Life Sciences Commons^™

Mp765: Creating The Orono Bog Boardwalk: A Facility For Education, Research, And Recreation, Ronald B. Davis

Miscellaneous Publications

A memoir by Dr. Ronald Davis detailing the creation of the Orono Bog Boardwalk. The Orono Bog Boardwalk is a premier destination in the Bangor/Orono area for persons wishing to experience the beauty and fascinating plants and animals of a Maine bog. The 1-mile boardwalk loop trail begins at the forested wetland edge in the Bangor City Forest, and after 800 feet crosses the Orono town line into the portion of the Orono Bog owned by the University of Maine. Along the way the boardwalk passes through a wide range of changing vegetation and environments on its way to the …

Mr449: Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visitor Survey 2019, John J. Daigle, Ashley Cooper

Miscellaneous Reports

Quality in outdoor recreation can be defined as the degree to which recreation opportunities provide the experiences for which they are designed and managed. Key to protecting the backcountry experiences is an understanding of the different types of visitors to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, each one with different needs and expectations, and the different levels of importance they place on recreation opportunities and conditions. In this report, visitor management implications and suggested further research focus on the diversity of use of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in order to maximize the quality of the visitor experiences while protecting the unique natural …

Mp764: Field Manual For Managing Eastern White Pine Health In New England, William H. Livingston, Isabel Munck, Kyle Lombard, Jennifer Weimer, Aaron Bergdahl, Laura S. Kenefic, Barbara Schultz, Robert S. Seymour

Miscellaneous Publications

This manual provides basic information for identifying and evaluating important health problems of eastern white pine in New England. The health problems include:

• White pine weevil

• White pine blister rust

• Caliciopsis canker

• White pine bast scale

• White pine needle damage

• Red rot or Red-ring rot

In addition to providing descriptions of symptoms, signs, and risk factors, recommendations for white pine silviculture are described for managing stands for low densities and crop trees.

Mp762: Harvesting Equipment Cycle Time And Productivity Guide For Logging Operations In Maine, Patrick Hiesl, Jeffrey G. Benjamin

Miscellaneous Publications

This guide provides cycle time and productivity information for harvesting equipment commonly used in Maine’s logging industry for partial harvests. Data were collected in terms of time consumption per work task. With these data, cycle time equations were developed. Productivity functions were developed using tree volumes. It is important to remember that productivity may vary from stand to stand due to differences in tree volume at the site level. Cycle time functions are independent of tree volume and will give fairly accurate predictions of time consumption per machine.

Mp761: Considerations And Recommendations For Retaining Woody Biomass On Timber Harvest Sites In Maine, Jeffrey G. Benjamin

Miscellaneous Publications

This report and associated guidelines focus on the amount and type of woody biomass that should be retained in the forest after a harvest operation to protect soil productivity, water quality, and site-level biodiversity. Woody biomass, defined from a forest operations perspective, is comprised of logging residues, previously unmerchantable stems, and other such woody material harvested directly from the forest typically for the purposes of energy production. In the broadest sense woody biomass is the total mass of roots, stem, branches, bark and leaves of all tree and shrub species (live and dead) in the forest. Under the broad definition …

Mp754: A Literature Review Of The Effects Of Intensive Forestry On Forest Structure And Plant Community Composition At The Stand And Landscape Levels, Erika L. Rowland, Alan S. White, William H. Livingston

Miscellaneous Publications

The effects of intensive forest management on forest structure and plant community composition are not well documented, particularly with respect to the forests in the Northeast. This review presents a six-part synthesis of the literature. The first section considers the effects of intensive forestry practices within the context of naturally regenerated stands. The second section reviews the changes associated with the planting of conifers in softwood sites, as well as those previously occupied by hardwood and mixed-wood stands. The third examines the impacts of intensive management specifically on bryophytes and lichens. The fourth section discusses changes in dead organic matter …

Mp753: The Role Of Interfering Plants In Regenerating Hardwood Stands Of Northeastern North America, Amy L. Bashant, Ralph D. Nyland, Heather M. Engelman, Kimberly K. Bohn, Jane M. Verostek, Pablo J. Donoso, Roger L. Nissen Jr.

Miscellaneous Publications

An annotated bibliography for American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum L.), hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium Marsh.), hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula L.), New York fern (Thelypteris noveborecensis L.), bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn), raspberries (Rubus spp.), and pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica L.f.). While accessible literature includes many references to these species, the information remains scattered. No one has previously consolidated the separate reports for easy reference, nor summarized the findings relative to interference with tree regeneration. This annotated bibliography serves that purpose.

