Establishment Data
for Douglas - fir
Growth and Yield,
and Root R o t
Installations
o n Southern Vancouver i s l a n d , B r i t i s h Columbia
by
G.W. Wallis
Synopsis of Establishment Data for Douglas-fir Growth and Yield,
and Root Rot Installations
on Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia
by
G.W. Wallis
Canadian Forestry Service
Pacific Forest Research Centre
Victoria, B.C.
Report BC-X-144
Department of the Environment
June 1976
-1-
ABSTRACT
A synopsis of establishment data for 10 installations in Douglasfir plantations and naturally established stands 15 to 62 years of age is
provided. The measurement period varies from 10 to 47 years. In addition
to standard mensurational data, the records contain accurately charted stem
coordinate maps, making the information of considerable value for growth
and yield studies, including the evaluation of competitive stress analysis.
The data, accessible through a computerized retrieval and
data analysis program a t the Pacific Forest Research Centre, Victoria, should
prove useful in the development of Douglas-fir growth and yield, and disease
depletion simulators.
R6sum6
L'auteur fournit un synopsis des donne-es d'gtablissement de
10 installations dans des plantations de Douglas taxifolie' e t dans des
peuplements naturels d'arbres 8g6s de 15 a' 62 ans. La periode de mesurage
varie entre 10 e t 47 ans. En plus des donnges ordinaires de mesurage, I'auteur
fournit des cartes prgcises des coordonnges sur les tiges, ce qui rehaussee la
valeur des informations touchant les Gtudes sur la croissance e t le rendement,
y compris I'analyse ou &valuation des contraintes compgtitives.
Les donne's, qu'on peut obtenir au moyen d'un programme
informatis6 de recouvrement e t d'analyse des donnGes, au Centre de recherches forestisres du Pacifique a' Victoria, devraient s'av6rer utiles dans le
dgveloppement de simu lateurs de croissance e t de rendement du Douglas
taxifolie' et des simulatuers d'enraiement des maladies.
-2-
IN TRODUCT 10N
To have an acceptable practical application, the development and verification
of tree growth and depletion simulators must, in large part, utilize information provided by
permanent, long-standing sample plots. Recently, in developing simulators for the growth
of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and for losses caused by the root rot
fungus Phellinus weirii (Murr.) Gilbertson, the wealth of information stored in plot records
dating back to 1928 became apparent. All plot records included an accurately charted
stem coordinate map, making the information of considerable value for the evaluation
of competitive stress indexes in growth and yield research.
Details of these installations, established in 15-year-old Douglas-fir plantations
and in naturally established stands 15 to 62 years of age, are presented here. In making this
information widely available, we hope that others will delve into their files and make
accessible their plot data so that tree growth and depletion simulators can more quickly
become a practical working tool for the forest manager.
DOUGLAS-FIR PLANTATIONS
Establishment and Examinations
Establishing agency: Canadian Forestry Service, Pacific Forest Research Centre,
Victoria, British Columbia.
Study objectives: assess the significance of the more commonly occurring
diseases in Douglas-fir plantations.
General methods of establishment: A reconnaissance was carried out a t different locations on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to locate suitable areas. The basic
requirements for selection of a study site were: (1) it must consist of one age class of
Douglas-fir; (2) it must be uniform in site and topography, and (3) it must be of sufficient
size t o permit establishment of a substantial number of contiguous recording units
without intervention of roads, streams or non-commercial forest cover. Three areas were
selected: Installation 1 near the Robertson River (Cowichan Lake), Installation 2 near
Campbell River, and Installation 3 near the Tsable River (Fig, 1). Disease incidence was
not considered in the selection of Installation 1, but it was an important consideration
in the choice of Installations 2 and 3, a prerequisite being that information be obtained
on various diseases a t different levels of occurrence.
All study areas had previously supported a mature coniferous forest of mixed
composition, consisting primarily of Douglas-fir, western hemlock ( Tsuga heterophylla
(Raf.) Sarg.) and western red cedar (Thuja plicata Donn). The areas were planted with
2-0 Douglas-fir grown in nurseries on Vancouver Island. A planting interval of ca. 2 X 2 m
(6 x 6 f t ) was employed, giving ca. 3000 trees per hectare (1200 trees per acre). Varying
degrees of natural seeding of species other than Douglas-fir had occurred.
