Evaluating the Effectiveness of Restoration Treatments to Enhance Oregon White Oak Systems Within the Klickitat River Watershed
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Restoration Treatments to Enhance Oregon White Oak Systems Within the Klickitat River Watershed

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2018

Total Pages: 37

ISBN-13:

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Oregon white oak (Quercus garryanna) and associated plant communities provide key habitat to a number of plant and animal species, including Washington state listed threatened populations of Western grey squirrel. Over the past 150 years, human actions such as logging, fire suppression and grazing have altered stand structure and species composition of oak systems, reducing the extent and quality of historic Oregon white oak habitat. Oregon white oak and associated habitats are common in Klickitat County, which has one of the largest remaining acreages of Oregon white oak systems in the state of Washington. While most oak systems in the Pacific Northwest are found on private lands, Klickitat County contains a significant percentage of oak resources under public ownership, which provides unparalleled opportunities for landscape level management of oak systems. One management strategy public agencies and private landowners have been using to restore oak woodlands and savannas is oak release, in which conifers are removed or doghair oak stands are thinned to enhance stand conditions, improve wildlife features, and reduce the risk of habitat destroying fire. I examined the response of Oregon white oak trees thirteen years post-treatment, evaluating oak growth, seedling and cut stump responses, fuel load accumulation and changes in snag abundance, and compared these findings to untreated areas. Oak diameter, height and live-crown ratio were not significantly influenced by treatment; however, released stands displayed greater increases in tree diameters than were observed in control groups. Seedling and sapling recruitment of released stands were both significantly different from control stands. Logistic regression showed that percent canopy cover was a significant factor in determining the probability of oak stump sprout. Fuel treatments during release successfully reduced the amount of surface fuels across the study site, however overall fuel height increased between the study years. Lastly, snag abundance declined between the study years. I recommended management strategies for future implementation and protocol modifications for subsequent monitoring to help evaluate long-term release impacts.

Evaluation of Landscape Alternatives for Managing Oak at Tenalquot Prairie, Washington
Evaluation of Landscape Alternatives for Managing Oak at Tenalquot Prairie, Washington

Author: Peter Jay Gould

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 56

ISBN-13:

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In recent years, interest has increased in restoring Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana Dougl. ex Hook.) and prairie landscapes in the Pacific Northwest, especially where elements of historical plant communities are intact. We evaluated the effect of alternative management scenarios on the extent and condition of Oregon white oak, the extent of prairie, and the harvest and standing volumes of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) within a 2934-ha portion of Fort Lewis, Washington (named the Tenalquot Planning Area for the purpose of the project). A landscape-level analysis of the scenarios was completed using a geographic information system, a forest growth model (ORGANON), and landscape visualization software (EnVision). The scenarios ranged from no active management to restoration of the historical extent of oak and prairies within the planning area. The results indicate that the window of opportunity for restoring oak and prairie landscapes in the Puget Sound lowlands and other regions is small, and aggressive management is needed to maintain or enhance these landscapes. The project demonstrates the value of landscape-level analyses and the use of new technologies for conveying the results of alternative management scenarios.

Evaluation of Landscape Alternatives for Managing Oak at Tenalquot Prairie, Washington
Evaluation of Landscape Alternatives for Managing Oak at Tenalquot Prairie, Washington

Author: United States Department of Agriculture

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2015-06-26

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 9781508723721

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In recent years, interest has increased in restoring Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana Dougl. ex Hook.) and prairie landscapes in the Pacific Northwest, especially where elements of historical plant communities are intact. We evaluated the effect of alternative management scenarios on the extent and condition of Oregon white oak, the extent of prairie, and the harvest and standing volumes of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) within a 2934-ha portion of Fort Lewis, Washington (named the Tenalquot Planning Area for the purpose of the project). A landscape-level analysis of the scenarios was completed using a geographic information system, a forest growth model (ORGANON), and landscape visualization software (EnVision). The scenarios ranged from no active management to restoration of the historical extent of oak and prairies within the planning area. The results indicate that the window of opportunity for restoring oak and prairie landscapes in the Puget Sound lowlands and other regions is small, and aggressive management is needed to maintain or enhance these landscapes. The project demonstrates the value of landscape-level analyses and the use of new technologies for conveying the results of alternative management scenarios.

A Practical Guide to Oak Release
A Practical Guide to Oak Release

Author: Constance A. Harrington

Publisher:

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 28

ISBN-13:

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Oregon white oak savannas and woodlands represent a biological and cultural legacy in the Pacific Northwest. Many Oregon white oak stands are deteriorating owing to invasion and eventual overtopping by Douglas-fir or other conifers. Releasing the shade-intolerant oak trees from overtopping conifers can often restore these oak stands. When planning a release operation, there are many factors to consider such as timing and intensity of release, which trees to select for release, and management of the understory. A carefully executed oak release can minimize damage to oak trees, and followup treatments may reduce the spread of invasive plants. This guide answers the most commonly asked questions related to oak release.