Diameter-Limit Cutting And Silviculture In Northeastern Forests: A Primer For Landowners, Practitioners And Policymakers, Laura S. Kenefic, Ralph D. Nyland

Faculty and Staff Monograph Publications

No abstract provided.

Tb186: Assessing Silviculture Research Priorities For Maine Using Wood Supply Analysis, Robert G. Wagner, Ernest H. Bowling, Robert S. Seymour

Technical Bulletins

To identify the highest priorities for silviculture research in Maine, the authors of this report quantified the absolute and relative influence of future silvicultural investments (tree planting, herbicide application, and PCT) and commercial thinning on projected harvest levels and future wood supplies in Maine. They also quantified the absolute and relative importance of the growth and yield assumptions (via sensitivity analysis) used in estimating the influence of these silvicultural treatments on projected harvest levels and future wood supplies in Maine; and based on the absolute and relative importance of the growth and yield assumptions and on the influence of differing …

Mr412: Wood Properties Of Red Pine, Takele Deresse, Robert K. Shepard

Miscellaneous Reports

This report describes important physical and mechanical properties of red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) and the factors that influence the variation in these properties. Some results from a recently completed study on red pine in Maine are presented to help illustrate and explain some of the more important concepts and relationships. In addition to studies specific to red pine, important findings on other conifers are presented for comparison with red pine and to provide a more comprehensive review of conifer wood properties. The studies on the other coniferous species help to highlight the sources of wood property variation. With …

Mp736: Maine's Forest Area, 1600-1995: Review Of Available Estimates, Lloyd C. Irland

Miscellaneous Publications

In any brief period, the acreage of forest in Maine changes extremely slowly. Yet over the time since settlement, its forest area has changed a great deal indeed. A summary of estimates of the state’s forest area in the past may be of interest to naturalists and historians. This publication provides a brief summary of such estimates for years between 1600 and 1995, with cautions as to their limitations.

Mr400: Assessing Compliance With Bmps On Harvested Sites In Maine: Final Report, Russel D. Briggs, Alan J. Kimball, Janet Cormier

Miscellaneous Reports

The research was designed to help answer three questions: (1) What are the documented types of impacts on water quality from forestry activities in Maine? (2) Do timber harvesters use the best management practices recommended by the state to control water pollution? (3) Are these practices effective when they are used?

Mp716: New Forestry In Eastern Spruce-Fir Forests: Principles And Applications To Maine, Robert S. Seymour, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr.

Miscellaneous Publications

Eastern North America's spruce-fir forests have a unique ecological and human history which is reflected in their current vegetation, ownership patterns, and forest management practices. Furthermore, there are important differences within the region between the true boreal forest and the sub-boreal Acadian forest; this paper emphasizes the Acadian forest. Applying New Forestry to this region will require a modified approach which we outline by describing three basic principles. First, to provide the landscape context for New Forestry, we propose a triad of forest land allocation in which reserves and plantations would co-exist, surrounded by and embedded within a landscape managed …

Tb141: Nitrogen Fertilization Effects On Growth And Value Of Eastern White Pine Sawlog Stands On Till And Outwash Soils, Robert K. Shepard, Gregory A. Reams

Technical Bulletins

Diameter growth response functions were developed using data collected from nitrogen fertilization study plots in eastern white pine stands on till and outwash soils. These functions were combined with height measurements and used to evaluate stand volume and value growth. White pine diameter growth functions were developed for application rates of 0, 50, 100, and 200 lb of nitrogen/ac, but only those for the 0 and 100 lb/ac treatments were compared because it was evident that the 100 lb/ac treatment would provide a larger financial return than either 50 or 200 lb/ac. The mean increase in sawtimber volume due to …

B837: New Approaches To Chemical Control Of White Pine Weevil Damage, John B. Dimond, Richard L. Bradbury

Bulletins

There has been little recent research on control of damage by the white pine weevil, and available insecticides have been few and have become obsolete. Tests in Canada suggested that the insect growth-regulating chemical diflubenzeron was effective, and we have successfully repeated those tests in Maine using several formulations of Dimilin and several ground application systems. Aerial trials have not succeeded; the probable reasons for their failure are discussed. We present a general description of the weevil and its damage, approaches to control of damage, and specific recommendations for use of ground applications of Dimilin, which has recently become registered …