Examination procedures: Following selection of a study area, coordinate
measurements were obtained to establish the geographical position of every tree more than
0.3 m ( 1 ft) high within 6.36 m (20.86 ft) square contiguous plots. Each plot was further
-3-
Fig, 1,
Location of Installations established in Douglas-fir stands on southern Vancouver
Island, British Columbia, to study tree growth and yield, and development of
Phellinus weirii root rot.
P - installations in plantations
N - installations in naturally established stands
-4subdivided into four 3.18 m (10.43 ft) square recording units. Tree species and total height
were recorded and a permanent tree reference number was assigned. A map, scale 2.54 cm
(1 inch) equals 1.58 m (5.2 ft), was prepared, incorporating the foregoing information.
Each plot was divided into 16 units along the vertical and horizontal axis and was assigned
X and Y coordinates to facilitate computer analysis. Trees were added to the records as
they grew beyond the 1.4 m (4.5 ft) minimum height limit.
Detailed examination of each tree was carried out in late August and in
September. Records included an appraisal of disease occurrence and a measure of annual
terminal height growth over a previous 1O-year period.
Four diseases that reduced growth and survival of Douglas-fir were examined:
root rot, frost injury, sunscald and terminal leader dieback. Apical bud injury and foliage
diseases were recorded but were not studied in detail because preliminary appraisals
indicated that they were likely to be of minor significance in terms of permanent injury.
Information was recorded as follows: installations no., block no., plot no.,
tree no., tree species, d.b.h., crown class, tree age, tree condition (living or dead), foliage
color (5 values), disease class (root rot, frost lesions, foliage diseases, dieback, tip injury
or breakage, sunscald), root rot class (9 values), year of death, apparent healing (trees
recovering from root rot infection are listed in 5 values), root rot identification, number
of years the tree has been in decline, proportion of the basal stem (in quarters) girdled by
a root rot fungus, number of internodes affected by sunscald, color of sunscald lesions,
number of sunscald lesions, per cent degree of thinning caused by foliage diseases,
foliage disease identification, cause of death when other than root rot, year to which
dieback had occurred, number of internodes killed, year of examination, X and Y
coordinates.
Examination frequency: Following establishment of the installation, tree
mortality has been recorded a t 1- to 3-year intervals and a detailed examination of each
tree for disease has been made a t 3- to 5-year intervals.
information storage: The installation data on field record sheets, I.B.M.
punch cards and magnetic tapes are stored a t the Pacific Forest Research Centre. They
are accessible through a computerized retrieval and data analysis program outline by
Bloomberg e t al. (1976).
INSTALLATION 1 - Robertson River
This study was located in the Robertson River valley bottom a t an elevation
of 200 m (700 ft). The site had been logged during 1928-31, severely burned in 1929 and
again in 1938, and planted in the spring of 1944. Some planting failure necessitated partial
overplanting in 1952. The installation, established in August-September 1957, contained
3.64 ha (9 acres) or 3600 contiguous recording units. A total of 5264 living trees of
minimum sampling size and larger were recorded (Table 1). Stand composition was 84%
Douglas-fir, 14.3% western hemlock, 1.3% western white pine (Pinus monticola Dougl.)
and 0.4% other species. The average height of the living Douglas-fir was 4.5 m (14.7 ft).
'
In terms of the original stocking, the Douglas-fir sustained a mortality of 59%
during the period 1944 to 1957. The majority of this loss, considering the small number
-5of dead trees encountered during establishment of the installation, probably occurred
during the initial or early post-planting period. Incidence of disease is given in Table 6.
Table 1. Basic stand data, Installation 1, Robertson River, 1957
Tree Species
living
Number of trees
dead
total
Douglas-fir
Western hemlock
Western white pine
Others
4422
754
70
18
17
3
10
0
4439
757
80
18
Total
5264
30
5294
-
INSTALLATION 2 Campbell River
The Campbell River study area was located in the Oyster River drainage at an
elevation of 150 m (500 ft). It was logged in 1926-31, burned about 1932 and again in
1938, and planted in the spring of 1943. The installation, established in August-September
1958, comprised 2.9 ha (7.2 acres) or 2880 contiguous recording units of 3.18 m (10.43 ft)
square. All trees over 0.3 m (1 ft) in height were mapped and all Douglas-fir 1.4 m (4.5 ft)
and taller were examined for disease. A total of 6680 living trees (Table 2) and 118 dead
trees were encountered, of which 92.5% were Douglas-fir, 4.2% western hemlock, 0.3%
western white pine, 0.2% western red cedar and 0.1% other species.
