The Silviculture of Degraded Hardwood Stands

A degraded hardwood stand contains either a substantial number of low-quality trees, or an insufficient number or low basal area of manageable trees. These stands are often created by high-grading, wildfires, or insect and disease outbreaks and can occur on both high and low productivity sites. Management of degraded stands has been hindered by both a lack of markets for low-quality wood products and the costs of silvicultural practices aimed at improving stands. The following sections further explain causes of low quality stands, suggest ways for improving utilization and reducing silvicultural costs, provide management options, and outline guidelines for evaluating and rating these stands.

This section is based on the only two review articles on management of degraded hardwood stands in the southern Appalachians. One of these, McGee (1982), provides excellent information on the causes and problems associated with degraded hardwood stands. It tells how to analyze the stands and how to decide what to do. The second review paper (Ezell 1992) suggests an inventory method for degraded stands and provides a clear understanding of what tree and stand variables need to be assessed and why. There is little research aimed at degraded stand management or silviculture. This has created a major gap in the scientific literature and is a need that must be filled by future research efforts.

While, much of the information provided by McGee (1982) and Ezell (1992) applies to degraded stands throughout the eastern hardwood region, it must be understood that the silvicultural recommendations were developed specifically for forest ecosystems of the interior uplands of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama.