Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

White Pine Plantation Thinning

White Pine Plantation Thinning: Before

White Pine Plantation Thinning Before

Figure 7 – This plantation of white pine and Norway spruce is overstocked. Tree growth has slowed down due to competition, diversity is low, and live crown ratios are low.

Forester's View
This plantation of white pine and Norway spruce was established in the 1940s. Over time, the stand grew increasingly dense as individual trees compete for sunlight and inherently limited site resources. The canopy is nearly closed and the understory is significantly shaded and nearly devoid of vegetation. Increment growth rates are slow as a function of overstocking, and live crown ratio has dropped well below the optimal 40% for white pine.

White Pine Plantation Thinning: After

White Pine Plantation Thinning After

Figure 8 – After a recent thinning, the residual trees in the stand have room to expand their crowns laterally on at least 2-3 sides. Finite site resources like light, water, and nutrients are concentrated on fewer, high quality trees which experience increased growth rates and improved seed production potential after the harvest.

Forester's View
During the thinning the poorest quality trees in the stand were removed in order to allocate physical growing space and limited site resources to trees with the highest potential for future growth and reproduction. The residual trees were retained at spacing that will allow for optimal diameter growth without compromising wind stability. The harvest removed poorly formed trees which were historically and repeatedly damaged by the native white pine weevil insect. The thinning also reduced competition from non-native Norway spruce which showed signs of considerable rot on this sandy site. The wood on the forest floor will break down and return nutrients to the soil. In the meantime it will become refuge for salamanders, and overwintering habitat for turtles.

 

Forest Management on State Lands

Clearcut Treatment
Oak Shelterwood Establishment Harvest
White Pine Thinning
White Pine Plantation Thinning
Irregular Shelterwood Harvest

Content last updated December 2020.