Table 2. Basic stand data, Installation 2, Campbell River, 1958
Number of living trees
Tree species
less than
1.4 m
1.4 m or
taller
Douglas-f ir
Western hemlock
Western white pine
Western red cedar
Others
142
130
12
10
1
621 5
154
9
2
5
6357
284
21
12
6
Total
295
6385
6680
total
-~
~
Based on variation in stand density and tree height, the installation was subdivided into two blocks: Block I, 1.94 ha (4.80 acres) in size, had an average of 1847
living Douglas-fir per hectare (748 per acre) with an average height of 4.2 m (13.8 ft); Block
Block 11, 0.97 ha (2.40 acres) in size, had an average of 2697 living Douglas-fir per hectare
1
-6-
(1092 per acre) with an average height of 5.03 m (16.5 ft). Analysis of height class distribution showed that 31.7% of these exceeded the 5.5 m (18 i t ) height class in Block 11,
whereas only 11% of the trees in Block I exceeded this height class (Table 3).
Disease incidence for Installation 2 is included in Table 6.
Table 3. Height class distribution of living Douglas-fir in Installation 2,
Campbell River
Height class
m
Freauencv distribution of trees (per cent)
Block I
ft
1.4- 1.8
2.4 - 3.0
3.6 - 4.3
4.9 - 5.5
6.1 - 6.7
7.3 - 7.9
8.5 - 9.2
481216202428-
6
10
14
18
22
26
30
Average height
Block I1
7.7
22.3
26.5
32.5
9.2
1.6
0.2
5.5
13.8
15.1
33.9
20.8
8.3
2.6
4.2 m
(13.9 f t )
5.0 m
(16.5 ft)
total area
6.8
18.7
21.7
33.1
14.1
4.4
1.2
4.5 m
(14.9 f t )
INSTALLATtON 3 - Tsable River
The Tsable River study area,elevation 244 m (800 ft), was located on a narrow
bench with southern exposure and 20% slope along the Tsable River. It was logged during
the period 1939-43, burned between 1940 and 1944, and planted in the spring of 1946.
The installation, 1.96 ha (4.83 acres) in extent, was established in August-September 1959,
and contained 1932 contiguous recording units of 3.18 m (10.43 f t ) square. All trees
over 0.3 m (1 ft) in height were mapped and all Douglas-fir over 1.4 m (4.5 ft) in height
were examined for disease.
A total of 5814 living trees, of which 2120 were less than 1.4 m (4.5 ft) in
height, were enumerated (Table 4). Of the trees over 1.4 m (4.5 f t ) in height, 92.3% were
Douglas-fir, 4.7% western hemlock, 2.6% western red cedar and 0.4% other species. The
average height of the living Douglas-fir was 3.7 m (12.2 ft); 7.2% exceeded the 5.5 m (18 f t )
height class (Table 5).
Table 4. Basic stand data, Installation 3, Tsable River
Tree Species
less than
1.4 m
Number of living trees
1.4 m or
taller
total
Douglas-fir
Western red cedar
Western hemlock
Others
525
1023
520
52
3407
98
175
14
3932
1121
69 5
66
Total
2120
3694
5814
-7Table 5. Height class distribution of living Douglas-fir in Installation 3,
Tsable River
Height c Iass
Frequency distribution of trees
ft
m
1.42.4 3.6 4.9 6.1 7.38.59.7-
1.8
3.0
4.3
5.5
6.7
7.9
9.2
12.2
4.5
8
12
16
20
24
28
32
- 6
- 10
-
14
18
- 22
- 26
- 30
- 40
no.
%
506
942
1109
603
183
42
14
8
14.9
27.6
32.6
17.7
5.4
1.2
0.4
0.2
For the convenience, the installation was divided into two blocks: Block I,
1.67 ha (2.88 acres), had an average of 16.70 living Douglas-fir per hectare (676 per acre);
Block II, 0.58 ha (1.44 acres), had an average of 1940 living Douglas fir per ha (785 per
acre). The average height of the living Douglas-fir was 3.7 m (12.2 ft), did not vary significantly between the blocks.
Incidence of disease is presented in Table 6.
