SILVICULTURE PROJECTS



Klaus J. Puettmann

Professor

How can we design silvicultural practices that accommodate the complexity of ecosystem conditions and management objectives? Do we need to understand spatial relations and within-stand variation of ecosystem structures processes to manage forests? What are the tradeoffs when management shifts from a focus on timber production to structural diversity? How do these tradeoffs vary with stand age? What flies are they biting on?

These are questions that intrigue me. I have initiated a research program that investigates these questions at various stages, from stand establishment to mature forests.

Together with Paul Anderson (PNW Research Station) and the Bureau of Land Management I am investigating how different reforestation techniques in burned-over plantations (Timbered Rock Fire) effect microsite conditions, vegetation composition, establishment of natural regeneration, seedling growth, and fuel loads (Lori Kayes).

During the first decades stands are very dynamic. I am interested whether gaps in plantations can provide for structural diversity and what the tradeoffs are in terms of timber production. The Young Plantation Study investigates these questions and monitors development of vegetation (Carrie Berger) and wildlife use (John Hayes) in 5 to 20 year old Douglas-fir stands on Oregon Department of Forestry land.

The Young Stand Thinning and Diversity Study (initiated by the Willamette National Forest) and the Density Management Study (initiated by the Bureau of Land Management) investigates impacts of various thinning regimes in 30 to 70-year old Douglas-fir stands. Aspects that I deal with directly include over-and understory vegetation (Liane Beggs, Shanti Berryman) and tree and crown architecture (John Punches). I am especially interested in stand structural development and plant diversity and composition. Specific interests include the spatial scale of interactions (Tony D'Amato) and gap influences (Robert Fahey). I am cooperating with other scientists to determine how changes in stand structure influence ecosystem function and processes, including microclimate (Paul Anderson, Sam Chan), amphibian (Matt Kluber, Dede Olson) and songbird habitat (Joan Hagar), and other resources.

To quantify ecosystem responses to silvicultural manipulations requires a sophisticated modeling system. I see great potential in the opportunity to synthesize and integrate information from the various studies. Ongoing work includes modeling how site conditions, spatial variability, and diversity of stand structures influence development of tree and stand growth, tree regeneration, plant diversity, and wildlife habitat and populations (Duncan Wilson, Lisa Ganio). Using a Bayesian Belief Network allows us to acknowledge and incorporate the variability, stochasticity, and dynamic complexity of forest ecosystems.

It is a privilege to be working on the "cutting edge", involved in a powerful set of experiments, and to work with fine colleagues and students. Together we strive to make contributions to forest science that will help forest managers and the public to make informed decisions about forest management.

Contact Information Courses Current Research Faculty Research Asst./Assoc. Students Publications Presentations Employment

Contact Information

321 Richardson Hall
Department of Forest Science
Corvallis, OR 97331
Phone: 541.737.8974
Fax: 541.737.1393
Email


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Courses

FS 533 Fundamentals of Silviculture
FS 543 Advanced Silviculture

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Current Research

Young Stand Thinning and Diversity Study
Density Management Study
Young Stand Management Project

Data collection protocol

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Faculty Research Assistant/Associate

Carrie Berger, Senior Research Assistant
Duncan Wilson, Research Associate

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Students

Current Students

Lori Kayes, PhD Candidate / Co-advised with Paul Anderson
John Punches, PhD Candidate
Paul Satterwaithe, MS Candidate / Co-advised with Lisa Ganio

Past Students

Oregon State University
Anthony D'Amato, MS 2000-2002
Liane Beggs, MS 2002-2004
Robert Fahey, MS 2004-2006
Matthew Kluber, MS 2004-2007
Cheryl Bright, MF 2005-2007

University of Minnesota
Meredith Cornett, MS 1993-1996/PhD 1996-2000
Alaina (Davis) Berger, MS 1994-1997
Erica (Johnson) Hahn, MS (Plan B) 1996-1997
Jada Jackson, MS (Plan B) 1996-1998
Michael Saunders, MS 1994-1998
Michael Counte, MS 1997-2000
Dominic Ackerman, MS (Plan B) 1995-2001
Melissa Arikian, MS 1997-2001
Bruce Moreira, MS (Plan B) 1999-2001
Jerry Krueger, PhD 1999-2002
Darren Blackford, MS 2000-2006

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Employment

There are no positions currently available, please check back.

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