ORIGINAL: bluebird2
Here is the list of tree species used to determine forest health.
Table 5. Canopy replacement dominants and other high canopy indicator species (McWilliams et al. 2004a). Wildlife
value for all wildlife species (Carey and Gill 1980 as in Payne and Bryant 1998) and levels of browse preference by
white-tailed deer during fall and winter (Latham et al. 2005) are provided to illustrate general characteristics of
species. Blanks indicate lack of data.
Category Tree Species Wildlife Value Browse Preference
Dominants
Eastern Hemlock Fair High
Red Maple1 Good High
Sweet (Black) Birch1 Good High
Beech Good High
Ash1 Fair High
Yellow Poplar1 Fair High
Oaks1 Excellent High
White pine1 Excellent Moderate
Sugar Maple1 Good Moderate
Hickories1 Fair Low
Black cherry1 Excellent Low
Other High Canopy
Black gum1 Fair High
Other Birches1 Good Moderate/High
Other Maples (except Norway and Striped) Good Moderate/High
Cucumber tree Moderate
Willow Fair Moderate
Other Conifers Fair to Excellent Low/Moderate
Hackberry Fair Low
Aspen Good Low
Black locust Fair Low
Sweet gum Fair Low
Honeylocust Fair (is browsed)
Black walnut Fair (is browsed)
Sycamore Fair (is browsed)
Basswood1 Fair (is browsed)
Elm Fair (is browsed)
Buckeye Unknown
Butternut
Cottonwood
Balsam poplar
Kentucky coffeetree
Catalpa
1
– These species are of “medium” or “high” importance to Pennsylvania’s wood products industry (Latham et al. 2005).
Yep those are the canopy tree species used as indicators.
You indicated it was all based on a timber product so I have to ask when was the last time you saw anyone using black gum, willow, hackberry, aspen, black locust, cottonwood, Kentucy coffee tree or catalpa for a timber product?
But, that doesn’t mean those are the only species that become part of the total habitat evaluation.
Here are some of the things required in the Job Description for those hired to do the plot evaluations.
* Record sample point information including, but not limited to, slope, aspect, terrain position, cover type, crown closure, and percent coverage of under story species, grass, forbs, ferns, and deciduous shrubs.
* Measure and record species variables including, but not limited to, species, DBH, height to 4-inch and 8-inch top, merchantable stem, percent cull, crown class, crown condition, damage/cause of death, tree history, tree class, log grades, and total height.
* Identify and estimate percent cover of herbaceous plants (ferns, shrubs, vines, and tree regeneration) on fivemil-acre plots.
* Assist in the development and implementation of data management procedures, standards, formats, and summaries for forest/vegetative inventories as directed by the forester/crew leader.
*Maintain and update index information describing plot status and history.
*Edit and correct plot tree data.
*Update plot and tree records.
* Calculate standard summaries of plot and tree data.
Why do you suppose they listedgrass, forbs, fern, deciduous shrubs, vines, etc. in the job description and requirements if they don’t evaluate anything but canopy and marketable trees like you say?
Certainly the tree species are of the most concern, (partly because of the forest value but also because woody browse comes from trees and that is what deer eat through the winter) but that isn’t the only thing they index or consider in the plot evaluations.
R.S. Bodenhorn