Table 6. Incidence of disease in plantation Installations
Percentage of the total number of Douglas-fir
Disease
Root rot
Frost injury
Terminal dieback
Apical bud injury
Sunscald
Robertson
River
1.42
20.40
2.93
8.13
0
Campbell River
Tsable River
Block I
Block II
Block I
3.78
31.85
0.86
38.93
16.38
3.36
19.92
0.76
52.09
12.37
21.46
6.46
0.41
2.08
23.72
Block II
32.29
2.37
0.44
1.06
25.85
For further details on these installations refer t o Foster and Johnson (1963)
and Johnson and Wallis (1972).
-8NATURAL SECOND-GROWTH DOUGLAS-FIR STAND
Establishment and Examinations
Establishing agency:
Installations 1, and 3 to 7 were established by the
British Columbia Forest Service, Victoria, B.C. Installation 2 wasestablished by the Canadian
Forestry Service, Pacific Forest Research Centre, Victoria, B.C.
Study Objectives: Installations 1 and 2 - to measure the rate of spread of
Phellinus weirii root rot and the dimensions of trees susceptible to infection. Installations
3 to 7 - the original objective of these installations was to study the growth and yield of
Douglas-fir. When the root rot fungus Phellinus weirii was identified and developed in the
installations, the objective was expanded to record the impact of this disease in the stands.
Method of establishment and examination procedures: Details are provided
under each installation.
Information was recorded as follows: installation no., plot no., tree age, tree
species, d.b.h., tree height, tree age, crown class, tree condition (living or dead), year of
death, cause of death if other than root rot, root rot identification, year of examination,
X and Y coordinates.
A summary of location, and establishment data is presented in Table 7,
Examination frequency: see individual installations.
Information storage: The installation data (on field record sheets, I.B.M. punch
cards and magnetic tapes) are stored a t the Pacific Forest Research Centre. They are accessible through a computerized retrieval and data analysis program outlined by Bloomberg
e t al. (1976).
-
INSTALLATION 1 established 1931 - Permanent sample plot no. 1 9 3 4
Study location: Cowichan Lake Forest Experiment Station (Fig. 1).
Stand and site characteristics: The installation was located in an almost pure
stand of 15-year-old Douglas-fir established following logging on an almost level bench on
the south shore of Cowichan Lake; elevation ca. 180 meters (600 ft). Stocking was 2594
trees per ha (1050 trees per acre). The installation contained trees in all stages of root rot
attack, from those already dead to those just starting to show a reduction in terminal
growth.
About 70% of the plot was covered with a dense growth of salal (Gaultheria
shallon) with small patches of Liverwort and Lycopodium occurring in the openings.
Vaccinium spp. were scattered throughout the installation.
Installation establishment: The installation is rectangular and contains 0.28 ha
(0.69 acres). Crown class, d.b.h. and height of every fifth tree were taken on trees 2.5 cm
(1 inch) and larger in diameter; a total of 730 trees were recorded. All trees were plotted
on a stem map, scale 2.5 cm = 4 m (1 inch = 13.2 ft).
-
7
Table 7. Summary of establishment data for Installations located in natural, second-growth Douglas-fir stands.
Installation Number
~~
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
193-C
PW-1
60
61
364
395
200
EstabIishing agency
B.C.F.S.
C.F.S.
B.C.F.S.
B.C. F.S.
B.C. F.S.
B.C. F.S.
B.C.F.S.
Location
Cowichan
Lake
Parksville
Parkmille
Cowichan
Lake
Port
Alberni
Cowichan
Lake
1951
1945
1935
1975
1963
1954
Plot number
Year estabIished
1931
Number of plots
Plot size - hectares
acres
1939
1928
1928
1951
Year terminated
Stand age at
establishment
Cowichan
Lake
15
40
36
62
50
46
40
1
3
1
1
14
14
1
0.28
0.69
0.10
0.25
0.16
0.40
0.40
1 .o
0.20
0.50
0.04
0.10
0.04
0.10
1 B.C.F.S. = British Columbia Forest Service
2 C.F.S. = Canadian Forestry Service
CD
-
10-
Re-examination of the installation: Remeasurements of the installation, including disease assessments, were undertaken in 1945, 154, 157 and 175. In addition, examinations for mortality and other disease symptoms were made in 1932 - 1935, 138, 139, 142,
143, 148,160, 161, 164, 166,168, 170 and 172.
-
-
INSTALLATION 2 established 1939 Permanent sample plot no. PW-1
Study location: Cowichan Lake Forest Experiment Station, North Arm Section
(Fig. 1).
Stand and site characteristics: Three circular plots were established in an almost
pure, 40-year-old Douglas-fir stand growing on an almost level bench on the north shore of
Cowichan Lake. The site index was judged to be 173 a t 100 years. Root rot was well established in all plots a t the time they were established.
