FALL 2001WOR KI NG TOG ETH ER FOR HEALTHY FOR ESTS

California Forest Stewardship Program

ForestlandS t e w a r d

California Dept. of Forestry & Fire ProtectionForest Stewardship ProgramP.O. Box 944246Sacramento, CA 94244-2460

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Presort StandardU.S. Postage

PAIDStockton, CA

Permit No. 168

(continued on page 8)

Lawrence E. Bonnerand Norman H. Pillsbury

Coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia )woodland is an underutilized,rapidly diminishing resource

containing many values beyond itsaesthetic tranquility and wildlife habi-tat. While the potential of wood forsupplying energy has resulted inincreased harvesting pressure onCalifornia’s woodlands, coast live oakhas largely been ignored.

To try to gain an understanding ofthe suitability of coast live oak wood-lands to provide a continuous source ofwood fiber for energy and wood pro-ducts given proper management, agrowth and yield study was begun in1984 by Dr. Norman Pillsbury,California Polytechnic State University.

In addition, the study looked at theresponse of the woodland ecosystem toselective thinning management. Thisstudy has also allowed for the analysisof natural disturbances, such as fire, onthis resource and may help answersome of the many questions surround-ing Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora

ramorum), a disease currently plaguingthe coastal woodlands in California.

Coast live oak woodlands andsocietyCalifornia’s coast live oak woodlandsusually grow in dense, even-aged standsthat cover approximately 700,000 acresfrom San Diego to Mendocino County.Stands typically average 60–80 years ofage.

Urban sprawl and a desire foreconomic returns from propertiescontaining coast live oak have resultedin unregulated conversion of thisresource. Although most landowners

greatly value their oak woodlands foraesthetic beauty, many are forced tofind a way to make those acres generateprofit. Due to the ever-increasing needfor housing, these holdings are oftenconverted into suburban home devel-opments. Woodlands are also beingconverted into open land for plantinggrapes or converted to increase grazingacreage.

Currently, little is known about siteproductivity, tree growth, and thepotential effects and response of har-vesting or other management practices

Coast live oak woodland study offersmanagement tips for landowners

The "hands-on" part of research:Measuring tree heights anddiameters within the research plots.

2 Fall 2001

Forestland Steward

Forestland Steward is a publicationof the California ForestStewardship Program

P.O. Box 944246Sacramento, CA 94244-2460

(916) 653-8286Fax (916) 653-8957

http://ceres.ca.gov/foreststeward

GovernorGray Davis

Secretary of ResourcesThe Resources Agency

Mary D. Nichols

DirectorCalif Dept of Forestry & Fire Protection

Andrea E. Tuttle

EditorLaurie Litman, InfoWright

Editorial CommitteeHeather Morrison

Richard HarrisJeff Calvert

This newsletter was produced under agrant from the USDA Forest Service.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S.Department of Agriculture policy,this institution is prohibited from

discriminating on the basis of race,color, national origin, sex, age or

disability. (Not all prohibited basesapply to all programs.)

Fores t l andS t e w a r d

Funding update

Chris Rowney

S tate law requires that all revenuederived from the sale of forestproducts from the State Forests be

deposited in the Forest ResourcesImprovement Fund (FRIF) (PRC 4799).State law also identifies the purposes forwhich FRIF may be expended. Thesespecific purposes are:1. The California Forest Improvement

Program (CFIP) for assisting non-industrial landowners in improvingtheir timberlands

2. Urban forestry programs3. Wood energy programs (e.g. biomass)4. State Forest System operating costs5. Forest pest research and management

(e.g. pine pitch canker, sudden oakdeath)

6. State nurseries programs for restock-ing burned areas and timberlandimprovement

7. Costs associated with administeringthe Forest Practice ActOver the years, the Legislature has

also directed FRIF funds to other pur-poses such as the North Coast WatershedAssessment Program (NCWAP), a multi-agency effort for assisting landowners incumulative impact assessment. This pro-gram is coordinated by the CDF Fireand Resource Assessment Program(FRAP).

Since its acquisition by the state in1946, Jackson Demonstration StateForest ( JDSF) has shown significantincreases in growth rate and standingtimber inventory. As a result of CDF’sconservative management practices,harvest volumes on the 50,000 acreparcel have been maintained at a levellower than growth in order to growbigger, older trees, restore healthyriparian zones, provide recreation, andenhance timber inventory. The harvestleveled out in 1986 when the JDSF man-agement plan called for a 5-year averageannual harvest of approximately 29million board feet (MMBF), compared

Cost-share funding on holdto the annual growth of between 55–60MMBF.

In the past two decades, thestumpage value of timber (i.e. the valueof standing timber as sold) has alsogenerally increased. But stumpage valuevaries with the timber market, which isrelated to the housing market and globaltimber supplies. This means that the netrevenue from timber sales to FRIF canand does fluctuate from year to year.

Earlier this year, a lawsuit was filedalleging that operations on JDSF werenot in compliance with a 1986 Board ofForestry and Fire Protection policywhich required that management plansbe “maintained current.” The Board hassince revised the policy to require thatmanagement plans be reviewed everyfive years, and to permit timber harvest-ing during the period of updating themanagement plan, since harvest planscomply with (and in fact generallyexceed) the Forest Practice Rules that arecurrent at the time.

In response to the lawsuit, the Super-ior Court issued an injunction whichstopped timber sales at JDSF until thenew management plan is approved. As aresult, revenue has stopped flowing intothe FRIF for at least Fiscal Year 01/02.

