Abstract The effect of thinning on stand structure and volume production is well studied. However, the effect of combinations of precommercial (PCT) and commercial thinning (CT) on the production of different log grades and differential growth responses is less understood, although it is crucial for forest managers to choose an optimal management regime. Starting with actual operational field data from a lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var.latifolia) PCT trial on fair quality sites (site index: 16–18 m at 50 years), we used an individual tree growth model to forecast development over the entire rotation. We found thinning changed the structure (density, quadratic mean diameter) of the stands but not the total volume production. However, in terms of merchantable volume and large sawlog volume, stands with only PCT provided the largest volume, more than either CT or a combination of PCT and CT, or the unthinned control. Moreover, our study findings also showed that, by doing only PCT, stands reached maximum merchantable or large sawlog mean annual increment earlier than other thinned or unthinned stands. This indicates that PCT might shorten the rotation length and contribute to an enhanced supply of timber. Study Implications: The effect of commercial thinning (CT) on stand structure and volume production is well studied. However, the effect of combinations of precommercial (PCT) and commercial thinning (CT) on the production of different log grades and differential growth responses is less studied, although it is crucial for forest managers to choose a management option. Starting with actual operational field data from a lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var.latifolia) PCT trial in a fair-quality site (site index [SI]: 16–18), we used an individual tree growth model to develop the stands over the entire rotation. We found thinning changed the structure (density, quadratic mean diameter) of the stands but not the total volume production. However, in terms of merchantable volume and large sawlog volume, stands with only PCT provided the largest volume, more than either CT or a combination of PCT and CT, or the unthinned control. Moreover, our study findings also showed that, by doing only PCT, stands reached maximum merchantable or large sawlog MAI earlier than other thinned or unthinned stands. This indicates that PCT might shorten the rotation length and contribute to the continuous supply of timber production.

Abstract Private nonindustrial forest owners’ intention to safeguard biodiversity in their own forest was studied by applying the theory of planned behavior. The data were collected in a nationwide mail survey sent to 3,000 Finnish forest owners (response rate 35%). The impact of attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control on the intention to safeguard biodiversity was empirically tested by estimating structural equation models (SEM). The empirical estimations supported the theoretical model. The influence of perceived behavioral control was inhibiting on the intention and slightly stronger than the explanatory power of attitude or the subjective norm. External factors had an impact on the explanatory pattern of the intention. The effect of subjective norm increased and the role of attitude decreased with age. Academic education increased the importance of attitudes and decreased the role of normative pressures. In the development of voluntary measures aimed at safeguarding biodiversity, special attention should be paid to the reduction of the obstacles for the implementation perceived by forest owners. Forest owners often perceive important to retain decision-making power for the next generation. Forest owners should be provided with information about the different measures for safeguarding biodiversity and the contract terms. Study Implications: Forest owners consider active timber production, compensation level, willingness to retain decision-making power for the next generation, and small forest ownership as factors that inhibit their intention to safeguard biodiversity in their own forests. Forest owners’ attitude toward safeguarding forest biodiversity and the normative pressures the reference groups create have a slightly smaller effect on intention. It is important to take the views of forest owners into account when developing voluntary measures for safeguarding biodiversity. It is essential to distribute information to forest owners about the available measures, their requirements, and compensation.

Abstract Diverse workforce representation helps organizations achieve their goals and is important for government agencies that seek to gain public trust. Prior research has examined patterns of representation in the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) and found an overall lack of representation despite advances at leadership levels. Federal agencies are required to report total workforce demographics; however, representation relative to local communities is rarely known. Using data from the US Census Bureau, we examined demographic profiles of populations within a 1-hour drive time around Forest Service workplaces relative to workforce demographics at each workplace. The Forest Service had a greater proportion of white employees than the US population as a whole, and racial/ethnicity diversity was lower than surrounding communities at 99.7% of Forest Service workplaces. Region-level summaries reinforce this pattern, suggesting the Forest Service is not a representative bureaucracy in any region or at any geographic scale. Given the Forest Service’s size, role in natural resources management, and geographic distribution of its workforce, disparities between demographic composition of the agency’s workforce and surrounding communities are striking. These results set a standard for spatially explicit assessments of workforce diversity as it relates to representative bureaucracy in geographically dispersed organizations like the Forest Service. Study Implications: Prior research showed that the USDA Forest Service had proportionally fewer Black/African American (~3 times fewer) and Asian (~2 times fewer) employees than the US civilian labor force as a whole. However, aggregate agency-level statistics and national comparisons may conceal local and regional level variation. To understand how the racial and ethnic diversity at each workplace compared with its surrounding geographic area’s local population, 690 workplaces were examined. Results were consistent across multiple drive times and levels of aggregation; the Forest Service’s workforce is less diverse than surrounding communities, which may potentially affect its ability to serve its many stakeholders.