Installation establishment: The three circular plots composing the installation
were ca. 18 m (59 ft) in diameter and contained 0.1 ha (0.25 acre). All trees 2.5 cm (1 inch)
diameter and larger were recorded as to d.b.h. and crown class. Plots 1, 2 and 3 contained
98, 136 and 155 trees, respectively. All trees were plotted relative to a center post, using a
staff compass and chain.
Reexamination of the installation: Subsequent to plot establishment, diameter
measurements were taken in 1945, 149 and 151; crown class was recorded in 1951, and
heights were sampled in 1949. Progress of the disease was recorded in 1942, 143, 145,
148, 149 and 151. Following the 1951 examination, the stand was thinned and disease
examination terminated.
Disease incidence for the 5 years following plot establishment was reported
by Bier and Buckland (1947).
-
INSTALLATION 3 established in 1928 - Permanent Sample Plot No, 60.
Study location: Hillier's Crossing, Vancouver Island, Subdivision 38, Lot 9,
Cameron Land Division (Fig. 1).
Stand and site characteristics: The installation was located a t the base of a
valley a t an elevation of ca. 180 m (600 ft), N.E. aspect, slope 19%, in an almost pure stand
of Douglas-fir which had seeded-in in 1892, following a fire that left few of the parent
trees living. The stand was vigorous and generally even in appearance, the crown being
nearly completely closed in 1928. The trees were 36 years of age, with an average height
of the dominants of 16 m (51 ft); the site index a t 100 years was judged to be 104.
The soil in the stand was a deep, well-drained gravel with good moisture holding capacity. The ground cover was dominated by salal (Gaultheria shallon) and contained
a few scattered ferns (sword fern (Polystichum munitum), deer fern (Struthiopteris spicant))
and mosses.
Installation establishment: Installation boundaries, 40.3 m (132 f t ) square,
,
- 11 were surveyed with a staff compass and chain and labelled posts were placed a t the corners.
The installation contained 0.16ha (0.4acre).
Nine hundred and fourteen trees 2.5 cm (I inch) d.b.h. and larger were numbered and their diameters were measured to the nearest 25 cm (0.1inch). Height was measured with an Abney and chain, and age was determined from increment cores taken a t
breast height. A plane table,alidade and chain were used in charting tree locations within
the instaIlation.
Re-examinations of the installation: Early remeasurements were made in
May-June of 1933, /37,/42 and /47.The following observations made a t those periods
are of interest. In June 1933, the trees were overly dense and the dominant and codominants were not well differentiated; both factors were contributing to poor growth. By
June 1937, the dominants and codominants had started to assert themselves. Mortality
was apparent, usually in small clumps, indicating that a root rot fungus might be responsible.
Blister rust did not start to take i t s toll of the white pine until about 1942.
Subsequent remeasurements of the installation and disease inspections occurred
in 1952, /55, /57,/67 and /75.Interim disease inspections were made in 1961,/66,/67,
/68, /70 and /73. The stand appears to have developed normally; the root rot fungus
Phellinus weirii is present in a few stems but is not reducing stand stocking t o any significant
extent.
INSTALLATION 4 - established in 1928 - Permanent Sample Plot No. 61.
Study location: Hillier’s Crossing, Vancouver Island, Subdivision 43, Lot 9,
Cameron Lane Division (Fig. 1).
Stand and site characteristics: The installation was located in a valley bottom
at an elevation of ca. 180 m (600ft), with a N.E. aspect and a slope of 16%. The stand was
almost pure Douglas-fir which had seeded-in about 1866, following a fire that destroyed
most of the parent stand. A t the time the installation was established, the stand was 62
years of age; was growing vigorously, crown closure was nearly complete, and the ground
cover was sparse. The average height of dominant and codominant trees was 30 m (99ft)
and the site index a t 100 years was judged to be 120.
The soil was a deep, well-drained gravel with good seepage which kept the
moisture high throughout the year. The ground cover, where light penetrated the crown,
was composed of salal, sword fern, huckleberry ( Vaccinium ovatum), Oregon grape
(Mahonia nervosa) and vanilla leaf (Achyls triphylla). A light growth of moss covered
the ground.
Installation establishment: Installation boundaries, 63.61 m (208.56f t ) square,
were surveyed with a staff compass and chain and the corners were marked with labelled
posts. The installation contained 0.4 ha (1 acre).
