Whole-tree harvesting and site productivity: Twenty-nine northern hardwood sites in central New Hampshire and western Maine

Abstract

Whole-tree harvesting is widely used in the northeastern United States to supply biomass energy plants with fuel, but questions remain regarding its long-term sustainability. To assess its effects on the northern hardwood forests that make up a significant portion of northern New England, we conducted a regeneration survey of twenty-nine (29) small clearcuts in central New Hampshire and western Maine in 2011. We measured fourteen (14) whole-tree harvested (WTH) and fifteen (15) conventionally harvested (CH) sites and compared the productivity of the 10–14year old regeneration. Height and diameter of all trees >2m in height were measured within 1m-radius plots. Biomass was calculated using species-specific regression equations based on measured diameter. No significant difference was observed in height, diameter or calculated biomass of stems >2m in height between WTH and CH treatments. We conclude that no significant effects of residue removal on site productivity from whole-tree harvesting are observed within our sample of northern hardwood sites as this point in their stand development.