Because of the injunction, many im-portant functions of FRIF-funded pro-grams must be severely curtailed. Theseinclude CFIP grants, which are one ofthe most successful programs for restor-ing California’s understocked, non-industrial forestlands.

Meanwhile, CDF continues work onupdating the JDSF Management Plan(see http://www.fire.ca.gov). CDF’s publicparticipation schedule anticipates that thenew JDSF management plan will beready for approval by the middle of nextyear. Assuming no further legal challeng-es, CDF hopes to resume sustainableharvesting and demonstration projectsthat will help stabilize FRIF fundedprograms for FY 02/03.

Editor’s Note: Due to a backlog of previouslyapproved projects, there are no funds availablefor new projects for the following programsthis year: Forest Stewardship Program (FSP),California Forest Improvement Program(CFIP), and the Stewardship IncentiveProgram (SIP). For more information on thestatus and availability of cost-share programsfor forestland owners, call Heather Morrisonat the California Forest StewardshipHelpline, 1-800-PET-TREE.

Fall 2001 3

Forestland Steward

Seasonal Stewardship

Time to order seeds, make plans for planting

The state nurseries are a greatresource for forestland owners.Not only do they supply native

seedlings for planting, but also offerextensive technical advice on selection,handling, planting, and maintenance ofseedlings. Both centers maintain lists ofprivate nurseries within the state.

The two state nurseries are theLewis A. Moran Reforestation Centerin Davis (Yolo County) and the MagaliaReforestation Center in Magalia (ButteCounty). Both nurseries produce nativespecies for purchase by landowners forspecific purposes including reforesta-tion, erosion control and watershedprotection, windbreaks, Christmastrees, fuel wood, and approved researchprojects. Seedlings cannot be purchasedfor landscaping or resale.

The state nurseries distribute about2 million trees annually. The majority,approximately 89%, are planted forforestry on private lands. Forest plant-ing and Christmas tree productionutilizes approximately 92% of the total.The remaining 8 percent is divided asfollows: public lands, 2.5%; private landfor erosion control and watershedprotection, 4%; private land for farmwindbreaks, 1%; and other uses such asreforestation studies and research, 0.5%.

The L.A. Moran ReforestationCenter produces over 300,000 seedlingseach year and maintains over 20,000pounds of seed in its Seed Bank, a refri-geration unit that maintains seed at zerodegrees. Seeds are preserved for threemajor reasons: for routine production,genetic conservation, and for reforesta-tion after fire. There are more than 80adaptive tree seed zones throughoutCalifornia and the goal of the Center isto have a 10 year supply of seed in thebank for each adaptive zone.

Seeds are sown in containers at theMoran Center throughout the year. Theseedlings are available for shippingfrom mid-October through the end ofMay.

The Magalia Reforestation Center isCDF’s bareroot nursery and producesan average 2.5 million seedlingsannually. Seeds are sown in the groundon the nursery’s 15 acres. The liftingseason begins in December andcontinues through March. Seedlingorders should be placed by November1 and are shipped between December15 and June 1.

Note: It is important to plant trees fromthe correct tree zone. Those landown-ers with specific needs, especially aftera fire, may want to consider a contractor advance reservation to ensure a

supply of seedlings from the right seedsource. Call the nursery to find outminimum requirements and otherinformation.

Magalia Reforestation Center6640 Steiffer RoadMagalia, Ca 95954(530) 873-0400

Lewis A. Moran Reforestation CenterPO Box 1590Davis, Ca 95617(530) 753-2441

Information on each nursery, orderforms, contract information, and “Tipsfor Planting Seedlings” are alsoavailable on the web at http://www.fire.ca.gov/ResourceManagment/StateNurseries.asp.

In addition to growing seedlings, the Lewis A. Moran Reforestation Centerseed operation processes from 2,000 to 11,000 bushels of cones, acorns, andhardwood seed each year. Staff arranges for cone collections statewide, takingthose cones and processing them to retrieve their seed, x-raying and furtherprocessing to retain only the seed that has the best chance to germinate, andstoring the seed in the huge Seed Bank. Small batches of seed in the bank areregularly tested to ensure they will still germinate (see next page for more).

4 Fall 2001

Forestland Steward

It’s cone season at the nursery

This year the Lewis A. MoranReforestation Center is buriedin cones…about 9–10,000 of

them in all. Bumper crops like this areunusual; this is the second largest cropseen in 20 years.

While most people know that thestate nursery produces seedlings, thebehind-the-scenes work is much moreinteresting and involved.

The nursery's challenge is to have a10 year supply of seeds for each of the80 California seed zones. That meansstaff have to keep track of how muchseed is needed for each zone, thencommission climbers to gather cones atthe right time. If a cone is picked tooearly, the seed won’t perform; if pickedtoo late, the cone will open and seedswill fall out and be lost.

The seeds are gathered and placedin special bags pioneered by the Center.These bags, made of the same openmesh material used in baseball caps,allows air to flow through freely. Thebags are turned each day until thecones open. Then the fun begins…

The nursery has numerous interest-ing and mysterious machines whosesole purpose is to separate the seedsfrom the cones and other debris. Thereare kilns, separators, tumblers, even adewinger “to get de wings off” pineseeds.

Seeds are further processed forquality. Batches are x-rayed to seewhich seeds appear viable. Air separa-tors separate the good from bad seedby weight—a tricky operation that varies

from batch to batch and throughout theday as the moisture changes. It maytake 6–7 tries to get a good separation.

