conifer transplant survival in urban forests ben peterson · 2013-06-06 · conifer transplant...

Conifer Transplant Survival in Urban Forests Ben Peterson Objective What is the effect of mulch and/or supplemental irrigation on the survival and growth rate of two transplanted shade tolerant conifer seedlings: 1. western red cedar (Thuja plicata) 2. western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) Methods •Study conducted at three urban forest parks on Mercer Island, WA •Cleared each planting plots of all weeds (5’ diameter) •2 species: Bare‐root western red cedar and western hemlock seedlings (500+ total) •Four treatments planted in a randomized block design: • Bare ground (control) • 3’ ring of mulch (arborists woodchips) (4” deep) • Irrigation supplement (a cellulose based gel that slowly releases 1qt of water over a 3‐month period) • Mulch + irrigation supplement •Survival and Growth (height & diameter) monitored for two years Results Survival : •Mulched trees had a significantly higher survival rate than non‐ mulched trees (for both cedar and hemlock). •There was no significant difference in survival between plants with and without the irrigation supplement (IS) Growth : •There was no significant difference in growth over the two year period for either the mulch or IS treatment. Recommendations •Use mulch to increase the chances of survival. •(Even more mulch may be better.) •Don’t waste money on irrigation gels, they didn’t make a difference in this study. •Neither mulch or IS increased tree growth, so if increased growth is your goal, try something else. Thanks to: Amanda Stuckey, Kern Ewing, Soo‐ Hyung Kim, Paul West Ben is currently pursuing a masters degree in Restoration Ecology with Dr. Kern Ewing. Additional research was part of this study. To find out more you may contact him at [email protected] Bare ground (control) Mulch Irrigation supplement (IS) Mulch + IS Treatments average % survival cedar hemlock all mulched trees 51% 45% all non‐ mulched trees 34% 22% Background Native conifer trees in Puget Sound area urban forests are in decline. Logging in the late 1800’s lead to a paucity of conifers and conifer seed source. The native deciduous trees (bigleaf maple & alder) that replaced the conifers are nearing the end of their lifespan. At the same time, invasive plants in urban forests prevent new tree establishment. Because of these issues, little new natural conifer regeneration has occurred. This study examines ways to improve establishment success of two coniferous species (western red cedar and western hemlock) that are particularly difficult to get established in urban forest restoration.

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ConiferTransplantSurvivalinUrbanForestsBenPeterson

ObjectiveWhatistheeffectofmulchand/orsupplementalirrigationonthesurvivalandgrowthrateoftwotransplantedshadetolerantconiferseedlings:1.westernredcedar(Thujaplicata)2.westernhemlock(Tsugaheterophylla)

Methods• StudyconductedatthreeurbanforestparksonMercerIsland,WA• Clearedeachplantingplotsofallweeds(5’diameter)• 2species:Bare‐rootwesternredcedarandwesternhemlockseedlings(500+total)• Fourtreatmentsplantedinarandomizedblockdesign:

• Bareground(control)• 3’ringofmulch(arboristswoodchips)(4”deep)• Irrigationsupplement(acellulosebasedgelthatslowlyreleases1qt

ofwaterovera3‐monthperiod)• Mulch+irrigationsupplement

• SurvivalandGrowth(height&diameter)monitoredfortwoyears

ResultsSurvival:• Mulchedtreeshadasignificantlyhighersurvivalratethannon‐mulchedtrees(forbothcedarandhemlock).• Therewasnosignificantdifferenceinsurvivalbetweenplantswithandwithouttheirrigationsupplement(IS)

Growth:• TherewasnosignificantdifferenceingrowthoverthetwoyearperiodforeitherthemulchorIStreatment.

Recommendations• Usemulchtoincreasethechancesofsurvival.• (Evenmoremulchmaybebetter.)• Don’twastemoneyonirrigationgels,theydidn’tmakeadifferenceinthisstudy.• NeithermulchorISincreasedtreegrowth,soifincreasedgrowthisyourgoal,trysomethingelse.

Thanksto:AmandaStuckey,KernEwing,Soo‐HyungKim,PaulWestBeniscurrentlypursuingamastersdegreeinRestorationEcologywithDr.KernEwing.Additionalresearchwaspartofthisstudy.Tofindoutmoreyoumaycontacthimatbmp4@u.washington.edu

Bareground(control)

Mulch

Irrigationsupplement(IS)

Mulch+IS

Treatments

average%survival

cedar hemlock

allmulchedtrees

51% 45%

allnon‐mulchedtrees

34% 22%

BackgroundNativeconifertreesinPugetSoundareaurbanforestsareindecline.Logginginthelate1800’sleadtoapaucityofconifersandconiferseedsource.Thenativedeciduoustrees(bigleafmaple&alder)thatreplacedtheconifersarenearingtheendoftheirlifespan.Atthesametime,invasiveplantsinurbanforestspreventnewtreeestablishment.Becauseoftheseissues,littlenewnaturalconiferregenerationhasoccurred.Thisstudyexamineswaystoimproveestablishmentsuccessoftwoconiferousspecies(westernredcedarandwesternhemlock)thatareparticularlydifficulttogetestablishedinurbanforestrestoration.

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