B819: The Spruce Budworm Outbreak In Maine In The 1970'S–Assessment And Directions For The Future, Lloyd C. Irland, John B. Dimond, Judy L. Stone, Jonathan Falk, Ellen Baum

Bulletins

This report was initiated by the Maine Forest Service (MFS) in response to concerns that a serious effort was needed to capture the experiences and lessons learned during the 1970-85 spruce budworm outbreak in Maine. The report synthesizes the observations and experiences of land managers, as well as the principal results of recent scientific research on spruce budworm in Maine. This report briefly reviews budworm population dynamics and interactions with the forest, then describes the budworm's impacts in detail. It then reviews the three principal responses: survey and detection; spraying; and silviculture and salvage. It then offers an overview of …

B818: Preliminary Protocols For Sampling And Analysis Of Ash And Sludge Amended Forest Soils, Ivan J. Fernandez

Bulletins

Over the past decade there has emerged a clear recognition that the escalating production of waste materials by society poses a serious problem, and that significant amounts of many waste materials must be recycled or disposed of by more ecologically integrated means. In Maine, we are fortunate to enjoy the benefits of a rural state rich in natural resources. It is these resources that provide the basis for many of our industries, well demonstrated by our forest resources so vital to the forest products industry and to Maine's economy.

In recent years forests have also been looked to as a …

Tb125: Fertilization Of Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus L.) In Maine Shows Economic Potential, Robert K. Shepard, Thomas B. Brann

Technical Bulletins

Plots in seven eastern white pine sawlog stands were treated with nitrogen at rates of 0, 56, 112, and 224 kg/ha. After four years the largest increase in basal area growth, 0.31 dm2 /tree, and volume growth, 13.0 m3 /ha, occurred in plots that received 112 kg/ha. It appears that an application rate of 112 kg/ha may provide a real return of 15% or more in some stands.

B815: A Comparison Of Small Single- And Double-Drum Cable Systems For Prebunching Partial Cuts, Frederick M. Hathaway, Benjamin F. Hoffman

Bulletins

This study evaluated two single-drum and two double-drum winching systems for prebunching small-diameter, tree-length stems from partial cuts. Three farm tractors with Farmi winches and one sled-mounted winch were used. One single-drum system was run by professional woods workers and the others were operated by forestry students. Three different types of chokers were used and a skid cone was used with two systems.

The professional crew used a self-release block at the back of the trailside pile to avoid piling delays while the other systems used a spar tree. All systems were evaluated by time studies. The professional crew was …

B813: Harvesting Small Trees For Biomass, Benjamin F. Hoffman Jr.

Bulletins

This study evaluated precommercial, full-tree thinning of saplings and small poletimber (1-8 inches dbh) using chainsaws and modified farm tractors for skidders. To facilitate cutting large numbers of small trees (1-5 inches), the chainsaw was fitted with a felling frame. The cutter felled and manually bunched up to 145 trees/ 2.7 tons per productive man- hour. Average production, assuming 73% efficiency, was 90 trees/1.8 tons per scheduled hour at a cost of $6.22/ton. Skidding was done by a two-wheel drive grapple skidder and a four-wheel drive farm tractor with double-drum winch. The grapple skidder produced 3.8 tons per scheduled hour …

B802: Base-Age Invariant Polymorphic Site Index Curves For Even-Aged Spruce-Fir Stands In Maine, Bret P. Vicary, Thomas B. Brann, Raph H. Griffin

Bulletins

The spruce-fir forest cover type, occupying nearly 8 million acres in Maine, accounts for approximately 50 percent of the growing stock volume in the State. A similar portion of Maine's commercial forest land is owned and managed by forest industry, with spruce and fir being the mainstay of the industry.

Analyses in recent years of Maine's timber supply have shown softwood removals to exceed growth. The dramatic effects of the spruce budworm (Choristoneura.fumiferana (Clemens)) on the spruce-fir forest of Maine has heightened concern over the timber supply. A greater emphasis on management is necessary if timber growth is to keep …

B800: Manual Thinning Of Northeastern Species Using Conventional Cutting Methods, Benjamin F. Hoffman Jr.

Bulletins

Harvesting small trees- 4-8 inches in diameter at breast height -has not been common in North America, but as average tree size declines, loggers must cut smaller stems. Many softwood stands in the Northeast contain 2000-4000 stems per acre with mean stand diameters of six inches or less (see Fig. 1). If diameter averages ten inches, there may be 6-7 trees per cord, but if it declines to six inches, loggers may handle four times as many trees for the same volume. Handling this increased number of pieces per unit requires changes in operating techniques.