The final seed is stored in the SeedBank, a cold storage unit set at 0ºF and5–9% moisture content. Basically, theseeds are put into hibernation.

Small samples of each batch arethen tested periodically to see how wellthey germinate. These seeds are takenout of storage, dormancy is broken bychilling and other means, then they gothrough a “spring” in the germinator tosee if they are still viable.

Careful recordkeeping is vital forthis operation’s success. Information onexactly where the seed comes from,quality characteristics, and germinationrecords ensure that landowners get thehigh-quality seedlings they require.

(left) Staff at the Moran Nursery work long andhard during cone season. Ed Medina’s comment:“It makes you feel good about what you do.”

(Above) Cones areeverywhere.(Left) Racks of cones inspecial bags are turnedeach day until theyopen.

(Below) A variety of machines are needed toretrieve the seed. (Left) Separator; (Right)Dewinger; (Bottom) Chris Gieber putssugar pine cones into the tumbler.

—L.L.

Fall 2001 5

Forestland Steward

Road work

W interizing consists ofmaintenance and erosioncontrol work needed to

drain the road surface, to ensure freeflowing ditches and drains, and to openall culverts to their maximum capacity.

� Before winter, all permanent,seasonal, and temporary roads shouldbe inspected and prepared for thecoming rains.

� On unsurfaced roads, waterbars maybe required at spacings dictated by theroad gradient and the erodibility of thesoil.

� Trash barriers, culvert inlet basinsand pipe inlets should all be cleaned offloatable debris and sedimentaccumulations.

Get ready to winterize your roads� Ditches that are partially or entirelyplugged with soil and debris should becleaned and heavy concentrations ofvegetation which impede ditch flowshould be trimmed.

� Excavate all unstable or potentiallyunstable fills and sidecast which couldfail and be delivered to a watercourseduring the coming winter.

� Once seasonal and temporary roadshave been winterized, they should begated and closed to non-essential traffic.

—from Handbook for Forest and RanchRoads by William Weaver and DannyHagans. Available from the MendocinoCounty Resource Conservation District, 405Orchard Ave, Ukiah, Ca 95482.(707) 468-9223. $20.

Culverts need to be inspected beforeand during winter storms. Fixproblems before failure occurs.

Use Your Appliances WiselyUse Your Appliances WiselyUse Your Appliances WiselyUse Your Appliances WiselyUse Your Appliances Wisely

� Turn off appliances, lights and equipment when not in use.

� To help prevent electricity outages, do not run large appliances between 5 a.m.–9 a.m. and 4 p.m.–7 p.m.

� Do your laundry efficiently by using the warm or cold water setting for washing; always use cold water to rinse.

� Conserve energy by running your dishwasher only when it is fully loaded, and turn off the dry cycle to allow

dishes to air dry instead.

Inexpensive Energy SolutionsInexpensive Energy SolutionsInexpensive Energy SolutionsInexpensive Energy SolutionsInexpensive Energy Solutions

� Choose Energy Star ® products. Purchase compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use a quarter of the energy and last five to ten times longer

than conventional light bulbs.

� Reduce your hot water temperature. Set your water heater to the “normal” setting or 120 degrees unless the owner’s manual for your dish-

washer requires a higher setting.

� Replace furnace filters once a month. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy use. Keep your furnace clean, lubricated and properly

adjusted.

� Install low-flow showerheads. You’ll be surprised how much this simple device can cut your hot water costs.

� Wrap your hot water tank with jacket insulation. If your water heater is gas, be sure to leave the air intake vent uncovered.

Eliminate Wasted EnergyEliminate Wasted EnergyEliminate Wasted EnergyEliminate Wasted EnergyEliminate Wasted Energy

� Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.

� Unplug electronic devices and chargers when they’re not in use.

� Close the damper on your fireplace when you’re not using it.

� Unplug that spare refrigerator in the garage if you don’t really need it.

Check out www.flexyourpower.ca.gov for more information and ways to save money!

6

Forestland Steward

Fall 2001

Invasives

John LeBlanc

Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius),French broom (Genistamonspessulana), Spanish broom

(Spartium junceum), and Portuguese orstriated broom (Cytisus striatus) wereintroduced to California in the mid1800s for landscape planting, mine tail-ings stabilization, and roadside erosioncontrol.

Traits once considered useful anddesirable are the same attributes thatdefine brooms as aggressive and invasivenoxious weeds: tolerance for most soilconditions, ability to fix nitrogen andgrow for most of the year, and copiousproduction of long-lived seeds. Theseotherwise attractive attributes for erosioncontrol make the plants difficult tomanage elsewhere.

Brooms grow rapidly and form densestands that are inaccessible and unpalata-ble to wildlife. The dense stems makeregeneration of most other species diffi-cult or impossible and create a danger-ous fire hazard.

ToxicityBrooms contain alkaloids and hydroxy-tyramine and should not be ingested inany form. While various parts of theplant are said to be cathartic, diuretic,and emetic, large doses can cause vomit-ing, purging, and low blood pressure.Advanced stages of toxicity can causecomplete respiratory collapse and speedup the heartbeat. Large doses have beenreported to cause fatal poisoning.

EcologyScotch broom is native to the British Islesand central and southern Europe. Todayit is estimated to infest more than600,000 acres in California.

