Our Vermont Woods

Irregular shelterwood silvicultural systems have been part of foresters’ silvicultural repertoire for well over a century, but only during the past two decades – as alternatives to clearcutting and ecological forestry have gained prominence -- has this system been formally studied and applied in New England and adjacent Canada. This webinar will trace the origins of the irregular shelterwood system in Europe and North America and will define how this method is distinct from conventional shelterwood and balanced selection systems. The strong dependence of most northeastern species on large advance regeneration, coupled with myriad opportunities to conserve growing stock and enhance vertical structure, confer strong advantages of irregular shelterwood systems over both simpler and more complex silvicultural systems. Bob will illustrate these principles using several case studies of irregular shelterwood application from his 20+ years of research on the Acadian Femelschlag and recent treatments on his own woodlots.

Presenter: Dr. Robert (Bob) S. Seymour, Curtis Hutchins Professor of Silviculture, University of Maine School of Forest Resources