Northern Oregon Coast Range Adaptive Management Area Research and Monitoring

Last Updated: 25 May 2001

Hebo Restoration Study

Topic: Thinning; Forest structure
Objectives: Learning to grow old-growth structure using alternative prescriptions on a degraded 1910 plantation of trees from off-site seed, apply active adaptive management; study focuses on soil productivity and biodiversity.
Status: Started about 1995; on-going long-term study; treatments installed, measurements being taken.
Principal investigators: Bernard Bormann, Ralph Crawford, Hebo Ranger District (Siuslaw National Forest)

Callahan Creek Density Management

Topic: Thinning; Riparian vegetation
Objectives: Study density management prescriptions to achieve old-growth stand characteristics as quickly as possible (i.e. large trees, snags, and down wood, and multiple layers of trees, shrubs, and herbs) and effects on wildlife and under-story plant species.
Status: started about 1994; on-going long-term study; treatments installed, measurements being taken.
Principal investigators: John Tappeiner, Charlie Thompson, Mary's Peak Resource Area (BLM)

Riparian Buffer Study--Callahan Ck. (started before 1995)

Topic: Thinning; Riparian vegetation
Objectives: study effects of different stream buffers within thinning units on microclimate, vegetation, and stream vertebrates.
Status: Started 1994; on-going long-term study; treatments installed, measurements being taken.
Principal investigators: Dede Olson, Sam Chan, BLM--Mary's Peak RA

Riparian Buffer Study--Schooner Ck.

Topic: Thinning; Riparian vegetation
Objectives: monitor effects of different stream buffers within thinning units on stream vertebrates.
Status: Started in 1997; pre-treatment measurements taken; logging held up by Survey and Manage Lawsuit
Principal investigators: Dede Olson, Bruce Hansen, USFS--Hebo R.D.

Stream restoration

Topic: fish habitat; restoration
Objectives: Examine the effect of a set of stream restoration techniques on stream structure and fish populations.
Status: Started about 1992; log structures installed; post-treatment measurements are continuing (by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)
Preliminary Results: Number and area of pools increased after logs were put in. Appeared to be a positive effect on numbers of some fish species. Other fish species, like coho, may be more limited by ocean returns than by early rearing habitat. Pool size diminished over time as sediments filled in behind logs, especially after February 1996 floods, and many alcoves filled with sediment or the openings to the creek were cut off by sediment.
Principal investigators: Steve Johnson, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Black Rock Thin

Topic: Thinning, tree growth
Objectives: evaluate productivity under different thinning regimes
Status: Started in the 1950’s; treatments completed; measurements continuing
Results (from one rep only): Original stand had 400-480 tpa, current treatments have 232, 126, 125, and 109 tpa. Mean DBH= 15.6, 19.2, 17.1,17.7", and 28.5 on 5 tpa treatment. Net volume production (standing + thin)--no clear patterns, tends to follow SI variation among plots. Mean annual increment still increasing at age 80, so get more volume than 2 40 yr rotations of higher value logs.
Principal investigators: Dave Marshall

Coastal Landscape Analysis and Modeling Study

Topic: Ecosystem dynamics
Objectives: develop tools that integrate ecological, social, economic, and policy dimensions of Ecosystem Management (EM); develop a framework for province-level EM; characterize the patterns and dynamics of human and ecological components; develop decision-support tools like data bases, models, and monitoring approaches; estimate effects of current policies on key resources and outputs across a multi-ownership province.
Status: Started in 1995; currently active; first phase scheduled for completion in calendar year 2000
Principal investigators: Tom Spies, Norm Johnson, Ralph Alig, Warren Cohen, Steve Garman, Gordon Grant, Rebecca Johnson, William McComb, Joe Means, Gordon Reeves, John Sessions

Douglas-fir-Red Alder Competition Study

Topic: Tree Competition, Nitrogen Cycling
Objectives: document the positive and negative interactions within and among Douglas-fir and red alder and investigate the mechanisms.
Status: Periodic activity includes stand re-measurement by Oregon State University. Started in 1987.
Principal investigators: Dave Hibbs and Steve Radosevich