French and Spanish broom are nativeto the Mediterranean region and CanaryIslands. French broom is the most wide-spread of the three species, reported in at

least 23 counties in California. Spanishbroom is less widely distributed, butappears to be expanding its range.

Distribution of all species of broom inthe south and central valley is limited bydry conditions. At higher elevations, allare limited by cold winter temperatures.

Soils and Root SystemBrooms can successfully invade pastures,fields, and grasslands. All grow best indry sandy soils in full sunlight; they alsogrow well in a variety of soil textures anda wide pH range.

A common feature of the brooms isan aggressive root system characterizedby a taproot that can exceed 2 feet inlength and an extensive, many branched,shallow lateral root system. As with mostlegume species, brooms can fix nitrogenfrom the atmosphere which allows themto grow on otherwise poor quality soils.

GrowthStem growth can be rapid (3–4 feet) inthe first year. Initial rapid growth duringthe first 4 or 5 years is followed by 6 to 8years of relatively slow growth followedby a period of senescence where there ismore dead woody than green tissue. Asplants grow, the inner stems die backproviding a highly flammable fuel.

Green broom stems are photosyn-thetic. On mature Scotch, Portuguese,and Spanish broom, the stems areresponsible for almost all of the plant’sphotosynthetic capacity. French broomalso has photosynthetic stems, but thepersistent leaves also contribute signifi-cant photosynthetic ability.

Reproduction and SproutingBrooms are often found along roadsidesin nearly pure stands where soils arefrequently disturbed. Equipment andcontaminated road surfacing materialscan spread seeds. While brooms do notestablish well in highly shaded areas,

they initially invade open sites such aslogging roads, landings, skid trails, andharvest areas.

A mature Scotch broom plant canproduce about 15,000 seeds per year. Onaverage less than 5% of the seeds are lostto insect predation, and 98% of survivingseeds are viable.

Scotch broom, like other pioneerspecies, uses a variety of tactics to spread.About 40% of the seeds in any year willgerminate immediately after dispersal.Another 25% germinate the second year.The majority of the remaining seed havean impervious seed coat that requiresscarification to germinate. Movementalong waterways, transportation in graveland road surface materials, or exposureto low intensity grass or brush fires canstimulate germination of these seeds.

Seeds will germinate for many yearseven after the parent plants are removed.Seeds stored in glass jars at Kew Gardensin England remained viable after 81years. In the field, seeds were found togerminate at least 4 years after removal.

In the Sierra Nevada, few animals eatScotch broom seeds. In coastal condi-tions, quail and grouse can be relativelyeffective seed predators, digestingenough of the seed to effectively killthem.

Getting a handle on broom (part II)

Scotch broom, like most members of thelegume (or pea) family, can fix nitrogenfrom the atmosphere. This allows it togrow on nitrogen-deficient soils.

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Fall 2001 7

Forestland Steward

Scotch broom also sprouts readily.Plants cut during the growing season cangrow back to their original size in 1 to 2years.

Control StrategiesIntegrated pest management (IPM) is anecosystem-based strategy that focuses onlong-term prevention of pests through acombination of techniques. Pesticides areused only after monitoring indicates theyare needed according to establishedguidelines, and treatments are made withthe goal of removing only the targetorganism. Pest control chemicals areselected and applied in a manner thatminimizes risks to human health, bene-ficial and non-target organisms, and theenvironment.

Through IPM practices, we can de-velop a strategy for controlling brooms.

Heavy shade is an effective long-termtreatment. Broom is moderately shadeintolerant, needing nearly full sunlight tothrive. It will grow in partial shade, butthe plants grow slower. French broomappears to be more tolerant of shadethan Scotch or Spanish broom. Competi-tion from grasses and other vegetationmay control broom seedlings so removalof broom should be followed by propa-gation of preferred plants.

Though about a dozen potential in-sect biological control agents have beenidentified and are under investigation, noreleases have yet been approved.

Mechanical ControlHand pulling of young plants is aneffective strategy when the infestation isrelatively small. Hand pulling is easiestwhen the soil is moist and is most effec-tive before the plants produce seed, inthe first two years following germination.Large plants can be mechanicallyremoved using specialized tools such as aWeed Wrench™. When attached to thebase of the plant the handle acts as alever to remove the plant and its rootsystem. Hoeing very young plants canalso be effective. Both of these tech-niques cause some soil disturbance thatcan lead to reinvasion.

Soil disturbance should be avoided asmuch as possible. Seeds will only gemin-ate in the top 2.4 inches of the soil butdisturbance can bring these long-livedseeds close enough to the surface togerminate.

Only about 10% of Scotch broomstems will resprout when lopped near thebase during the driest period, whichgenerally extends from the end of Julyuntil the first rains in October. Loppingat other times can lead to vigoroussprouting. For most effective results, lopwithin 3 inches of the soil surface.

Mowing is also more effective whenScotch broom is under drought stress.Since drought stress and high fire dangeroccur together, care should be taken toavoid causing sparks with the equipment.Mowing close to the ground results inthe least amount of sprouting.

Deer, rabbits, and other herbivoresdo not readily graze brooms, possiblydue to the bitter taste of the stems andthe availability of more palatable forage.However, in other parts of the worldgoats control Scotch broom throughgrazing.

