Introduction to Forestry Forestry The science art and

Introduction to Forestry

Forestry • The science, art, and practice of managing the natural resources that occur on and in association with forest land for human benefit.

Forest • Biological community of plants, with trees being the predominant woody vegetation, and animals existing in a complex interaction with the nonliving environment.

Tree • A woody perennial plant, usually with a single main stem (trunk) and height of over 20 feet or more at maturity. • Tree anatomy ppt

Forester • A resource manager responsible for all the goods, benefits, and services obtainable from forest land.

Forestry Facts • In America, we use the equivalent wood volume as is found in one tree, 100’ tall and 18” dbh, person each year (What is dbh? ? ) • 675 lbs. of paper, 18 cubic feet of lumber and plywood (over 3 times the world’s average consumption) • Over 5, 000 products made from trees!

• Wood accounts for 45% of U. S. consumption of all major materials used (includes plastics, concrete, steel, aluminum, and other metals • Wood is more energy efficient, and has less global-warming potential with respect to extraction, manufacture use, and disposal than other materials

• The forest products industry is a major contributor to Wisconsin’s economy! • 1 in 7 manufacturing jobs • 20. 5 billion per year in value of shipments • The state’s forests also make a $9. 7 billion annual contribution to tourism and recreation

• One average mature tree, each year, can remove 26 pounds of CO 2 and releases 13 pounds of O 2. • EPA estimates that US forests capture and store 10% of all our carbon emissions produced each year. • A forest with a 100% tree cover, removes as much as 15% of the ozone and sulfur dioxide in the air • We need about 2, 000 trees to absorb 1 persons annual CO 2 • 28 trees to produce enough O 2 for each person

• Plant 7 trees per year and you as an average person, are “carbon neutral” Will absorb the 7000 kg of the CO 2 per year you generate • Trees can increase residential property value by 5 to 20% • Tree properly placed around buildings can reduce air contioning bills by up to 25%, and heating bills by 10 -20%.

A tree is the tallest living organism • Coastal redwood-379. 3 feet tall • Named Hyperion

A tree is the second and third most massive living organism in the world. 1. Honey Mushroom 1. 6, 600 tons, 2, 200 acres, Oregon 2. Aspen Clone (Pando) 1. 6, 500 tons, 47, 000 stems, Utah 3. Giant sequoia (General Sherman) 1. 275’ tall, 36’ dbh 2. 6, 000 tons, California

Pando “I spread” • An aspen clone starts with a single seed and spreads by sending up new shoots from the expanding root system. These shoots become trees that are genetically identical.

General Sherman

A tree is the oldest living organism! • Bristle cone pine-about 4, 900 years old • Named Methuselah • Pando could be up to 80, 000 years old • Methuselah's exact location is kept a close secret in order to protect it from the public

Dendrology • The classification and identification of trees • Background • World: 30, 000 -100, 000 tree species • US: 865 native tree species • WI: 55 native tree species

Tree Names • Common Names-in spoken language • Examples: Sugar Maple, Red Pine • Can be more than one for the same tree • Scientific Names-in Latin, some Greek • Examples: Acer saccaharum, Pinus resinosa • Should be only one per tree

Classification • Kingdom • Phylum • Class • Order • Family • Genus • Species • Pick one tree include Scientific and common names,

Two major divisions of Trees • Gymnosperms • “Naked seeds” –Cones • Needlelike or scale-like leaf • Generally evergreen • Also called: Conifer, softwoods

• Angiosperms: • Enclosed seeds (fruits, nuts) • Flat, Broadleaf • Generally deciduous • Also called: broadleaf, deciduous, hardwoods

Other Differences • Gymnosperms: • Appeared about 400 million years ago • About 500 species in the world • Angiosperms: • Appeared about 180 million years ago • Monocots-about 200 species • Dicots-remainder of tree species

Using a “Tree” Key • A diagram or outline with a sequence of choices, based on tree features, that eventually lead to a particular species. • Dichotomous key

Gymnosperms Leaves Needle Shape Leaves in Clusters Leaves Single Flat needles Hemlock Angled needle s Spruce Tamarac k Coniferous (evergreen) Leaves not Needle Shaped Leaves in Groups Pines Red Cedar/White Cedar

Branching

Pith • Solid or Chambered

Types of Leaves • Simple or Compound • Shape • Needles • Single-1 • Groups-2 -5 • Clusters-6 or more

Shape of Leaf

Forest Terminology • DBH • Diameter at Breast Height • 4. 5 feet above the ground • High side of the Tree

Classification of Trees by Size • Seedling: up to one inch dbh • Sapling: 1 -5 inches dbh • Poletimber: 5 -9 inches dbh (softwoods) 5 -11 inches dbh (hardwoods) • Sawtimber: 9 inches and greater dbh (softwoods) 11 inches and greater dbh (hardwoods)

Forest Stand • A group of trees that can be distinguished from another group by the fact it has a different species composition and/or age class distribution.

Species Composition • Pure Stand-at least 80 percent composed of one species. • Mixed Stand-composed of two or more prominent species

Age Class Distribution • Even-aged stand-a stand of trees composed of a single age class • Two-aged stand-a growing area with trees of two distinct age classes • Uneven-aged stand-a stand with trees of three or more distinct age classes • All-aged stand-a stand with trees of all or almost all age classes