Monitoring & Next Steps

Monitoring

Monitoring is an essential component of the ASCC study. Research partners from several institutions are working together to investigate the effectiveness of different silvicultural treatments aimed at creating adaptive ecosystems. Some of the monitoring items include: 

  • Residual tree survival and growth 
  • Songbird and other wildlife community responses 
  • Natural regeneration and planted seedling survival and growth 
Checking the bird recorder for songbird activity. Photo Credit: Brian Palik, USDA Forest Service
Checking for songbird activity. Photo Credit: Brian Palik, USDA Forest Service 
Microclimate station. Photo Credit: Courtney Peterson, CSU
Microclimate stations were added to the Cutfoot EF ASCC plots. Photo Credit: Courtney Peterson, CSU 

Progress & Next Steps

The Cutfoot Experimental Forest ASCC project site will be tended and monitored into the future. This includes vegetation control around planted seedlings and deer browse protection on pine seedlings. A second entry into the resistance treatment will likely be planned to keep the residual basal area at 90-100 ft2/ac. Team members are using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) to model forest growth and survival to assess how well each treatment meets it’s associated DFCs under climate change scenarios. 

Climate Change Impacts
Management Goals & Treatments
Monitoring & Next Steps