Fire for ControlUsing fire for Scotch and French broomcontrol has had varied results. Someresearchers suggest frequent prescribedfires to encourage regeneration and todeplete the seed bank over time. Coolerfires can encourage seed germination,followed by prescribed fires that kill theyoung seedlings before they generateseeds. Soil temperatures between 130°F–300°F in moist conditions stimulatedseed germination. Hot fires that gener-ated soil temperatures over 300°F killedScotch broom seed. Getting soil temper-atures this high and deep enough toeffectively deplete the seed bank isdifficult to achieve safely.

Chemical ControlMany herbicides are effective on broom.The concentration, timing, and methodof application determine which herbicideand method of application is mostappropriate. Since herbicide formula-

Warning:use chemicals cautiously

� Pesticides are poisonous. Always read

and carefully follow all precautions and

safety recommendations given on the

container label.

� Store all chemicals in the original

labeled containers in a locked cabinet

or shed, away from food or feeds, out of

the reach of children, unauthorized

persons, pets, and livestock.

� Confine chemicals to the property being

treated. Avoid drift onto neighboring

properties, especially gardens

containing fruits and/or vegetables

ready to be picked.

� Dispose of empty containers carefully.

Follow label instructions for disposal.

Never reuse containers. Make sure

empty containers are not accessible to

children or animals.

� Never dispose of containers where they

may contaminate water supplies or

natural waterways. Do not pour down

sink or toilet. Consult your county

agricultural commissioner for correct

ways of disposing of excess pesticides.

Never burn pesticide containers.

tions and recommendations are subjectto change, check with your AgriculturalCommissioner or Pest Control Advisorfor current recommendations.

Of the common herbicides availableto landowners, glyphosate at a solutionof 1.5–2% of the concentrated product ismixed in water. Spray the plant until it isthoroughly wet. Apply this mixture justas the flowers are blooming for mosteffective control.

Painting the cambium region of cutstumps with glyphosate or triclopyr at50% of concentrated material can also beeffective. Stump treatments are mosteffective when applied within a fewminutes of cutting.

A new publication on brooms, written byJohn LeBlanc, will soon be available fromUC Cooperative Extension.

Oaks (cont.)

8 Fall 2001

Forestland Steward

on oak woodlands. By gaining under-standing of these ecosystem attributesas well as changes in understory vegeta-tion, regeneration, and erosion,landowners can have managementoptions and make factual decisionsaffecting coast live oak woodlands.

The long-term thinning studyThe ten sites selected for this study

were distributed throughout CentralCalifornia: four sites in MontereyCounty, five in San Luis ObispoCounty, and one in Santa ClaraCounty. Three plots were established ateach site consisting of one control andtwo experimental plots. The two exper-imental plots were thinned after aninitial inventory was taken. One plotper site was selectively thinned heavily(leaving 50 square feet per acre) andone was selectively thinned lightly(leaving 100 square feet per acre). Thethinning was done in 1984.

Approximately every five years theplots are revisited and remeasured.With each new set of data, analysis ofgrowth, yield and changes in theecosystem are conducted. The resultsand their interpretation can be usefulfor landowners making managementdecisions or implementing a manage-ment plan in their oak woodlands.

What this means to youThe “Coast Live Oak Thinning

Study in the Central Coast of California—Twelve Year Results” is the thirdreport published on this long-termstudy and extends our knowledge aboutthe effects of thinning in coast live oakstands to a 12-year period. Analysis wasconducted on the number of stems peracre, basal area per acre, total volume,wood volume, sawlog volume, treemovement by diameter class, econ-omics, predicting incomes and ratesfrom sustained thinning, economicconsiderations based on forage, wildlifeand aesthetics, changes in the foragelayer in the thinned plots, and analysisof regeneration.

The discussion of many of thesetopics may be useful to landowners.The most useful information for amajority of landowners, however, is theconclusions of the study.

Two major forest fires occurredduring the 12 years of the study. Ourdata shows that the denser, unthinned(control) plots sustained greater damagefrom fire than the thinned (treatment)plots. If landowners actively managetheir oak woodlands, losses fromcatastrophic wildfire can be kept to aminimum. Thinning in oak woodlandscan generate profit in the short termwhile protecting the resource (and thusinvestment) against losses from crownfires.

Stands whose growth has declineddue to crown closure and high densities

respond well to thinning. The benefitsof thinning were apparent in the 1989analysis and further proven in the 1997analysis. Both basal area and total vol-ume growth percentages were signifi-cantly greater in the thinned plots thanthe control plots. Average per acregrowth rates for the 12-year intervalranged between 20 and 31 percent fortreatment plots but only 1 percent forcontrol plots. In general, total volumegrowth was approximately twice asgreat in the treated plots compared tothe control plots.

The fact that growth rates andbiomass/fuelwood yields increasedsignificantly after thinning means thatlandowners can expect a direct incomethat represents the minimum economicbenefit of managing oak woodlands.

Economic benefit as a result ofthinning can also be realized throughimproved forage production fordomestic livestock, improved habitatfor game and non-game wildlife, andthrough enhanced landscape aestheticsgiving rise to increased homesite pro-perty values. Greater forage productionfollowing thinning means that landown-ers can graze additional head per acre.

Thinning in oak woodlandsincreases the amount of “edge” across alandscape. This can lead to increasedwildlife production that can bemanaged by landowners for economicgain through the selling of permits tohunt on their land. Thinning oaks

(continued next page)

Stay tuned for moreConcern about the continuing lossof oak woodland is addressed in thisstudy that looks at sustainable,economically-feasible managementas a desirable alternative to land useconversion. In future issues, we willcontinue the discussion of manage-ment techniques to improve foresthealth and productivity and explorethe benefits of the oak forests.

