Savoy Upland Hardwood Rehabilitation Study

Objectives

    This study will evaluate the use of several silvicultural techniques to rehabilitate an upland hardwood stand at Savoy, Arkansas. The treatments used will include 1) no treatment (control), 2) repeated spring burns at 3 year intervals, 3) a single spring burn, 4) hack and squirt all non-oak stems >4" in dbh, 5) hack and squirt all non oak stems >4” followed by a single spring burn, and 6) hack and squirt all non oak stems >4” followed by multiple spring burns every 3 years. Four replicates will be used in this 2 x 3 factorial design.

Site and Soils

    The site is located on the University of Arkansas Savoy Research and Extension Complex lands in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. In 1997 a portion of these lands was harvested using a diameter limit cutting method which removed all stems (except black walnut) greater than 12" in dbh. Trees which were harvested at this time were located on easily accessible ridge tops. Trees near streams were not harvested due to equipment limitations associated with steep terrain. The resulting stand currently consists of scattered, low quality trees (including, but not limited to post oak, black oak, and southern red oak), brush, vines, and some quality black walnut trees. No further treatment was applied to the site after harvesting.
    The terrain of the area is hilly with frequent steep slopes. The harvest area surrounds an intermittent creek which flows into the Illinois River. The soils of the site are a combination of Clarksville cherty silt loam with 12 to 60 percent slopes and Nixa cherty silt loam with 3 to 8 percent slopes. Low in natural fertility and organic matter, the Clarksville soils are excessively drained soils and typically located on hill sides, while the Nixa soils occur along ridge tops in the area. A droughty soil, Nixa soils have low natural fertility and a fragipan which restricts root penetration at about 14-24" deep. These soils have moderate to severe erosion hazards and equipment limitations. Important wood crops on these soils include shortleaf pine, eastern red cedar, black walnut, and red oak. Site indices for red oak, shortleaf pine, and black walnut located on hillsides are 60-65, while the ridge tops are less productive with site indices for shortleaf pine 50-55 and eastern red cedar 30-35.

Methods
        Plots--Twenty-four 2-acre plots have been established in the harvested areas near roads (for ease of access) at the study site. Due to plot size and access constraints, not all plots could be located on similar slopes or aspects. Plot dimensions measure approximately 210' by 420' and are situated in such a way that a 35 ft buffer surrounds all plots.
        Inside the study plots, two large (1/5 acre) permanent measurement plots will be placed (figure 1). In these plots the following items will be measured for all trees greater than 4.0" in dbh: dbh, total height, merchantable height, grade and species will be taken.
        Inside each of the large measurement plots, three smaller non-permanent plots will be placed. These plots will measure the regeneration present on the site. These plots will measure 1/300 acre in size with a plot radius of 6.8' and located at three angles from the each large plot's center (0 degrees from north, 120 degrees from north, and 240 degrees from north). In these plots all woody vegetation greater than 1' in height, but less than 4.0" in dbh will be measured. The following attributes will be measured: species, height, and ground-line diameter.
         The study is a 2 x 3 factorial design with two levels of herbicide treatment (control and hack and squirt) and three levels of prescribed fire (control, single burn, and three burns and 3-year intervals). Plot layout on the Savoy station is shown in figure 2.
         Herbicide treatments-- For the hack and squirt applications, a 50% solution of Chopper (imazapyr) was applied during the late Summer 2004 to all non-oak stems greater than 4” in dbh located within hack and squirt plots. Herbicide was applied prior to leaf translocation so it could be transported to the root system for maximum kill.
         Prescribed fire treatments--Firelines were plowed during winter 2004-2005. The Arkansas Forestry Commission was responsible for fireline construction. The first prescribed burning for single burn treatment and multiple burn plots is scheduled to occur in early spring of 2005. This burn should provide a moderate intensity burn to top kill vegetation on the site. The multiple burn treatments will occur at 3 year intervals and are scheduled for 2008 and 2011.

Basic Supplies for 2004-2005 Studies

Flagging (will flag every tree since plots are relatively small)

Seedling	Flag (30")	# needed
Green ash	pink glow	512
Northern red oak	red plain	512
Black walnut	blue plain	512

Corner stakes for each plot corner
              69 poles needed
              4' pvc per pole
              Total of 69 * 3 = 207' of pvc required (23- 10' sticks)

   Tags for southwest corner of each plot
                 48 tags needed

Flagging (will flag every tree since plots are relatively small)

Seedling	Flag (30")	# needed
Northern red oak	red plain	73*4  =  292
Sawtooth oak	blue plain	73*4  =  292
White oak	white plain	73*4  =  292

Corner stakes for each plot corner
              25 poles needed
              4' pvc per pole
              Total of 25 * 3' = 75' of pvc required (9- 10' sticks) (yields 2 extra)
Center point stakes for each of the two sub-plots within the main plot
              24 poles needed
              3' per pole
              Total of 24 * 3 = 72' of pvc required (8-10' sticks)

Tags for southwest corner of each plot and center of plots
                 3 per plot for 12 plots = 36 tags

Savoy Study

            none

PC stakes

Corner stakes for each plot corner
              24 plots * 4 poles per plot = 96 poles
              4' pvc per pole
              Total of 96 *3' = 384' of pvc required (32-10' sticks)
Center point stakes for each of the two sub-plots within the main plot
              48 poles needed
              4' per pole
              Total of 48 * 3' = 192' of pvc required (16-10' sticks)

Tags for southwest corner of each plot and center of plots
             3 per plot for 24 plots = 72 tags