phase 2 Variables:
– Tree• Damages• Additional Crown
Variables
– Lichen Diversity– Vegetation Plot– Soil Sampling– Down Woody Debris
Summary of Forest Health in Maine:1996-1999
The following data are from:Forest Health Monitoring in Maine: 1996-1999. USDA Forest Service. NE-NF-145-02
Crown Estimates
• Uncompacted live crown ratio:– % of tree height supporting
live foliage• Crown light exposure:
– % of foliage receiving full sunlight
• Crown position: – Crown position in relation to
overstory level of stand• Crown densityCrown density: :
– amount of light blocked by amount of light blocked by branches, reproductive branches, reproductive structures, and foliage structures, and foliage
• Crown diebackCrown dieback: : – recent branch mortality recent branch mortality
• Foliage transparencyFoliage transparency: : – amount of skylight visible amount of skylight visible
through the live, normally through the live, normally foliated portion of the foliated portion of the crowncrown.
Mary Ann Fajvan, West Virginia University, www.forestryimages.org
Maine 1996-1999
Crown densityCrown density: : – amount of light blocked by branches, amount of light blocked by branches,
reproductive structures, and foliagereproductive structures, and foliage
• 91 percent of trees had high density ratings (>30%)
• 9 % low– 12% 241– 15% 129
Crown diebackCrown dieback: recent branch : recent branch mortalitymortality
• 81 % low, 3 % high (>20 %),16% moderate (6-20%)– 5 % of red maple high, 24% moderate
Some results from phase 3 plots: TransparencyMaine 1996-1999
Foliage transparencyFoliage transparency: amount of skylight visible : amount of skylight visible through the live, normally foliated portion of the through the live, normally foliated portion of the crown.crown.
99 percent of trees had normal transparency
Summary Crown Conditions: Maine 1996-1999
Damages
• Location– Roots and Stump– Bole
• Lower• Upper
– Crownstem– Branches– Buds and Shoots– Foliage
• Thresholds and Severity Ratings
• Types – Canker, gall– Advanced Decay– Open wounds– Resinosis, gummosis– Cracks and seams– Broken bole or roots– Broken or dead top– Broken or dead branches– Vines– Brooms on roots, bole, crown– Damaged buds, foliage or
shoots– Foliage discoloration– Other
Some results from phase 3 plots: Damage
81 percent of trees no damage15 percent one damage4 percent 2 or more damages
Red Spruce6 % damaged
21% seams/cracksNorthern White Cedar
33% damaged (>75% decay)Eastern White Pine
14 percent damaged44 percent dead or broken top29 percent dead or broken branch
Decay51%
Broken Top22%
Broken Branch
10%
Open Wound8%
Other9%
All Species Damage
Percentages
Summary: Maine 1996-1999
• Most trees are healthy:– Full crowns – Little dieback– Little damage
Credit Where Due
The following slide images are pirated from:
Steinman, J. 2004. Forest Health Monitoring in the Northeastern United States: Disturbances and Conditions during 1993-2002. USDA Forest Service. NA-TP-01-04
Health of All Trees Combined
• Growth rates low in N. Me, S. teir PA, Central MN (yellow thru red)
• Mortality a concern in many counties (yellow thru red)
• Why low growth/high mortality?
• Unhealthy Crowns: – >25%
dieback– >30%
transparency
– <35% density
• NY and NE crowns less healthy than the region in general
Health of Balsam Fir
• Low net growth reflects high mortality
Balsam Fir Damages
Health of American Beech
American Beech
Damages
Conclusion
Data collected by FIA and FHP are important resources for assessing
the state of the nation’s forests and the threats to forest health and
analyzing long term forest trends