Collecting samplesfor grass and forbsanalysis.

Oaks (continued from page 1)

Fall 2001 9

Forestland Steward

around existing homesites, to enhancevisual corridors, can increase the over-all fair market value for the property byopening up views of the surroundinglandscape.

ConclusionThe increased growth rates of the

remaining trees in a stand coupled withmanaged forest regeneration can resultin the realization of economic gainsfrom oak woodlands in perpetuity.

Simple models designed from thisstudy preliminarily suggest that acutting cycle of every 15 years may beoptimal to ensure an even flow of dol-lars per acre for oak woodland owners.Managing coppice regeneration to pre-vent browsing by wildlife and domesticlivestock can accelerate the growth ofthe future crop of trees. Within 15 yearsthe growth rate of the trees remaining

from the previous thinning slows, anindication that another selectivethinning is needed. By using the singletree selection silviculture method ofthinning, a baseline of volume is alwayspresent within a stand. This ensuresthat the ecological values associatedwith oak woodlands will remain intact.

Pursuing additional economic gainby increasing the amount of head thatcan be grazed or through the imple-mentation of hunting programs makesthinning in oak woodlands an optionworth serious consideration for land-owners desiring to realize a profit fromtheir oak woodlands.

Future AnalysisData was collected during the summerof 2001 for the fourth analysis of thislong-term study. The researchers hopeto have the results from this latestround of analysis by the end of the

summer of 2002. This new informationis expected to increase our awareness ofthe growth and yield potential of standsof coast live oak and further answer thequestions of the economic viability ofprofitably managing this resource with-out jeopardizing its ecological values.

It is our intent to raise landowners’awareness of oak woodland’s potentialthrough additional articles publishedhere and in other natural resourcepublications. For more informationregarding this study, please feel free tocontact the researchers directly.

Lawrence Bonner is the owner ofElwood’s Ecosystem Management and can bereached at 805-549-3801 orelwoo02@attglobal.net. Dr. NormanPillsbury is a Professor of Forestry, NaturalResources Management Department, CalPoly State University and can be reached at805-756-2271 or npillsbu@calpoly.edu.

Project Learning Tree (PLT), theaward-winning environmentaleducation program, helps

students gain awareness and knowledgeof their environment, their place withinit, as well as their responsibility for it.

Now Project Learning Tree is offeringworkshops to help teachers teach aboutfire ecology and fire management. Thecurriculum centers around Burning Issues,an interactive CD-ROM developed as ajoint project of the Bureau of LandManagement (BLM) and Florida StateUniversity.

Most of California is adapted to burnand many ecosystems actually requireperiodic fires to thrive. But fire ecologyis not an easy topic—the issues arecomplex and there are many competinginterests and concerns.

Burning Issues was developed tointroduce young people to fire ecology

and its many related issues. The game isfun and challenging, taking advantage ofstudents’ natural fascination with fire toteach about the important role of fire innatural ecosystems and about firemanagement practices used to maintainsafe and sustainable environments.

Many extremely complex issues arecovered, including the role of fire inecosystems, prescribed burns, relation-ships between fire and invasive weeds,wildlife considerations, and wildland firemanagement. Students learn that there isno one right answer to these issues butthat background knowledge, criticalthinking, and problem solving arerequired in all situations.

The Burning Issues adventure beginswith a trip to the National InteragencyFire Center where students choose oneof four EcoVentures in various parts ofthe country. Each EcoVenture covers a

different aspect of fire ecology and givesstudents an understanding of a distinctecosystem.

The CD-ROM contains a multimediamix of video, slides, interactive activities,student field notebook, and otherfeatures that create an exciting (andeducational) game that culminates in anactual fire simulation used for trainingfire managers.

Project Learning Tree has a grant totrain teachers to use the Burning Issuescurriculum in their classes. Severalworkshops will be presented throughoutCalifornia over the next months. Partici-pants will receive a copy of the BurningIssues CD-ROM and a variety of ProjectLearning Tree and other educationalmaterials for various grade levels.

For more information or a workshopschedule, contact Kay Antunez at CDF,(916) 653-7958 or kantunez@fire.ca.gov.

Burning Issues CD-ROM teaches fire ecology

For Teachers

Oaks (continued from previous page)

California Department of Forestry &Fire ProtectionForest Landowner Assistance Programs

Jeffrey Calvert(916) 653-8286jeffrey_calvert@fire.ca.gov

Forestry Assistance SpecialistsJill Butler (Santa Rosa)(707) 576-2935

Rich Eliot (Fortuna)(707) 946-1960

Tess Albin-Smith (Fort Bragg)(707) 961-1531

Adam Wyman (Red Bluff)(530) 529-8548

Chris Anthony (Camino)(530) 644-2345 x292

vacant (Fresno)(559) 243-4108

Glenn Barley (Riverside)(909) 320-6120

California Resources Agency:California Environmental ResourcesEvaluation System (CERES)

Deanne DiPietro(916) 653-8614deanne@ceres.ca.gov

California Association of RCDsThomas Wehri(916) 447-7237carcd@ns.net

Natural Resources Conservation ServiceJerry Reioux(530) 792-5655jerry.reioux@ca.usda.gov

Farm Service AgencyLarry Plumb(530) 792-5520

California Dept of Fish & GameMarty Berbach(916) 327-8839mberbach@dfg.ca.gov

U.C. Cooperative Extension ForestryRichard Harris(510) 642-2360rrharris@nature.berkeley.edu

Gary Nakamura(530) 224-4902gmnakamura@ucdavis.edu

USDA Forest ServiceSandra Stone(707) 562-8918 sstone01@fs.fed.us

Many agencies are available to provide technical assistance, referrals, information,

education, land management plan assistance, and advice.

