Tree Farmer - March/April 2010 - (Page 26)

Tree Protectors TREE PRO REE RO Economic value is often more important than abundance. Hickory gave its name to oak-hickory forests because it was a valuable wood for tool handles, wagon wheels, and other products that needed exceptional strength and resilience. Currently, the most specific and detailed habitat classification system is being developed by the National Park Service (NPS) with partners U.S. Geologic Survey, state Natural Heritage programs, NatureServe, and others. They have created the Vegetation Classification Standard, which describes more than 4,500 plant community types that cover the United States. To date, 2,888 of these communities (called “associations”) are forests and woodlands. NPS needed a standardized system that goes beyond utilitarian types because its mission is to protect and conserve natural systems. These protected systems serve as reference resources. They help the rest of us understand the plant communities on our own lands. Think of the vegetation in layers when classifying your forest communities. Start by looking at the canopy. Then look at sub-canopy trees — some of these are canopy species on their way up and some are the true sub-canopy species that stay in sub-canopy. Take note of plants in the tall and short shrub layers, the vines, and the herbaceous layer close to the ground. All are important in identifying the community. Two forest types may have nearly identical canopy species, but very different lower layers when on acidic versus basic soils. Rolled Top for complete protection Cuffed Bottom for added strength Laser Line for self removal Recycled Material for the Environment Nested to reduce handling Larger Diameters for better health Special Translucence for superior growth Made in the USA Support Stakes - Bamboo and Treated Pine Weed Pro Weed Mats Soft Soil De-compaction Nutri Pak Controlled Released Fertilizer conservationtree.com sales@conservationtree.com 800-875-8071 treepro.com Complications & Confusions Complicating the process of identifying plant communities is the process of plant succession that follows disturbance. The extent and the nature of disturbance changes the way a forest grows back after the disturbance has passed. If an agricultural field is abandoned, an orderly sequence of plants may invade and be successively replaced by other plants. In the Southeast, forbs and grasses are displaced by shrubs, which are displaced by light-seeded trees. Eventually, a climax forest for that habitat takes over and remains for a long period. A harvested forest may be more quickly replaced by suppressed saplings or seeds in place or by sprouts from stumps. Various versions of succession begin when a forest or other habitat is disturbed by natural events such as flood, wind, and fire, as well as man-made-management events such as herbicides, tillage, and plantings. Variables such as climate, soil type, and the season of the disturbance steer plant succession in various ways. The longer the land is left to natural processes, the more likely it is to show its true personality and natural values. As the forest changes, so will the names. Planted forests and certain other man-made Price match guarantee Reader Service No. 169 ™ Excellent adhesion to the bark Long lasting highly visible color RED WHITE YELLOW BLAZE ORANGE ™ Tree Marking Paint offers highly visible colors, water-soluble cleanup and ease of application down to -20°F. Bark Mark™ Boundary Marking Paints and now the new Bark Mark™ Back Pack Sprayer are also available offering a complete timber marking system. NCP Coatings Inc. has been manufacturing high quality, high performance coatings for over 55 years. To place an order or for more information: BLUE PURPLE TIMBER TEAL NCP Coatings 225 Fort Street Niles, Michigan 49120-0307 1-800-627-1948 www.ncpcoatings.com Reader Service No. 111 Tree Farmer MARCH/APRIL 2010 http://link.argifocus.com/165-169 http://www.treepro.com http://www.conservationtree.com http://link.argifocus.com/165-169 http://www.argifocus.com/Client/AmericanFA/LM1/lm/rsdefault.asp http://link.argifocus.com/165-111 http://link.argifocus.com/165-111 http://www.argifocus.com/Client/AmericanFA/LM1/lm/rsdefault.asp

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - March/April 2010

Tree Farmer - March/April 2010
Contents
Cover Story
Create a Recreational Trail
A Life Spent in the Woods
Ties to the Land
Public Policy
Wildlife Matters
From your Committees

Tree Farmer - March/April 2010