Implications of Urbanization and Climate Change for Oregon White Oak (Quercus Garryana) Regeneration, Planning, and Management in the Pacific Northwest
Implications of Urbanization and Climate Change for Oregon White Oak (Quercus Garryana) Regeneration, Planning, and Management in the Pacific Northwest

Author: Julia Michalak

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13:

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Land-cover and climate change pose significant challenges to ecological planning and management. Ecological responses to these changes are mediated by the interactions between landscape structure, biodiversity, and ecosystem function. I use a case study of Oregon white oak in the rapidly urbanizing coastal Pacific Northwest to explore these interactions and their implications for planning. Biodiversity changes dramatically as urban development intensifies. Yet the subsequent impacts on ecological functions remain relatively unexplored. I hypothesize that urbanization alters the community composition of acorn-dispersing animal species, and that this, in conjunction with fine-scaled habitat and foraging interactions, will generate unique dispersal and regeneration patterns in urban oak woodlands. I tracked the dispersal of individual acorns directly to test whether dispersal differs in urban and non-urban landscapes and used experimental acorn plantings and observations of seedling and sapling abundance to test whether urbanization influences later stages of oak regeneration. I found that more acorns were consumed and dispersal distances were shorter in urban oak woodlands making acorn dispersal services inferior to those in non-urban landscapes. Seedling production and abundance did not differ between urban and non-urban sites, although young saplings were less abundant in urban oak woodlands. Understanding the effects of landscape patterns on regeneration processes is essential for learning how to manage urban oak ecosystems. Due to their complexity, understanding how ecological systems will respond to climate change is highly uncertain. I evaluate potential climate impacts on Oregon white oak in the Willamette Valley using a range of information sources to identify consensus, uncertainty, and knowledge gaps in our understanding of oak vulnerability. Based on this assessment, I develop resource response scenarios to incorporate irreducible uncertainty directly into the planning process and identify flexible and robust adaptation strategies for oak management. As land-cover and climate changes intensify, ecological planning practice must expand to include human-dominated landscapes, such as urbanizing regions, productively. In addition, management plans must be flexible and robust to future uncertainties. Understanding the ecological implications of these changes, and developing appropriate management and adaptation strategies, are essential tasks for ecological planners in the next century.

Oregon White Oak Restoration Strategy for National Forest System Lands East of the Cascade Range
Oregon White Oak Restoration Strategy for National Forest System Lands East of the Cascade Range

Author: Warren Devine

Publisher:

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 97

ISBN-13:

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Significant work has been undertaken to conserve and restore Pacific Northwest Oregon white oak habitats, but this work has almost entirely focused on lands west of the Cascade Range. Much of the historical eastside Oregon white oak savanna and woodland habitat has been lost, and the combined effects of fire suppression, invasive species, grazing, and development threaten significant portions of the remaining extent. This restoration strategy focuses on conservation and preservation of stands that are still structurally and functionally intact, and restoration of degraded stands, to ensure the longevity of this habitat and the species that rely on it. The target audience is managers at the Mt. Hood, Gifford Pinchot, and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The strategy includes a review of the relevant biological and ecological literature, a discussion of restoration issues, tools for prioritizing restoration sites and choosing management actions, and discusson of management activities. Also included are maps, restoration case studies, recommendations for planning and research, and an annotated bibliography of relevant literature.

A Landowner's Guide for Restoring and Managing Oregon White Oak Habitats
A Landowner's Guide for Restoring and Managing Oregon White Oak Habitats

Author: David Vesely

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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"The primary purpose of this Guide is to encourage private landowners to conserve, and when appropriate, actively manage Oregon white oaks that already exist on their property, and consider planting additional oaks. In the early chapters of the Guide, we describe some of the uses and benefits of this remarkable tree in hopes of motivating landowners to take action. An introduction to the ecology of the Oregon white oak is included so the reader can better understand how management practices are founded on aspects of the tree's biology. Later chapters are designed to help landowners develop land management goals and understand the process of natural resource planning."--Page 2.

Conserving Avian Diversity in Agricultural Systems
Conserving Avian Diversity in Agricultural Systems

Author: Craig A. DeMars

Publisher:

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13:

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Over one third of the earth's land surface has been modified to some extent for agricultural purposes. The large global footprint of agriculture, combined with the knowledge that existing reserve networks are likely insufficient for long-term conservation of native biodiversity, has necessitated that agricultural systems contribute to conservation of native biota. Current research paradigms have taken a landscape-level view of conservation in agricultural systems, assessing the relative contribution that various habitat elements make in conserving biodiversity in the agricultural matrix. Within this context, I investigated the potential role that individual Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) trees play in conserving avian diversity in the agricultural systems of the Willamette Valley, Oregon, U.S.A. Retained by landowners primarily for cultural reasons, many of these trees pre-date Euro-American settlement of the Willamette Valley and thus are biological legacies from historic white oak habitats. I compared avian use of isolated white oak trees in three different site contexts - croplands, pastures, and oak savanna reserves - and used an information-theoretic model selection approach to determine the relative importance of site-specific and landscape-level factors thought to influence avian use of these individual trees. Specifically, I tested whether avian species presence on Oregon white oak legacy trees could best be explained by: (i) tree architecture; (ii) the distance of the tree to the nearest tree or patch; (iii) the density of trees in the surrounding landscape; or (iv) the matrix in which the tree was embedded. I evaluated species-specific responses as well as four community-level responses: (i) total bird species richness; (ii) species richness of native birds associated with oak savanna; (iii) species richness of tree foraging birds; and (iv) the combined species richness of aerial- and ground-foraging birds. I sampled 35 individual white oak trees and recorded 47 avian species using these individual trees, including a high number of oak savanna-associated species such White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) and Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina). For the majority of these species, the frequency of use of individual oak trees was similar among crop, pasture and reserve sites. The most important factors for predicting avian use were tree size and tree density in the surrounding landscape. In general, avian use increased with increasing tree size and decreasing tree density. My findings suggest that individual white oak legacy trees have the potential to positively contribute to landscape-level conservation of a wide range of avian species within the Willamette Valley. Due to the declining abundance of white oak legacy trees on the landscape, the conservation of existing legacy trees and the recruitment of younger replacement trees should be a management priority.