Effets de la coupe à blanc et de la coupe par bandes sur la régénération obtenue après 5 ans dans des pessières noires du Québec

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to compare the effects of traditional clear-cutting with those of strip cutting on regeneration of black spruce, Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P., stands on scarified and unscarified uplands and on lowlands. To that effect, regeneration surveys were done before cutting, in the following year, and 3 and 5 years after cutting. Five years after harvesting, strip cutting led to higher coniferous stocking than clear-cutting on scarified uplands and on lowlands. On unscarified uplands, the gain attributable to strip cutting was not significant. The coniferous stocking of strip cuts on scarified uplands was not greater than on unscarified uplands. So the efficiency of scarification could not be proved in that study. Stocking obtained after 5 years remained closely related to the one observed immediately after harvesting in the strip cufs as in the clear-cuttings. This is particularly true for balsam fir, Abiesbalsamea (L.) Mill. In the strip cuts, the balsam fir stocking was constant while the one of black spruce increased. This could have an impact on the evolution of the composition of the new stands and, consequently, on their vulnerability to spruce budworm, Choristoneurafumiferana (Clem.). The majority of the clear-cuttings were well regenerated 5 years after harvesting. Their average coniferous stocking was slightly above 60%. However, 48% of the clear-cuttings did not reach this level when only unscarified plots on uplands were considered. Advance growth was abundant in those plots but suffered high losses during harvesting. Consequently, reducing the losses during harvesting would result in a lower proportion of clear-cuttings with insufficient coniferous stocking 5 years after cutting. On the other hand, almost all the strip cuts with insufficient regeneration after harvesting were well regenerated 5 years later. Thus, strip cutting could be an interesting option on sites with insufficient advance growth and on sites well regenerated before cutting but where important losses during harvesting are anticipated.