Effects of Prescribed Burning on Ground Cover in the New Jersey Pine Region

Abstract

At least since the late 19th century foresters have been searching for an economically feasible method of returning the present forests of the New Jersey pine region to levels of higher production (Vermeule, Pinchot, Hollick, Smith, and Gifford 1900). Slow but continuous progress has been made since that time in fire control, public education, and the acquisition of knowledge of the silvicultural relationships of the forest trees. Now after nearly 15 years of experimentation by state and federal investigators, the application of prescribed burning has been suggested as a silvicultural practice for improving the upland forests of the region. As a result of its success in experimental areas, the practice shows promise of becoming wide-spread in the near future. Hence, it becomes more important that we understand as many as possible of the effects that will be created by the increased use of the practice. The foresters have and will continue to accumulate data on estimated timber yields and per acre costs of the management practice. Various other interested groups in and around the area are cooperating with the foresters in initiating studies of the broader aspects of the practice. At present there are several questions that warrant careful investigation. First, will the change in vegetation resulting from the practice make any significant alteration in the hydrologic relationships of the region? This study is already past the planning stage. Second, how will the management practice influence the wildlife in this very important game-producing area of the state? Third, how will the practice influence the productive potential of the forest soils of the region? Fourth, how will the practice influence agricultural industries, now flourishing in the region, through altering helpful and harmful insect populations and by increasing or decreasing the abundance of native plant species that harbor pathogens of cultivated species? These are some of the questions which should be investigated while such a management plan as prescribed burning is in the early stages of application. Several cooperating workers have already published on the methods used and the effectiveness of this practice in favoring the more valuable pine over the less valuable oak species (Little 1946, Little, Allen, and Somes 1948, Little, Allen, and Moore 1948, Somes and Moorhead 1950). For the most part, these studies have been focused on the arborescent species, data having been obtained on (1) growth, survival, and damage to individuals already present and (2) the effect of altered conditions on the reproduction of the various species. The present study is concerned with the influence of this management practice on the shrub, herb, and moss layers of the plant community. Prescribed burning is based on the principle that fire judiciously used favors a fire subclimax forest of high pine composition. Data obtained by the authors cited above indicate that these pine stands