Expanding Gap Silviculture “Femelschlag”
The 2009 Demeritt Forest management planning process has identified the need for more area to be managed under multi-aged silvicultural systems. In conjunction with the planning work University Forests staff designated two stands (I77 & I73) to be managed under an expanding gap silvicultural system, with initial treatments implemented in 2009-10. The system, also known by its German name “femelschlag”, is the subject of the Acadian Forest Ecosystem Research Program (AFERP), an on going research program focused on diverse aspects of the multi-aged silvicultural system.
Expanding Gap Silvicultural System Details:
• Area control approach to multi-age silviculture (equal area regenerated each entry)
• Initial openings are “expanded” in subsequent entries
• Overstory trees are “retained” within gaps
• Multiple age classes are distributed spatially, while arrangement varies temporally
• AFERP study designed to emulate natural disturbance patterns
Take Home Message:
• Relatively easy to design and install, aided by GIS and GPS
• Operationally efficient harvest for a multi-aged system
• Focused areas of regeneration establishment
• Once established regeneration is tended via gap expansions
• Landowner/managers may have to accept potential loss of volume due to mortality in order to achieve long term multi-age forest structure
• **Principle Goal: Provide range of horizontal and vertical forest structures while maintaining options and opportunities for future managers
Expanding Gap Silviculture Handout (PDF)
