Current Status and Long-term Trends of Silvicultural Practices in Minnesota: A 2008 Assessment

Abstract

The silvicultural practices applied within a given landbase are dynamic and respond to numerous social, economic, and biological drivers. Minnesota is unique in that the silvicultural practices occurring within the state have been surveyed periodically over the past two decades, allowing for an assessment of the general trends and status of practices. These assessments are also critical for examining how factors, such as the adoption of site-level guidelines or fluctuations in stumpage prices, affect the types of management employed across the landbase. This study characterizes the status of silvicultural practices within Minnesota in 2008 and uses results from past surveys (1991 and 1996) to describe general trends in silviculture across ownerships and over time. A questionnaire regarding silvicultural practices applied in fiscal year 2008 was administered to all state, county, federal, industry, and Native American ownerships. Surveys included questions on silvicultural and harvesting practices such as regeneration practices used, extent and type of biofuels harvesting, use of site-level guidelines, and approaches to insect and disease issues. In addition, openended responses were collected on questions relating to general constraints most affecting the implementation of silvicultural practices.