3 resources found

This webinar outlines a successful ten-year effort to refine reforestation techniques using post-harvest slash burning in Minnesota after a large-scale jack pine budworm salvage operation. While initial attempts tried to use fire and direct seeding for complete restoration, the team discovered that the prescribed burns were most effective when used as a tool for controlling aggressive woody competition like aspen. Experience taught the team that achieving deep root-kill and effective brush control depends on conducting burns during late summer dry soil conditions, which is crucial for maximizing intensity. The resulting methodology integrates fire as a hybrid replacement for chemical herbicide application, successfully preparing sites for planting and promoting the establishment of diverse jack pine stands.

This webianr explored the use of biochar as a promising but highly variable soil amendment intended to enhance forest climate resilience, focusing on its potential for increased water holding capacity and long-term carbon storage. Lead researcher, Marcelo Windmuller-Campione, detailed multiple collaborative studies, primarily testing biochara?Ts effectiveness on Jack Pine survival and growth in Minnesota's porous, sandy soils. While initial benefits were sometimes observed in early field trials, long-term data and controlled experiments indicated that the biochar provided no significant or lasting improvement compared to control groups. The research concluded that while biochar presents a viable carbon storage strategy, its operational feasibility and ecological benefits are severely limited when applied to highly porous forest ecosystems.

This extension note investigates two site preparation techniques, Rough and Loose mounding and furrowing with a RipPlow, for improving plant re-establishment on forested sites that have been wood mulched during winter industrial activities. The study evaluated the effectiveness of these methods in displacing the mulch and exposing soil to create favorable conditions for revegetation. While both techniques enhanced surface soil heterogeneity and facilitated the regeneration of deciduous species, Rough and Loose mounding proved more consistently effective at moving the mulch. Despite this, the more cost-effective RipPlow method showed promise, particularly in areas with thinner mulch layers, suggesting that supplemental planting might be beneficial in heavily mulched areas treated with this approach.