Circular 53

Abstract

The regeneration of interior Alaska’s commercial forest lands is mandated by Alaska’s Forest Resources and Practices Act (1979). This act requires that regeneration be established adequate to ensure a sustained yield on forested lands from which the timber has been harvested. Post-logging regeneration efforts now are aimed at exposing mineral soil for the natural seeding of white spruce. Soil exposure has been accomplished by blade scarifying with a crawler tractor which provides large seed sites or by using a Bracke-type patch scarifier which produces small seed sites of about 2 ft2. Arlidge (1967) reports that larger seedbeds have greater regeneration success than smaller ones. Some researchers have found that the regeneration of the larger plots may be too successful, requiring weeding and precommercial thinning to bring stocking to satisfactory levels (Zasada and Grigal 1978). The Alaska Division of Forestry (DOF) has not been satisfied with the cost or effectiveness of either of these site-preparation practices.Introduction -- Methods -- Results and Discussion: Contractor #2, Contractor #3 -- Comparisons -- Conclusions -- Resources Cite