Can Silviculture Save the Day?
In the Daniel Boone National Forest near Cold Hill, KY, a team of Forest Service (FS) and university researchers and national forest technicians have started an ambitious experiment to find out whether manipulating the structure of forest stands before the gypsy moth arrives can reduce damage from the pest. Set up as a silvicultural assessment under Title IV of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003, the project will test the ability of four different silvicultural treatments to improve the health of existing hardwood stands and reduce oak mortality. Callie Schweitzer, research forester with the SRS uplands hardwood unit, coordinates the work among research and national forest personnel setting up the silviculture assessment. This has meant collecting data, selecting stands for the treatments, and keeping the communication going among partners. Within the next year, the majority of the treatments will be implemented, says Schweitzer. Then well start collecting data on how e