One thousand and twenty-three trees 2.5 cm (1 inch) d.b.h. and larger were
classified as to d.b.h. to the nearest 2.5 mm (0.1inch) and crown class. Representative tree
heights were measured with an Abney and chain. Ages were determined from increment
- 12cores taken a t breast height. The location of each tree within the installation was plotted,
using a plane table, alidade and chain.
Re-examinations of the installation: Early remeasurements of the installation
were done in 1933, /37, /42 and /47 and the following comments were noted. By 1933,
species mortality was Douglas-fir 6%, western hemlock 13% and western red cedar 5%.
Three or 4 years prior to the 1937 inspection, a large number of trees had blown down,
leaving the central portion of the installation relatively open (author's note - Phellinus
weirii root rot is present in this area and was probably responsible for this loss). In 1942,
stand age 76 years, the average height of the dominant and codominant trees had reached
33.2 m (109 feet).
Subsequent remeasurements and disease inspections in the installation occurred
in 1953, /55, /57, /67 and /75. Interim disease inspections were done in 1961, /66, /68,
/70 and /73. Phellinus weirii root rot has caused minor damage in the central and southern
sections of the installation but the remainder of the plot is developing normally.
INSTALLATION 5 - established 1951 - permanent sample plot no. 364.
Study location: East end of the North Arm of Cowichan Lake, Vancouver
Island (Fig. 1).
Stand and site characteristics: The installation was established in a fairly
uniform, well-stocked, 50-year-old stand of Douglas-fir which regenerated naturally following logging in 1891. Stand composition was 90% Douglas-fir and 10% western hemlock,
western red cedar, Abies grandis and bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh). Site index
in the stand a t 100 years varied from 160 to 190. The elevation of the site was ca. 160
meters (500 ft).
The terrain was relatively flat. The soil varied from a rocky, coarse gravel
to well-drained sandy loam with good moisture holding capacity. The vegetation type
varied from sword fern to salal, the former predominating.
Damage caused by the root rot fungus Phellinus weirii was generally distributed throughout the stand.
Installation establishment: The stand was approximately 20.25 ha (50 acres)
in size. In the treated portion, a heavy crown thinning removed 44% of the trees or 41%
of the cubic foot volume from the stand (Table 8).
Seven 0.2 ha (0.5 acres) plots were established in the thinned stand and seven
in the adjacent unthinned stand. Each plot wasdivided into two equal and adjacent subplots.
The average site index, a t 100 years, of the thinned plots was 172 (range 160-184) and of
the unthinned plots was 168 (range 157-189).
All trees 2.5 cm (1 inch) and larger in diameter were tagged and the diameter
and crown class were recorded along with heights of sample trees. A stem chart of all plots
was prepared by the Canadian Forestry Service personnel in 1952.
-
13-
Table 8. Stand statistics per acre based on seven half-acre permanent sample plots1
Average
d.b.h.
cm
in.
Average
ht
m
(ft)
Ht of
dom. &
codom.
m
Total
no. of
trees
Total
basal
area
m
(sq ft)
(ft).
Total
vo I
m3
(cu ft)
~~~
Removed in
thinning
25.9
(10.2)
31.4
(103)
Residual stand
after thinning
27.4
(10.2)
32.0
(105)
36.6
174
9.1
(97.8)
112
(4006)
22 1
13.0
(140.2)
165
(5828)
( 120)
~
T hinning percentage
~~~
_
44
_
_
41
~
41
~~
From Joergensen (1952)
Re-examination of the installation: Remeasurements were undertaken as
follows: diameters in 1957, /60, /63, /68, /70 and /75; crown class in 1951 and /75; sample
tree heights in 1957, /63, /68, /70 and /75 (plots 7,10,11 and 12 were destroyed following
the 1970 inspection and were not included in the 1975 remeasurement).
Periodic sanitation cuts to remove dead and root rot-infected trees have been
carried out since the study was established.
For further details see Joergensen (1952).
-
INSTALLATION 6 established 1945 - permanent sample plot no. 395.
Study location: Lot 35, Alberni Land District, near Sproat Lake, ca. 8 miles
west of Port Alberni (Fig. 1).
Stand and site characteristics: The installation consisted of 14 plots established
in a 46-year-old Douglas-fir stand which regenerated in 1899 following logging, Stumps
were not found on the plots so some land clearing may have been done by settlers before
the area reforested.
