current trends for red alder after 100 years of proliferation glenn ahrens osu extension forester...
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Current Trends for Red Alder After 100 Years of Proliferation
Glenn AhrensOSU Extension Forester
Clatsop and Tillamook Co.
Background - key references
Timber Harvest Western Oregon and Washington
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
1993199419951996199719981999200020012002
Tot
al -
Mill
ion
Boa
rd F
eet
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Ald
er -
Mill
ion
Boa
rd F
eet
Alder
All species
Will Alder Harvest Increase?
Agenda
• Red alder - 100 years of proliferation?
• Early forest disturbance and resource trends.
• Recent forest management trends and impacts on alder.
• Current and future trends for alder – How far will alder fall?
Alder has been more abundant in past climate
cycles.
Red alder rises again during the 1900’s
1933 Inventory 546 billion bf
red alder, 0.4%
bigleaf maple, 0.1%
Douglas-fir, 61%western hemlock,
19%
All other, 20%
Western Oregon and western Washington, Andrews and Cowlin 1940.
1989 Inventory 431 billion bf
Red alder, 5.3%
Bigleaf maple, 1.7%
Douglas-fir, 58%
Western hemlock, 17%
All other, 18%
Western Oregon and western Washington, USFS FIA IDB database 2006
1933 Inventory29 million acres
Hardwood, 2.6%
Conifer, 82.4%
Unstocked, 15.0%
Western Oregon and western Washington, Andrews and Cowlin 1940.
1989 Inventory23 million acres
Hardwood, 18.0%
Conifer, 79.2%
Unstocked, 2.8%
Western Oregon and western Washington, USFS FIA IDB database 2006.
Hardwood Inventory, Growth, and RemovalsPrivate lands - W. OR & W. WA
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
inve
nto
ry v
ol.
mil
lio
n c
u.f
t.
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
gro
wth
& r
emo
val
vol.
mil
lio
n c
u.f
t.
INVENTORY
GROWTH
REMOVALS
Sources: Raettig et. al 1995, Gray et. al 2002, Azuma et al. 2005
Red Alder Inventory Volumeinventory dates ~1995 to 2000
0500
1,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,000
N. Cali
forn
ia
Orego
n
Was
hingt
on
British
Colu
mbia
Alaska
Mill
ion
cu
.ft.
0
20
40
60
80
100
Mill
ion
cu
.me
ters
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis, BC Ministry of Forests
Annual Removals/Harvest of Red Alder~590 million bd. ft (4.9 million cu. m)
WA - Private65%
OR - Private23%
WA+OR State/OP5%
BC5%
CA2%
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis, BC Ministry of Forests ~1995-2000
Alder Sawtimber Inventory by Owner
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Federal State/OtherPublic
IndustrialPrivate
Other Private
Mill
ion
bo
ard
fe
et
WAOR
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis
•Abundant alder is a legacy of past practices.
•Modern forest practices generally reduce the alder component.
Area of Hardwood Forest TypesW. Oregon & W. Washington
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
1981 1991 2001
Year
Th
ou
san
d A
cre
s
Industrial PrivateNon-industrial PrivateState/Other public
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis
Alder Removals and GrowthW. Oregon & W. Washington
0.0
20.0
40.0
60.0
80.0
100.0
120.0
Industrial Non-IndustrialPrivate
State-other public
Mill
ion
cu
. fee
t RemovalGrowth
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis
Changes in Hardwood Volume10-year change 1990's
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
WA Growth WA Loss OR Growth OR Loss
Mill
ion
cu
.ft.
Land changeRemovalMortalityGrowth
Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis
Land Development has a disproportionate effect on the alder component of the forest.
Refuges for alder?
• Riparian management areas
• Unstable slopes
• Wildlife habitat retention
Riparian area restoration – girdle alder and plant conifers?
Knowledge of and management for alder is increasing.
Foresters often leave alder in young stands when it appears to be the “best tree”.
Non-industrial private owners are not aggressively favoring conifers…
Log Price Trends - NW OregonAdjusted for inflation - 2007 $
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1975 1985 1995 2005Year
U.S
. $
pe
r m
bf
Douglas-fir 2S & 3S
Alder CR (5"+)
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
cubic feet/acre/year
Douglas-fir -Empirical Yield
Red alder - EmpiricalYield
Douglas-fir -Managed
Red alder - Managed
Wood production rates for red alder and Douglas-fir
Projections of area of red alder by private ownerships in PNW westside region (Alig et. al 2000)
Source: K. Norm Johnson 2002, CLAMS
~16.4 % Broadleaf
Source: K. Norm Johnson 2002, CLAMS
~4.6 % Broadleaf
Climate change scenarios and potential shifts in the range of red alder (Shafer et. al 2001)
After a rapid increase in abundance during the 1900’s, red alder is now declining.
• Early logging ,land clearing, and burning favored proliferation of alder.
• Increasing management to meet landowner objectives - most major landowners reduced alder.
• Encroachment of non-forest development, particularly on lowlands with abundant alder.
Changing patterns of alder occurrence – smaller patches, more restricted to riparian areas, lower slopes.
Timber Harvest Western Oregon and Washington
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
1993199419951996199719981999200020012002
Tot
al -
Mill
ion
Boa
rd F
eet
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Ald
er -
Mill
ion
Boa
rd F
eet
Alder
All species
Will Alder Harvest Increase?
Red Alder Processed in W. Washington
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
Year
mil
lio
n t
on
s
Source: Washington Hardwoods Commission
How far will alder fall? - uncertain balance determines the future of the red alder
— Management favoring conifers on major private and public lands.
— Non-forest development, particularly on lowlands.
┼ Increasing value of alder – major industry and employment.
┼ Increasing management for alder - both economic and ecological goals.
± Climate change affects on suitability of sites for alder.
Private non-industrial forests are increasingly important for alder.
• Alder is a major component on private non-industrial (NI) forest lands.
• With diverse goals and less intensive management - alder is more likely to regenerate/persist.
• NI forest lands are also most susceptible to development.
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