Abstract Climate change impacts on tropical forests and tree species have been documented as changes in distribution, growing period, phenology, habitat, productivity, species composition, and migration. This study attempts to assess the current and future habitat suitability distribution of two dominant species of Central India, teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) and sal (Shorea robusta Gaertn. f.) using a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to predict species occurrences by finding the distribution that has the most spread. The future suitable habitat ranges of the species were modeled for two time periods (2050 and 2070) and two representative concentration pathways (RCP 2.6 and 8.5). Representative concentration pathways are scenarios that describe alternative trajectories for carbon dioxide emissions and the resulting atmospheric concentration from 2000 to 2100. We collected and modeled the spatially well-dispersed species occurrence points of teak and sal. The results suggested an increase in suitable habitat range for teak and a decrease for sal for both time periods and RCPs. Furthermore, the jackknife analysis identified temperature and precipitation seasonality as the major variables that influence the distribution of teak. In the case of sal, minimum temperature makes the maximum contribution to distribution changes. The suitable silvicultural strategies for forest management are proposed based on the future distribution of species in relation to the climate variables responsible for the change in their distribution range. These findings and strategies will help forest departments build future management plans for teak and sal forest with a focus on minimizing the impact of climate change. Study Implications: Our study used maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling to understand the impact of changing climate on the distribution of teak and sal forests of central India and to propose future silvicultural strategies. The study used MaxEnt model for two time periods and two climate change scenarios at highest resolution. An increase in future suitable habitat for teak and a decrease for sal is predicted by the model. Temperature for teak and precipitation for sal were identified as the major influencing climatic variables. We recommend forest and other related government departments to commission focused research to understand the changing patterns of species with climate change and design appropriate silviculture strategies for effective management.

Abstract Foliar nutrient status, diameter, and height growth were investigated for young ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) stands grown under six fertilizer and herbicide treatments (including control) in southeast Washington to diagnose foliar nutrient status and evaluate the effects of silvicultural treatments on growth rates. Two application methods of fertilizer (one “best guess” multi-nutrient fertilizer blend) and herbicide applications (broadcast or spot) were used in the study. Broadcast herbicide application produced higher tree growth responses than spot application. The two broadcast application methods improved diameter increments by 43.3%, whereas the average response of the three spot application methods during the third growing season was only 14.5%. Height growth response for these same two treatments was much less than the diameter response. Fertilizer application in addition to herbicide did not significantly increase tree growth over herbicide alone. Foliar nutrient response to fertilization based on foliar vector analysis was inconsistent, possibly due to nutrient imbalances resulting from the one multi-nutrient blend used in our experiment. Control of grass completion produced a rapid posttreatment early growth trajectory and suggested that stand establishment was successful in this plantation. Our results should also be useful in naturally regenerated young ponderosa pine forests subject to heavy grass competition.Study Implications: Given the increasing need for reforestation in the western United States, results from our study should provide useful information for forest managers. Stand establishment is a critical phase for ponderosa pine stands. Broadcast herbicide application in a recently established plantation produced a rapid early growth trajectory. In this experiment, reducing severe sod grass competition was the most important factor that increased tree growth. Our results may also apply to naturally regenerated ponderosa pine stands. Fertilization with a multi-nutrient fertilizer blend did not significantly increase tree growth as a separate treatment or when combined with herbicide. Foliar nutrient response to fertilization was inconsistent, possibly due to nutrient imbalances resulting from the multi-nutrient fertilizer blend used in our experiment. Fertilization rate and nutrient composition trials are needed to develop effective fertilization treatments in young ponderosa pine stands. Based on our results, fertilizing without vegetation control is not recommended when there is heavy grass competition. The grasses proliferated following only fertilization to the detriment of the trees. For the conditions in our study, we cannot recommend adding fertilizer in addition to the herbicide as a treatment because fertilization did not significantly increase tree growth over herbicide alone. We feel fertilization rate and nutrient composition trials are needed to develop effective fertilization treatments in young ponderosa pine stands. The establishment of ponderosa pine forests is vital for the future timber they may produce and the ecological benefits they provide. We recommend broadcast herbicide as an effective silvicultural treatment to control competing vegetation (from grasses in our experiment) during the stand establishment of ponderosa pine. As demonstrated in our study, the rapid posttreatment early growth trajectory from vegetation control suggests that stand establishment was successful.