Based on growth characteristics and vegetation types, the plots were divided
into two groups. Plots 3,6,9,12,13,15 and 16 were located on a salal site; based on Meyer's
Site Classification, the site index a t 100 years was 115. Plots 2, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 14 were
established on a sword fern - salal site type with an estimated site index of 130 a t 100 years.
Land and vegetation type for each plot are listed in Table 9.
Phellinus weirii root rot was causing damage in all plots except 4 and 16 a t
the time of establishment.
-
- 14Table 9. Topographic and vegetation features present in each of the plots in Installation 6,
permanent sample plot 395.
Subplot
no.
Topography
Aspect
Slope
%
Ground
cover
Crown
canopy
(tenths)
2
undulating bench
sw
8
0. grape1 - mayleaf2
0.7
3
undulating bench
E
20
0. grape - mayleaf
0.6
4
undulating bench
NE
20
0. grape - mayleaf
0.9
6
undulating bench
E
14
0. grape
1.o
7
undulating bench
E
10
0. grape - mayleaf
0.7
8
undulating bench
NE
10
0. grape - sw. fern3
0.7
9
undulating bench
SE
5
mayleaf - 0. grape
0.8
10
undulating bench
E
20
mayleaf - sw. fern
1.o
11
undulating bench
18
12
undulating bench
sw
sw
13
undualting bench
14
undulating bench
15
16
salal4- bracken 5
0.3
8
salal - bracken
0.7
S
15
mayleaf - 0. grape
0.4
sw
12
bracken - mayleaf
0.7
level
S
10
0. grape
0.7
level
E
10
0. grage
0.9
1 Oregon grape - Mahonia nervosa
2 vanilla leaf - Achlys triphylla
3 sword fern - Polystichum munitum
4 Gaultheria shallon
5 Pteridium aquilinum pubescens
Installation establishment: The installation consisted of 14 plots, each 20.1 m
(66 ft) square and containing 0.04 ha (0.1 acre), located in four parallel lines 40.2 (132 f t )
apart; plots were 80.5 m (264 ft) apart along the lines. Stem charts were prepared for all
plots. Number of living Douglas-fir and average height by 2.5 cm (1 inch) diameter classes
present a t the 1946 measurement period can be seen in Table 10.
Re-examination of the installation: Following installation establishment, d.b.h.
and crown class of all trees and heights of sample trees were recorded in 1950 and 1955.
Observations on root rot development continued until 1963. Following these measurements,
the area was put into a recreational reserve and the installation was abandoned.
Table 10. Total number of trees and their average height (feet) and basal area (square feet) in l-inch diameter classes for plots in
installation 6 measured in 1946.
Plot
D.B.H. class
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
0
0
4
12
18
17
11
9
4
ht
43
51
57
63
68
72
75
3
78
3
81
b.a.
0.3
2.5
3.4
3.0
3.2
1.8
1.6
2 no.
1.1
12
13
14
15
16
2.0
2
15
21
16
10
11
6
4
1
3
ht
26
36
44
50
56
61
66
70
73
79
b.a.
0.04
0.8
1.9
2.2
2.0
3.0
2.1
1.8
0.5
1
3
5
4
8
4
4
5
5
4
1
1
1
ht
43
51
57
63
68
72
75
78
81
83
86
88
92
b.a.
0.1
0.3
0.7
0.8
2.2
1.4
0.9
2
14
15
16
14
13
ht
26
36
44
50
56
b.a.
0.1
0.8
1.3
2.2
1
1
4
4
ht
14
32
43
b.a.
0.01
0.02
3 no.
4 no.
0
0
0
2.4
1.4
1.8
2.8
3.3
3.2
13
1
2
2
1
61
66
70
73
76
79
2.8
3.5
4.6
0.4
1.1
1.3
0.8
2
3
2
5
4
8
1
2
1
1
51
57
63
68
72
75
78
81
83
86
90
0.2
0.4
0.3
0.6
0.5
1.8
1.8
4.4
0.7
1.6
0.9
1.2
1
5
6
8
6
2
2
3
6
1
2
1
ht
43
51
57
63
68
72
75
78
81
83
86
88
b.a.
0.1
0.4
0.8
0.7
0.9
4.0
0.8
6 no.
7 no.
8 no.
0
1.6
1.6
1.6
1.8
1.1
1.1
17
18
Table 10. continued
Plot
1
9 no.
0
ht
b.a.