Elk Creek Thin

Topic: Riparian vegetation
Objectives: determine effects of harvest, vegetation type, and landform on vegetation dynamics by sampling the spectrum of existing buffer strip conditions; develop tree regeneration systems.
Status: Started 1991; treatments completed; periodic re- measurement by BLM and Oregon State University
Results: Soil texture ranged from loamy sand to silty clay loam w/in a few meters. Light usually less than 10% in controls, and gaps dominated by herbs and shrubs. Survival generally decreased w/ over story cover, except reverse for THPL; growth decreased dramatically w/ cover. Growth was generally better w/ shrub cutting, though ABGR and THPL did better w/ 1-cut than w/ 2- cut. Alder-dominated buffer strips are stable; found few differences between buffer strips and intact riparian forest. Except for alder, few differences in growth and survival of 6 under planted spp in 60% thinned and complete removal treatments after 3 years. Thinned alder canopies were closing rapidly: future thinning may be required. Annual cutting of salmonberry had little effect on re-growth until third year.
Principal investigators: Dave Hibbs, Sam Chan, Bill Emmingham, John Tappeiner (COPE project)

Wildlife and Thinning Study

Topic: Wildlife
Objectives: determine effect of different thinning levels and densities of created snags on vegetation and wildlife.
Status: Pretreatment surveys were conducted and treatments installed in 1993. Continuing with measuring wildlife response.
Principal investigators: John Hayes, Bill McComb, Steve Hobbs, Bob Anthony, Bill Emmingham (COPE project)

Aquatic Wildlife Studies

Objectives: document salmonid and amphibian abundance and relationships to riparian habitats on multiple streams in the Coast Range.
Status: Started in 1986; a study on Schooner Ck is a long-term study of fish and amphibian diversity and abundance; a study on Drift Creek is an attempt at habitat classification using remote sensing data; and a study is examining cutthroat trout genetics on the whole coast. The team has also have developed a procedure for analysis and delineation of riparian reserve boundaries which needs to be field-tested and evaluated.
Principal investigators: Deanna Olson, Gordon Reeves, Bruce Hansen, and others
Topic: Aquatic Wildlife

Wildcat thin

Topic: Thinning; Vegetation management
Objectives: determine the abundance and growth of under-story plants, decay and accumulation of wood and organic matter, net primary production, and micro-site characteristics under different over-story treatments; and study effect of different commercial thinning and planting methods on response of over-story trees, stand structure, and wildlife habitat
Status: Ongoing long term study started in 1992.
Principal investigators: Pete Owston, Bill Emmingham, COPE

Laminated root rot thinning study

Topic: thinning; root disease
Objectives: study spread of laminated root rot (Phellinus weirii) in response to thinning of different types.
Status: Long term study started in 1996.  Treatments completed.  Measurements continue. Set up permanent grid in central 10 acres of each unit and map all diseased trees prior to harvest, verify/augment disease identification immediately after harvest, and monitor spread of disease in years following harvest.
Principal Investigators: Walt Thies, BLM--Tillamook RA

Cascade Head long-term ecological research (LTER)

Topic:  Stand dynamics
Objectives: Document tree population changes in long-term  plots for stands of different age and composition.
Status:  Plots established from 1935 through mid-1980s; trees are tagged and mapped and mortality and growth are measured at regular intervals.
Principal Investigators: Sarah Greene (PNW), Steve Acker (OSU), Mark Harmon  (OSU), Paul Harcombe (Rice University), and others

North coast late-successional structure and dynamics

Topic:  Late-Successional forests
Objectives: Sample structure and composition of existing  late-successional forests in different ecological zones across the AMA  to develop structural targets for stands to be restored.
Status:  Not known
Methods: Install permanently-marked 1 ha plots in  old-growth and other mature stands to characterize tree composition and  structure, woody debris, understory vegetation, disturbance history, and  characteristics of and response to natural gap formation. Compare results  to existing data and literature.
Principal Investigators: Andrew Gray (PNW)

Swiss Needle Cast Cooperative

Topic:  Root Disease
Objectives: Conduct research on the biology, detection,  and management of Swiss needle cast in the coastal Douglas-fir zone.
Status:  ongoing
Principal Investigators: Gregory Filip, Everett Hansen, Douglas Maguire,  Jeffrey Stone, and Kathleen Kavanagh (OSU)

Hebo Bark Beetle Study

Topic:  Forest Insect Damage
Objectives: Examine response of bark beetle populations  and infestation of live trees after felling and leaving trees to supply  coarse woody debris in thinning units.
Status:  ongoing measurements
Principal Investigators: Bruce Hostetler, Darrell Ross

Release of suppressed conifers in alder-dominated  riparian zones

Topic:  Stand dynamics
Objectives: Determine the best techniques for releasing  suppressed conifers in the understory through thinning of alder stands.
Status:  Measurements ongoing
Principal Investigator: William Emmingham (OSU)

Riparian restoration survey

Topic:  Riparian habitat
Objectives:  Characterize the kinds of riparian enhancement  projects that are being installed in the Coast Range
Status:  paper in preparation
Principal Investigators: William Emmingham (OSU), Sam Chan, Dan Mikowski,  and Pete Owston (PNW)