By: William H. Livingston

School of Forest Resources

University of Maine

Readings:Pages 1-22 in “Highlights” pdf file or Pages 1-8 in McWilliams, W.H., and others. 2005. The Forests of Maine: 2003. USDA, For. Serv., NE Res. Stn. Res. Bull. NE-164. 188 p.

Pages 1-16, 58-61 in Kricher, J.C. 1988. A Field Guide to Eastern Forests, North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., NY. 488 p.

  1. Introduction
  2. What are forests?
  3. Overview of Maine’s Forests.
  4. What are forests?
  5. Land dominated by trees.
  6. Trees are woody plants capable of growing 20 ft tall or higher.
  7. Conifers or softwoods (needle trees) and hardwoods (leaf trees).
  8. What else is found in forests?
  9. Abiotic: non-living, physical environment - .

a)Air: Sunlight, oxygen, carbon dioxide, pollutants

b)Water

(1)Precipitation

(2)Ground water

(3)Streams

(4)Lakes

c)Mineral component of soils

  1. Biotic: Living organisms

a)Species: group of individuals capable of reproducing

b)Plants

(1)Herbaceous – non-woody, ground level

(2)Shrubs – woody, can’t grow tall (<20 ft)

(3)Trees

c)Animals

(1)Terrestrial: Mammals, birds, insects

(2)Aquatic: Fish, arthropods.

(3)Amphibians and aquatic insects

d)Fungi

e)1-celled organisms

(1)Algae

(2)Bacteria

f)Exotic / invasive species

  1. Habitat: Sum of abiotic and biotic components
  1. How to describe forests:
  2. Metrics

a)DBH: Diameter at breast height

b)Acre: approximately 209 ft by 208 ft or equivalent area

c)Board foot: Piece of wood 1 inch X 12 inches X 12 inches

  1. Structure (Stratification)

a)Canopy or Overstory

(1)Single cohort – all same height

b)Multistory – 2 or more different heights of trees

(1)Understory

(2)Shrub layer

(3)Herb layer

  1. Size of largest trees

a)Early successional (trees regenerating after canopy completely removed)

(1)Field: trees < 12 inches tall

(2)Regeneration: 12 inches tall to 1 inch diameter at 4.5 ft above the ground (DBH)

(3)Sapling: 1-5 inches diameter

(4)Poletimber: 5-10 inches diameter

b)Mid-successional or small sawtimber: 10-15 inches diameter

c)Late successional or large sawtimber: > 15 inches diameter

  1. Species: Conifers or hardwoods or mixed
  2. Use

a)Natural regeneration – extensively managed - partial cuts

(1)None or infrequent (parks, refuges)

(2)Timber removals (10 to 50 yr intervals) leave some canopy trees.

(3)Shelterwood: All mature trees removed in 2 or 3 cuts.

b)Natural regeneration - Intensively managed

(1)Clear cuts

(2)Conifer release - herbicides

(3)Precommercial thinning

c)Plantations

d)Urban

  1. Overview of state’s forests
  2. Most heavily forested state in U.S.
  3. 90% of area or 17.8 million acres of forest.
  4. Virtually all of it is naturally regenerated (unique!)

a)No dry periods

b)Moderate temperatures

  1. A mixture of conifers and hardwoods
  2. Primarily extensively managed with partial cuts
  3. Much of it is small in size
  4. Sapling and poletimber make up 68% of area
  5. Mostly privately owned (unique!)
  6. Public agencies: 6%
  7. Industrial forest land 31%– landowner has a mill to supply
  8. Non-industrial 63% – landowner does not own a mill

a)Corporate (for profit) 31%

b)Families and individuals 32%

  1. Most forests open to the public
  2. Colonial common law: All have access to great ponds, navigable waters, and the coast.
  3. Traditions continue.

a)Roads now available to every part of forest

b)Fees charged to defray costs of roads and recreation maintenance

c)Uses include hiking, camping, camps, fishing, hunting.

  1. In Maine, just about everyone cares about what happens to the forest.

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Terms

Forests

Trees

Conifers

Solfwoods

Hardwoods

Abiotic

Biotic

Species

Herbaceous

Shrubs

Terrestrial

Aquatic

Amphibians

Fungi

Algae

Lichens

Exotic

Invasive

Habitat

DBH

Acre

Board foot

Structure

Stratification

Single cohort

Overstory

Multistory

Understory

Early successional

Field

Regeneration

Saplings

Poles or Poletimber

Mid-successional

Small sawtimber

Late successional

Large sawtimber

Natural regeneration

Extensive management

Partial cuts

Shelterwood

Clear cuts

Conifer release

Precommercial thinning

Plantation

Urban forest

Industrial forest land

Non-industrial forest land

Colonial common law

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