California Stewardship Helpline 1-800-738-TREE; ncsaf@mcn.org

Technical Assistance Resources

Forestland Steward

10 Fall 2001

Resources

The L.A. Moran Reforestation Centerprovides a list of tree and shrubdescriptions of some of the speciescommonly grown there as containerizedseedlings. Call for specifics as inventoryvaries from year to year.

Canary Island Pine—windbreaks, erosioncontrol

Coast Redwood—windbreaks, reforestation

Coulter Pine—erosion control, reforestation

Eldarica Pine—erosion control, windbreaks

Incense Cedar—erosion control,windbreaks, reforestation

Italian Stone Pine—erosion control,windbreaks, screening

Knobcone Pine—erosion control,reforestation

Ponderosa pine—erosion control,reforestation

Sierra Redwood/Giant Sequoia—reforestation

Arizona Cypress—erosion control,windbreaks

Beefwood—erosion control, windbreaks

Big Leaf Maple—wildlife, wood, shade

Blue Elderberry—erosion control, wildlife,screening, flowers, berries

Buckbrush—erosion control, wildlife,firesafe plantings, flowers

California Bay—erosion control, wood,screening

Coffeeberry—erosion control, wildlife,firesafe plantings, berries

Deerbrush—erosion control, wildlife,firesafe plantings, flowers

Hollyleaf Cherry—erosion control,windbreaks, wildlife, firesafe plantings, fruit

Laurel Sumac—erosion control, wildlife,screening, firesafe plantings, flowers, berries

Lemmon’s Ceanothus—erosion control,wildlife, firesafe plantings

Madrone—erosion control, wildlife,screening, flowers, berries

Mountain Mahogany—erosion control,wildlife, screening, firesafe plantings

Redbud—erosion control, wildlife, firesafeplantings, flowers

Toyon—erosion control, wildlife, screening,firesafe plantings

Ironbark Eucalyptus—erosion control,windbreaks

Manna Gum Eucalyptus—erosion control,windbreaks

Red Gum Eucalyptus—erosion control,windbreaks

Black Oak—erosion control, wildlife

Blue Oak—erosion control, wildlife

Canyon Live Oak—erosion control,wildlife

Engelmann Oak/Mesa Oak—erosioncontrol, wildlife

Interior Live Oak—erosion control, wildlife

Valley Oak—erosion control, wildlife

Species commonly grown at the L.A. Moran Center

Forestland Steward

November 6–8, 2001Board of ForestrySacramentoCalifornia Dept. of Forestry916-653-8007; fax 916-653-0989

November 10, 2001Wetland Restoration and StewardshipSan Leandro, CAThe Aquatic Outreach Institute510-231-5778; $25-$35 (Limit 25)

November 13–14, 2001PNW Integrated VegetationManagement Conference, "Forestsand Rights-of-Way: War on Weeds"Portland, ORWestern Forestry and Conservation AssnRichard Zabel 503-226-4562,richard@westernforestry.org$125 before11/1/01; $150 afterhttp://www.westernforestry.org/ivmc/pnwintvegmgmtconf.htm#a_topics

November 13, 2001The Horace Albright Lecture inConservation: Conserving theNation's Forest and Wildlands:Meeting Environmental andInstitutional ChallengesLecturer: Michael Dombeck, Ph.D.,Former Chief, USDA Forest ServiceUC Berkeley510-642-0095, www.cnr.berkeley.edu/forestry/lecture.html

November 14–16, 2001California Forest Pest Council's 50thAnnual MeetingRedding, CAScott Johnson 916-991-9808,johnsonsa@jtfco.comhttp://www.caforestpestcouncil.org/

November 14–15, 2001Salmon and Steelhead in Your Creek:Restoration and Management ofAnadromous Fish in Bay AreaWatershedsOakland, CACenter for Ecosystem Mgmt. &Restoration; CEMAR, 510-420-1570,symposium@cemar.orghttp://www.cemar.org/symposium/symposium.html

ONLINE CALENDAR!Find a more comprehensivecalendar, updated monthly,

at the California ForestStewardship website:

http://ceres.ca.gov/foreststeward

For more information on these calendar items,call the number given or the ForestStewardship Helpline, 1-800-738-TREE. Tosubmit an event or to receive this calendar byemail, contact Sherry Cooper, 530-224-4902;shcooper@ucdavis.edu.

Fall 2001 11

Calendar November 15, 2001Environmental Regulatory UpdateSacramento, CAUC Davis Extension800-752-0881, fax 530-757-8558$155 Section 012HSD581www.universityextension.ucdavis.edu

November 15–18, 2001California Resource ConservationDistrict's Annual MeetingVentura, CACARCD916-447-7237, staff@carcd.orghttp://www.carcd.org/actnow/whatsnew.htm

November 17, 2001Twelfth Annual Fall ConferenceCreeks, Wetlands, and WatershedsFremont, CAAquatic Outreach Institute510-231-5778Conference involves a number of events,each with limited attendance. Call formore information.