Manual felling and limbing may …

B758: A Biomass Study Of The Thinning Potential And Productivity Of Immature Forest Stands In Maine, Harold E. Young, John H. Ribe, Donald C. Hoppe

Bulletins

The purpose of this study is to establish the degree of reliability that can be placed in biomass as a means of assessing thinning potential and site productivity of immature forest stands in Maine. The above ground biomass on 205 plots representing a variety of age classes in immature hardwood and softwood stands on meso, wet, and dry sites was cut and weighed including the standing dead trees on softwood sites. In addition, 45 point sample biomass plots were located and measured in mature all aged stands. Graphical analysis was used to relate stand characteristics to age by site and …

B751: The Effects Of Mechanized Harvesting On Soil Conditions In The Spruce-Fir Region Of North-Central Maine, Gregory T. Holman, Fred B. Knight, Roland A. Struchtemeyer

Bulletins

The impact of the new harvesting methods on soil with respect to soil disturbance is largely unknown. One objective of this study was to determine the extent of soil compaction and disturbance to the organic cover of the soil resulting from the use of mechanical harvesters and rubber-tired skidders during logging operations in north-central Maine.

B740: Effect Of Soil And Urea Fertilization On Foliar Nutrients And Basal Area Growth Of Red Spruce, L.O. Safford, H.E. Young, T.W. Knight

Bulletins

In this experiment we studied the effect of nitrogen fertilizer and soil on the nutrient content of foliage and average basal area growth of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) trees in stands that were approaching economic maturity. These trees were on three common soil series of eastern and central Maine. We conducted foliage analyses for 5 years after fertilization, and measured the basal area growth for 9 years after treatment.

Tb65: The Commercial Use Of Puckerbrush Pulp, Andrew J. Chase, Fay Hyland, Harold E. Young

Technical Bulletins

This study investigates the potential of several local puckerbrush or weed trees and shrubs as sources of fiber for papermaking. Four different pulping processes were used (sulfate, magnesium bisulfite, neutral sulfite semichemical, and cold caustic) with six puckerbrush species (alder, gray birch, red maple, pin cherry, aspen, and willow). Mixtures of puckerbrush species, and commercial chip-puckerbrush species mixtures were pulped by the sulfate process with the objective of producing a pulp that would be suitable for fine-grade papers. The results produced a good grade of bleachable pulp with adequate physical characteristics for most fine paper grades. The other three pulping …

Tb63: Variation In Foliar Nutrient Concentrations In Red Spruce, C. E. Schomaker

Technical Bulletins

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) is an important pulpwood species in northern New England and Canada. Management objectives favor this species and the closely related black spruce (Picea mariana Mill. BSP) on many sites. Foliar nutrient concentrations of unfertilized, economically mature, red spruce trees growing on four different sites and over two- and three-year periods are presented here and compared to foliar concentrations reported by other scientists.

B682: A Recreational Study Of The Upper St. John River Watershed, Jeffrey L. Hengsbach

Bulletins

The purpose of this study was to prepare a series of alternative plans for three time periods (1968, 1975, and 2000) for the Upper St. John River watershed. The plans contain proposals for a primitive type of recreational development based on private investment. One set of plans is an integration of recreational use with the existing timber use, and another set provides for recreational use of the area surrounding the reservoir in the event the proposed Dickey Dam is constructed.

B658: Susceptibility And Vulnerability Of Forests To The Pine Leaf Aphid Pineus Pinilolile (Fitch) (Adelgidae), John B. Dimond, Robert H. Bishop

Bulletins

In the late 1950s, early 1960s, Maine and surrounding regions experienced an outbreak of the pine leaf aphid (or adelgid). The population progression began about 1955, as indicated by tree growth reductions (2), a peak was reached about 1961, after which populations gradually regressed through the late 1960s. As a result of the outbreak, there was considerable growth reduction of white pine in some regions and scattered tree mortality. Among the many observations on the insect made during the outbreak were (a) the aphid was abundant in only certain portions of Maine and remained uncommon in the remainder of the …

Tb25: The Effect Of Stand Factors On The Productivity Of Wheeled Skidders In Eastern Maine, Ernest B. Harvey Iii, Thomas J. Corcoran

Technical Bulletins

The objective of this study was to determine what forest stand factors, as they constitute a set of operating conditions, affect skidder and skidder crew productivity and the degree of their effect.