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SRS-4159
Ecology and Management of Southern PinesSouthern Research StationUS Forest Service
Dr. Jim Guldin, PL
Locations:• Monticello AR• Nacogdoches TX• Hot Springs AR• Pineville LA• Huntsville, AR
6 Experimental Forests• Crossett EF• Alum Creek EF• Stephen F. Austin EF• Koen EF (SRS-4157)• Sylamore EF (SRS-4157)• Palustris EF (SRS-4158)
Our mission Develop and share information about ecology and management of vegetation, wildlife, and soils in southern pine ecosystems of the southeastern United States.
Our emphasisMixed loblolly-shortleaf pine and pine-hardwood forests of the West Gulf Coastal Plain, and the shortleaf pine and pine-hardwood forests of the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains.
Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research
Management of southern pines using even-aged and uneven-aged silvicultural systems centered at Crossett (Jim Guldin, Don Bragg)
Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research We are the Station’s premier
program for science delivery in ecology and management of southern pines
Crossett Field Day, 2005
Southern Pine ModuleUSFS National Advanced Silviculture Program
Crossett AR & Pineville LA, 2012
Pine ecology, silviculture and soils researchShortleaf pine restoration and management on the Ouachita NF (Guldin, Rudolph, Perry)
Pine ecology, silviculture and soils research Work has been instrumental in
redefining silviculture—habitat restoration with sustainable timber byproducts
Pine ecology, silviculture and soils researchEcology and management of Cross-timbers old-growth stands
Cross Timbers RNA, LBJ Natl. Grasslands
Ft. Chaffee, AR
Shortleaf Canyon, OK
Pine ecology, silviculture and soils researchNational Long-term Site Productivity Studies in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (Andy Scott)
LTSP initiated in 1989 as collaborative effort between FS R&D, NFS, expanded to private lands in 1993
TX LTSP installed in 1997 near Groveton, TX; Affiliate installed on industry land near Fred, TX in 1996.
Remeasurement, summer 2012Texas LTSP sites
Biomass harvesting can decrease site productivity but also can be easily managed
Pine ecology, silviculture and soils researchCooperative work:• 25-year shortleaf pine G&Y study with OK State
(Lynch, Guldin)• Climate Change Hazard rating index in western part
of Region 8 with OK State (Hennessey, Wilson, Will, Guldin)
• Oak Decline and Red Oak Borer with University of Arkansas (Stephen, Guldin)
• Shortleaf pine genetic introgression with OK State (Tauer, Nelson-SRS, Guldin)
Wildlife research
Centered at Nacogdoches TX and Hot Springs, AR
Problem:To discover, develop, and synthesize knowledge about the effects of forest management, insect pests, and climate change on wildlife and wildlife habitat in southern pine-dominated ecosystems
Wildlife researchEcology and management of RCWs (NFs in AR, OK, and TX--Rudolph, Saenz, Perry)
Natural cavity
Artificial cavity
0
10
20
30
40
50
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
Year
Nu
mb
er
Active Territories
Nesting Attempts
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
Year
Nu
mb
er
Number of Fledglings
Number of Adults
Recovery of the RCW on the
Ouachita—a case study of habitat restoration and
nest boxes
The silvicultural details kept the timber program alive from 1990-
present
Wildlife researchEcology of forest bats and their use of forested habitat (Perry)
Fieldwork—over moccasin-filled creeks at night
Big brown bat roosting in pine snag
Tough work with huge implications as WNS spreads
Wildlife researchBreeding phenology and habitat of anurans, under changing climate and tallow (Saenz)
Autumn tallow leaves in aquatic systems…..
Dreadful effects of decomposing tallow leaves on anurans
…decimate native amphibian and reptile species
And climate change makes it worse
Wildlife researchBiology, management and reintroduction of Louisiana pine snake in LA and Texas (Rudolph, Saenz)
A cooperative effort with SRS and a half dozen other agencies and NGOs
Neonate LA pine snake
Key sites across the region
Wildlife researchLepidopteran response to prescribed fire (Rudolph)
Two key species of conservation concern respond quite favorably to prescribed fire
Neonate LA pine snake
Diana fritillary
Great spangled fritillary
Wildlife researchKey cooperators with NFGT on R8 Bird Surveys
SUMMARY
Big opportunities to build on the Crossett experience in Texas—adaptive silviculture under changing climate
Might need a new Experimental Forest in Oklahoma
-tip of the sword for climate change effects-Take advantage of natural USFS stands and dispossessed Weyerhaeuser stands (including some dormant research studies)
SUMMARY
Opportunities to expand and quantify Cross Timbers research in restoration and management
LTSP studies offer tremendous potential to quantify ecological effect of intensive management
SUMMARY
On private land—work on a solution to the Family Forest conundrum
Help landowners with management, especially Rx burning and WUI
Where do local markets stand?
SUMMARY
Wildlife research is critical
Deals with game-stopper issues• Points to alternatives that don’t stop the game • On public land-find rare habitat and make a lot
of it• Monitor treatments but in a statistically
rigorous manner
SUMMARY
Wildlife research is critical
Deals with game-stopper issues• Points to alternatives that don’t stop the game • On public land-find rare habitat and make a lot
of it
Wildlife work is extraordinarily prominent and well-respected internationally
DISCUSSION
Followup:Jim Guldin, PL, [email protected] cell 870-723-1623