November 17–18, 2001The State of the Sacramento RiverConferenceRed Bluff Community CenterSacramento River Preservation Trust530-345-1865; $5-$40www.sacrivertrust.org

November 28–30, 2001Fish Passage WorkshopSan Luis Obispo, CAFor the Sake of the Salmon, CDFG, FishNet4C, Cal Trout, & NMFSinfo@4sos.org; $75http://www.4sos.org/wssupport/info/CA-Brochure.doc

November 29–30, 2001Selling Forest ProductsCorvallis, OROregon State UniversityConference Assistant 541-737-2329,conference@cof.orst.eduhttp://webdata.for.orst.edu/cof/extended/conferen/conflist.idc?z=z

December 2–4, 2001The Western Forestry Conference:Dollars & Common Sense in ForestryEugene, ORThe Western Forestry & ConservationAssociationKai 888-722-9416 or 503-226-4562kai@westernforestry.org

Professionals, academics, general interest$175 by 11/19 or $200 after 11/19www.westernforestry.org

December 3–5, 2001Fish Passage WorkshopVentura, CAFor the Sake of the Salmon, CDFG, FishNet4C, Cal Trout, & NMFS info@4sos.org; $75http://www.4sos.org/wssupport/info/CA-Brochure.doc

December 12–13, 2001Native Plant Propagation andRestoration StrategiesEugene, ORThe Nursery Technology Cooperative atOSU and Western Forestry andConservation Assn.Richard Zabel 503-226-4562,richard@westernforestry.org$195 before 12/5 or $225 after

January 16–19, 2002CA Forestry Association 2002 AnnualMeeting: "Modern Gladiators in theArena of Public Opinion"San Francisco, CACalifornia Forestry Association916-444-6592

January 22–24, 200223rd Annual Forest VegetationManagement Conference:Recommending SuccessRedding, CAForest Vegetation ManagementKeith Greenwood 530-873-0530,kgreenwood@spi-ind.com; Reg.: SherryCooper 530-224-4902, fax 530-224-4904,shcooper@ucdavis.edu

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Send to CDF, Forestry Assistance, P.O. Box 944246, Sacramento, CA 94244-2460.Phone: (916) 653-8286; Fax: (916) 653-8957; email: jeffrey_calvert@fire.ca.gov

12 Fall 2001

Species Spotlight

King of the pines/Queen of the Sierras

Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) is amuch-beloved pine species.Called “the most princely of the

genus” by its discoverer, David Douglas(of Douglas-fir fame), sugar pine hasalso received royal accolades as “kingof the pines” and “queen of theSierras.”

What makes sugar pine so special?Its beauty and attributes are unsur-passed. It is the tallest and largest of thepines, reaching heights of 200 feet andmore than 60 inches dbh. Old treescan exceed 500 years. Its woodexcels in quality and value. Andthe cones are unmistakable,often over two feet long.

The name comes from itssweet sap, which John Muirpreferred over maple syrup.Native Americans ate the sapand used the tree for a largenumber of purposes: seeds and barkfor food, small roots for baskets, pitchfor glue and gum to repair canoes andfasten arrowheads and feathers toshafts, and the leaves and bark for

medicinal teas.As a historical side note, Sutter’s

Mill, where the California gold rushbegan, was built to process sugar pine.

Sugar pine can be identified by theirlong needles, clustered five to a fascicle.They have long, horizontal branchesthat are often drooping at the ends fromthe weight of the large cones. Becausethe cones hang on the ends of thebranches, large seed-eating birds areunable to eat the seeds. However,

predation by the sugar pine conebeetle (Conophthorus lambertianae)

can make up for that, sometimescausing up to 93 percent loss ofseeds. Other seed predatorssuch as the white-headedwoodpecker, Douglas squirrel,and other birds and smallmammals eat sugar pine seeds

but they also contribute to thespecies by dispersing seeds away fromthe parent tree.

The natural range of sugar pineextends from Mexico to Oregon andeast to Nevada with over 80 percent

of the trees found inCalifornia. Elevation rangesfrom near sea level to over10,000 feet.

Sugar pine is rarelyfound in pure stands but is acomponent of many otherplant communities. Thedensest populations are foundon the western slopes of the Sierras.

While young sugar pines aresusceptible to fire, mature trees cansurvive most fires and theirsusceptibility to secondary attack byinsects and disease following fire israted low. The trees are ozone tolerantbut not very drought tolerant. This lowdrought tolerance is one reason thatsugar pine planting has not been assuccessful as some other pines.

Sugar pine populations have beendeclining due to an introducedpathogen, the white pine blister rust(Cronartium ribicola). This diseasecauses cankers that girdle the mainstem, killing seedlings and young trees.Luckily, some trees have a naturalgenetic resistance to the rust. Otherdiseases include dwarf mistletoe(Arceuthobium californicum) which canweaken the trees to attack by barkbeetles, however, it spreads slowly andcan be controlled by pruning. Themountain pine beetle (Dendroctonusponderosae) is the most important insectpest, often killing large groups of trees.A number of other bark- and cone-feeding insects can also cause mortaldamage, especially when the trees arestressed by drought or other conditions.

While sugar pine is considered a softwood, it is a very hard pine. The woodis extremely desirable, offering large,clear pieces with high dimensionalstability. It is lightweight, easily milledand worked, and has a straight, uniformgrain unique among pines. It is used foritems like moldings, door frames, andspecial products like piano keys andorgan pipes.

—L.L.