Prescribed burning and disk trenching effects on early plantation performance in eastern Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Prescribed burning was compared with mechanical site preparation prior to planting on a clearcut jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) site in eastern Ontario. Species planted were white (Pinus strobus L.) and red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.). Lack of site preparation resulted in high first year mortality of both species. Soil temperature measurements at three depths indicated that both site preparation techniques extended the growing season in the spring and fall through early and late soil warming, respectively. Increased biomass production and nutrient use efficiency of both pines on either of the two site prepared treatments reflected the improved environmental conditions of both species, with red pine outperforming white pine on all treatments.