Williamsburg Moraines MA Brief

NLP MA 30Michigan DNR – Northern Lower Peninsula Eco-region

Revised: June 2023, 2008

MA 19 30 - Benzie Lake County MorainesManagement Area

Attributes

TheisLake County Moraines Management Area management area is located in on the northwest east side of corner of BenzieLakeCountyjust east of Frankfortwith blocks just to the south and north of Luther and has 25,24420,062 acres of StateForest land. The primary attributes which were important in identifying thethis MA Benzie Moraines Management Area include:

Ecological Classification - The MA falls almost entirely mostly within the Newaygo Outwash PlainHigh PlainsSsub-region of the NLP Ecoregion as classified by Albert (1994).

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CCover Types–Historically this area has been American beech- sugar maplehemlock, red pine/jack pine, red pine/white pine, red pine/oak or red pine. Currently, upland hardwoods, aspen and red pine, aspen, oak and red coverpine cover the majority of the area.

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Landforms–Moraine ridges, moraines or accounttill account for 19.6more than 83% of the landforms within the Newaygo Outwash Plain Sub-regionmanagement area.

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Social and Economic–Dispersed recreation in the form of hunting and mushroom hunting, as well as concentrated recreation on the North Country, Platte River and Maple City Trails is significant. Garey Lake Trail Camp is also located within the management area. Trails include the Lincoln Hills Route which is an ORV/snowmobile trail and the Silver Creek Pathway which is for hiking and biking. The Lincoln Bridge and the Silver Creek Campgrounds are located in the MA.

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Ownership size and connectivity – The majority of the state land in this area is concentrated in one large block. However, there are also several other clusters of individual compartments as well as isolated compartments. in two larger blocks of compartments and two isolated compartments.

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Major Cover Types

Aspen - Aspen totals over 9,600 acres throughout the MA. With the exception of relatively few acres in the 50-59-year age class, the distribution of aspen is well balanced. There is a slight age class spike in the 20-39 year age classes. There are relatively few acres of aspen greater than 60 years old.

Oak – There are almost 8,000 acres of oak in the MA. The age distribution is heavily skewed towards the 70+ year old age classes, and until recently there has been little regeneration over the past 70 years.

Northern Hardwoods/Upland Hardwoods – Upland hardwoods cover more than 9,600 acres of the MA on moraine ridges, including dry-mesic to mesic/poor-medium to very rich nutrient sites. Nearly half of the upland hardwood acres are in stands with a lower basal area between 81-110 square feet indicating recent selection harvesting. Another 2,,06800 acres of upland hardwood can be foundare in denser stands, indicating thinning can be prescribed of 111-170 square feet of basal area. What about red oak or red pine in upland hardwoods?

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Aspen - Aspen totals approximately 5,100 acres of the management area. Aspen (most commonly bigtooth aspen) is distributed throughout the management on dry to mesic/poor to rich nutrient sites. There is one large spike of over 1,500 acres in the 30-39 year old age classes. There are over 700 acres that are greater than 80 years old.

Red Pine– Eight-eight percent of the Of the approximately 3,300 acres of red pine in the management area over 1,3002,800 acres of red pine is is in the in the age classes between the ages of 40-659 yearyear age classess . old.Red pine is located on high quality moraines of dry to dry-mesic/poor to mesic/medium moisture and medium/rich nutrient. There has been very little regeneration for the past 40 years and there is very little representation in older age classes.

White Pine - The age distribution is highly variable, with 81% of the acres less than 60 years old. Open grown white pine in planted stands has been heavily impacted by white pine weevil.

Jack Pine – There are 700 acres of jack pine in the MA. There is a slight spike in the 50-59-year age class and no acres in the 20-29 year age class. Approximately 200 acres exceed the normal rotation age of 60.

Upland Brush/Grass – Upland brush and grass is a minor component of the MA, with approximately 1% cover.

Cover oak and white pine ????

Upland Brush/Grass - Upland brush and grass totals approximately 700 acres (7.7% of the MA). This is a result of the past management practices or natural processes of fire, frost or other disturbances which create openings in the forest canopy along with maintenance treatments to keep areas open.

approximately 1,000approximately 00

Other Types include: Mixed Swamp Conifer, Tamarack, Swamp Hardwoods, Lowland Brush, Cedar, Jack Pine, Water, Upland Mixed Deciduous, Lowland Mixed, Lowland Poplar, Local Name, Non-Stocked, Upland Mixed, Marsh, Hemlock, Spruce Fir, Paper Birch, Upland Mixed Conifer, Bog or Marsh.

Concepts of Management

Upland Hardwood (38% of the MA) – Where suitable, selectively harvest almost all of the stands of greater than 111 square feet of basal area and in selected stands in the 81-110 basal area range. This is essentially a maintenance condition and will allow continued management through selective harvesting as dictated by growth. What about Red Oak or red pine in upland hardwoods???

Aspen (20% of the MA) – Aspen management should mimic historical natural disturbance patterns which were primarily fire events that resulted in small pockets of aspen interspersed between large blocks of upland hardwoods. Although it will take several rotations to even out the age class distribution of aspen, age class spikes should be targeted as they reach rotational age. Some aspen is most likely inaccessible due to steep slopes or other constraints and should be allowed to succeed to upland hardwoods or other types based on the suitable habitat type.

Red Pine (13% of the MA) – Following the Red Pine Management Guidelines, the age class spike of red pine between the ages of 40 and 69 and lack of regeneration should be addressed. Areas that are determined through site suitability analysis to remain in red pine will require regeneration by planting or prescribed fire to encourage natural regeneration. Where present as individual trees in upland hardwood stands or where present on habitat types more suitable for upland hardwoods management should consider keeping a component of red pine that may eventually become mature red pine in the supercanopy.

Upland Brush and Grass (7% of the MA) - Continue opening maintenance by prescribed burning and brush removal to sustain upland brush/grass at a level between 5-10% of the management area during this management cycle.

Do we need to cover oak/white pine?

Aspen (44% of the MA) – Maintain aspen at the current levels by harvesting as the stands become mature at a rate which will balance age class distributions. Where aspen is most likely inaccessible due to steep slopes or other constraints, allow it to succeed to upland hardwoods or other types based on habitat type suitability. Where accessible, target aspen in the 60-89 year age classes for harvest.

Oak (36% of the MA) – Based on the site characteristics, utilize a selection of techniques including selective cutting, prescribed burning or other methods to begin regeneration of the oak resource. Successful oak regeneration will require control of red maple and sedge grass competition.

Red Pine (6% of the MA) – Following the Red Pine Management Guidelines, the spike of red pine in the 40-59 age class and the dearth of red pine in younger age classes should be addressed. Areas that are determined through site suitability analysis to remain in red pine will require regeneration by planting or prescribed fire to encourage natural regeneration. Where present as individual trees in upland hardwood stands or on habitat types more suitable for upland hardwoods retain a component of red pine that may eventually become mature red pine in the supercanopy.

White Pine (4% of the MA) – Markets are poorly established for white pine products and where practicable, manage white pine through thinning to produce mixed pine/oak stands.

Jack Pine (3% of the MA) – Manage jack pine to balance age distributions while minimizing health problems due to jack pine budworm by removing older age classes.

Upland Brush/Grass (1% of the MA) – Continue to maintain acres in grass/upland brush for wildlife values through prescribed burning, brush cutting or other maintenance activities.

grass. (1% of the MA)