2
1
26
0.02
3
4
14 23
36 44
0.7 2.0
5
6
7
8
9
10
1
72
0.4
2
2
76 78
0.9 1.1
1
81
0.7
1
83
0.8
0
1
88
1 .o
1
81
0.7
1
83
0.8
0
3
88
3.2
0
0
0
1
96
1.8
1
76
0.7
0
1
81
0.9
0
1
86
0.9
2
88
2.2
0
0
0
1
96
1.8
2
1
79 81
1.6 0.9
2
84
2.2
1
86
1.2
0
1
86
4
4
63 68
0.8 1.1
2
72
0.7
4
1
76 78
1.8 0.6
19
50
2.6
11
11
56 61
2.2 3.0
8
66
2.8
4
70
1.8
2
66
0.7
1
70
0.4
b.a.
ht
5
26
b.a.
0.1
18 12
36 44
0.9 1.1
2
26
0.05
4
3
36 44
0.2 0.3
5
50
0.7
4
56
0.8
1
4
43 51
0.1 0.4
8
57
1.1
5
5
63 68
1.0 1.4
6
72
2.1
4
75
6
78
1.8 3.3
0
1
3
16
26
0.01 0.1
19
9
36 43
0.9 0.8
4
50
0.6
4
2
56 61
0.8 0.5
2
66
0.7
1
3
70 73
1.3 0.6
6
76
4.0
27
16
26
0.04 0.6
21
36
1.1
6
50
0.8
4
3
56 61
0.8 0.8
3
66
1 .o
5
4
70 73
1.8 2.8
0
12 no.
13 no.
0
0
ht
b.a.
14 no.
0
0
ht
b.a.
15 no.
ht
b.a.
16 no.
ht
ha.
7
10
43
0.9
18
1
1
63 68
0.2 0.3
3
57
0.4
ht
17
1
79
0.8
6
8
43 51
0.3 0.7
1
7
15
32
0.01 0.2
16
0
0.1
1 1 no.
15
2
1
70 73
0.9 0.5
b.a.
0
14
6
66
2.1
ht
0
13
7
21
56 61
4.2 1.9
2
57
0.3
0
12
25
50
3.5
1
51
10 no.
11
0
0
0
2
81
1.8
1
92
1.4
1.2
- 17 INSTALLATION 7 - established 1935 - permanent sample plot no. 200
Study location: British Columbia Forest Service Experiment Station, Cowichan
Lake (Fig. 1).
Stand and site characteristics: The installation was established in a limited
40-to 45-year-old stand of Douglas-fir surrounded by a mixed stand of Douglas-fir, western
hemlock and western red cedar. The installation was located about 25 meters (80 ft) from
the lake shore. Root rot was present in the stand prior t o 1930 and was causing damage in
trees adjacent to the installation. The trees in the installation, however, were vigorous and
growing we11.
The ground cover consisted chiefly of Hypnum moss with a sparse covering of
salal.
Installation establishment: The installation was 20.6 m square and contained
0.04 ha (0.1 acre). Sixty-five trees were measured, of which 68% were Douglas-fir.
Re-examination of the installation: Following establishment, d.b.h. was
recorded in 1940, /45, /49, /50 and /54, and crown class in 1940, /45, /49 and /54, a t
which time the installation was abandoned because of excessive root rot mortality. Sample
trees were measured for height in 1935, /49 and /54.
References
Bier, J.E. and D.C. Buckland. 1947. Relation of research in forest pathology to the management of second growth forests I. Poria weirii root rot, an important disease
affecting immature stands of Douglas fir. B.C. Lumberman 31 (2): 49-51, 64,
66.
Bloomberg, W.J., D. Hunt and G.W. Wallis. 1976. A data bank system for forest tree disease
and growth plots in British Columbia. Can. Forest Service Rep. BC-X-143.
Foster, R.E. and A.L.S. Johnson. 1963. Studies in forest pathology XXV. Assessment of
pattern, frequency distribution, and sampling of forest disease in Douglas fir
plantations. Dept. Forestry Publ. 101 1.
Johnson, A.L.S. and G.W. Wallis. 1972. Impact of root rot and other diseases in young
Douglas-fir plantations. Forest. Chron. 48: 316-319.
Joergensen, Chr. 1952. A commercial thinning experiment in Douglas fir. B.C. Forest
Service Res. Notes No. 22.
Canadian Forestry Service
Pacific Forest Research Centre
506 W. Burnside Rd.
Victoria, B.C. V8Z IM5
BC-X-144 June 1976