Current Trends for Red Alder After 100 Years of Proliferation

Glenn AhrensOSU Extension Forester

Clatsop and Tillamook Co.

Background - key references

Timber Harvest Western Oregon and Washington

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

1993199419951996199719981999200020012002

Tot

al -

Mill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Ald

er -

Mill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet

Alder

All species

Will Alder Harvest Increase?

Agenda

• Red alder - 100 years of proliferation?

• Early forest disturbance and resource trends.

• Recent forest management trends and impacts on alder.

• Current and future trends for alder – How far will alder fall?

Alder has been more abundant in past climate

cycles.

Red alder rises again during the 1900’s

1933 Inventory 546 billion bf

red alder, 0.4%

bigleaf maple, 0.1%

Douglas-fir, 61%western hemlock,

19%

All other, 20%

Western Oregon and western Washington, Andrews and Cowlin 1940.

1989 Inventory 431 billion bf

Red alder, 5.3%

Bigleaf maple, 1.7%

Douglas-fir, 58%

Western hemlock, 17%

All other, 18%

Western Oregon and western Washington, USFS FIA IDB database 2006

1933 Inventory29 million acres

Hardwood, 2.6%

Conifer, 82.4%

Unstocked, 15.0%

Western Oregon and western Washington, Andrews and Cowlin 1940.

1989 Inventory23 million acres

Hardwood, 18.0%

Conifer, 79.2%

Unstocked, 2.8%

Western Oregon and western Washington, USFS FIA IDB database 2006.

Hardwood Inventory, Growth, and RemovalsPrivate lands - W. OR & W. WA

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

inve

nto

ry v

ol.

mil

lio

n c

u.f

t.

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

gro

wth

& r

emo

val

vol.

mil

lio

n c

u.f

t.

INVENTORY

GROWTH

REMOVALS

Sources: Raettig et. al 1995, Gray et. al 2002, Azuma et al. 2005

Red Alder Inventory Volumeinventory dates ~1995 to 2000

0500

1,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,000

N. Cali

forn

ia

Orego

n

Was

hingt

on

British

Colu

mbia

Alaska

Mill

ion

cu

.ft.

0

20

40

60

80

100

Mill

ion

cu

.me

ters

Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis, BC Ministry of Forests

Annual Removals/Harvest of Red Alder~590 million bd. ft (4.9 million cu. m)

WA - Private65%

OR - Private23%

WA+OR State/OP5%

BC5%

CA2%

Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis, BC Ministry of Forests ~1995-2000

Alder Sawtimber Inventory by Owner

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Federal State/OtherPublic

IndustrialPrivate

Other Private

Mill

ion

bo

ard

fe

et

WAOR

Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis

•Abundant alder is a legacy of past practices.

•Modern forest practices generally reduce the alder component.

Area of Hardwood Forest TypesW. Oregon & W. Washington

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

1981 1991 2001

Year

Th

ou

san

d A

cre

s

Industrial PrivateNon-industrial PrivateState/Other public

Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis

Alder Removals and GrowthW. Oregon & W. Washington

0.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

Industrial Non-IndustrialPrivate

State-other public

Mill

ion

cu

. fee

t RemovalGrowth

Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis

Changes in Hardwood Volume10-year change 1990's

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

WA Growth WA Loss OR Growth OR Loss

Mill

ion

cu

.ft.

Land changeRemovalMortalityGrowth

Source: USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis

Land Development has a disproportionate effect on the alder component of the forest.

Refuges for alder?

• Riparian management areas

• Unstable slopes

• Wildlife habitat retention

Riparian area restoration – girdle alder and plant conifers?

Knowledge of and management for alder is increasing.

Foresters often leave alder in young stands when it appears to be the “best tree”.

Non-industrial private owners are not aggressively favoring conifers…

Log Price Trends - NW OregonAdjusted for inflation - 2007 $

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

1975 1985 1995 2005Year

U.S

. $

pe

r m

bf

Douglas-fir 2S & 3S

Alder CR (5"+)

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

cubic feet/acre/year

Douglas-fir -Empirical Yield

Red alder - EmpiricalYield

Douglas-fir -Managed

Red alder - Managed

Wood production rates for red alder and Douglas-fir

Projections of area of red alder by private ownerships in PNW westside region (Alig et. al 2000)

Source: K. Norm Johnson 2002, CLAMS

~16.4 % Broadleaf

Source: K. Norm Johnson 2002, CLAMS

~4.6 % Broadleaf

Climate change scenarios and potential shifts in the range of red alder (Shafer et. al 2001)

After a rapid increase in abundance during the 1900’s, red alder is now declining.

• Early logging ,land clearing, and burning favored proliferation of alder.

• Increasing management to meet landowner objectives - most major landowners reduced alder.

• Encroachment of non-forest development, particularly on lowlands with abundant alder.

Changing patterns of alder occurrence – smaller patches, more restricted to riparian areas, lower slopes.

Timber Harvest Western Oregon and Washington

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

1993199419951996199719981999200020012002

Tot

al -

Mill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Ald

er -

Mill

ion

Boa

rd F

eet

Alder

All species

Will Alder Harvest Increase?

Red Alder Processed in W. Washington

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

Year

mil

lio

n t

on

s

Source: Washington Hardwoods Commission

How far will alder fall? - uncertain balance determines the future of the red alder

— Management favoring conifers on major private and public lands.

— Non-forest development, particularly on lowlands.

┼ Increasing value of alder – major industry and employment.

┼ Increasing management for alder - both economic and ecological goals.

± Climate change affects on suitability of sites for alder.

Private non-industrial forests are increasingly important for alder.

• Alder is a major component on private non-industrial (NI) forest lands.

• With diverse goals and less intensive management - alder is more likely to regenerate/persist.

• NI forest lands are also most susceptible to development.