All posts by Melinda Olson

42nd IERC Annual Meeting

Click on any of the linked titles below to see a PDF of that presentation.

8:00   Introduction and Welcome – Kristy Tucker, IERC Chair and Silviculture and Environmental Forester, PotlatchDeltic

8:15   Time to Order Seedlings! Wait… Seed? What? – Jeff Degraan, Reforestation Specialist, WA DNR

9:00    Establishing a Sustainable Seedling Supply – Nabil Khadduri, Nursery Specialist, WA DNR

9:45   Seedling Outplanting and Workforce Development – Matthew Aghai, DroneSeed/Silvaseed/Cal Forest

10:30  Break

10:45 Pest Update: Cydia laricana Top Kill in Western Larch (Recording on Vimeo) – Steve Cook, Department Head and Professor University of Idaho; Virtual Presentation

11:35  Summer Planting in BC – Mark Hay, Manager, BCTS Seedling Services, Ministry of Forestry

12:15  Lunch

1:30    Biochar: A Slash Reduction Method – Deb Dumroese, USDA  Rocky Mtn Research Station

2:15    Trico® Pro: Deer Browse Repellent – Scot McGuire, Kwizda USA/Trico® Pro

3:15    Drone Use Cases – Regen Surveys and More – Jake Ferrigan, Aerotract

4:00   Adjourn and Reception

7:00   Registration
8:00   Welcome
8:05   The Texas Tree Improvement Two-Step: Using Your Past to Guide Your Future – Fred Raley, Texas A&M Forest Service
9:05   Pining for Home: Seed Transfer 2.0 – Greg O’Neill, British Columbia Ministry of Forests
10:05   Break
10:35   Hot topics – Genomics and Climate-based Seed Deployment Research by the Pacific Northwest Tree Improvement Research Cooperative – Glenn Howe, Oregon State University
11:35   Western Larch Species Group Report – Kelsie Grover
11:45   Western White Pine Species Group Report – Don Patterson
12:00   Lunch
1:00   Low Carbs aren’t for Trees: the Link between Non‐structural Carbohydrate Storage and Plant Water Relations – Anna Sala, University of Montana
2:00   Happy Trees, Happy Seed – Seed Orchard Psychology 101 – Kat Spencer, British of Columbia Ministry of Forests
3:00   Break
3:20   Title Pending – Vovener Edmond, University of Idaho
3:50   Russell H. Hudson Tree Improvement Award for Excellence – Student Experience – Sarah Larson, University of Idaho
4:05   Seed Supply Working Group Reports – Marc L. Rust

Thursday, November 17, 2022

9:00 What does a log scaler do?

• How scalers fit into the log transaction process (only measure volume, not value)
• What is their relationship to log buyers and sellers?
• The different points in log transport where scaling can occur
• What is log volume and how is it calculated?
• What are the specific measurements and data collected on a typical log?
• Log documentation
• Understanding gross and net volume
• Why did my load scale out at a lesser volume? Reasons for volume deductions

9:30 am Scaling Bureaus: How they operate and their role in log markets

• How bureaus fit into the log buying and selling process
• Represent both the log buyers and sellers
• Apply log scaling rules
• Provide qualified scalers
• Serve as independent third parties

10:30 Break

11:00 Northwest Log Scaling Rules: Applying uniformity and standardization within the Doug-fir processing area

• Function and role of the rules

Special Requests: Using procedures in addition to the NW log scaling rules

11:30 Scaling logs on trucks

Noon Lunch (included with registration)

1:00 pm Understanding log grades and sorts

• What is the difference between grades and sorts?
• Why do sorts vary from company to company?
• What is the difference between a good #2 sawlog and a rough #2 sawlog?
• What is the pulp sort?
• What is a cull?

2:00 Break

2:15  Log accountability: Tracking the log load from landing to mill

• How is data collected? Load receipts, weight reports, sample scales, sample expansion, log tags, scale tickets and certificates
• Understanding the paperwork: Examples will be provided of load receipts, scale tickets and certificates and each form will be reviewed in detail.
• What are the standard procedures for documentation and changes?
• How is the data stored, disseminated and accessed by clients?

3:45 Catch-all short topics

• Miscellaneous Topics
  • Understanding cubic measurements
  • Volume conversion factors
  • Using taper factors and actual taper
• Scaler value and cost
• Defects
• Difference between westside and eastside scaling

4:15 pm Workshop Adjourns

43rd Annual Technical Meeting of the Intermountain Forestry Cooperative

7:30   Registration – Check-in

8:00   Welcome and Housekeeping Items

8:05   PPDM Update: Site and stand effects on conifer species growth and mortality following stand density manipulation – Mark Kimsey, IFC

8:45   PPDM Update: FVS thinning projections vs observed growth trajectories following stand density manipulation – Ann Abbott, IFC

9:45   Coffee Break + Discussion

10:00  RGT Update:1^st yr woods run vs improved seed project status report – Mark Kimsey and Taylor Lantz, IFC

10:30   NMS Update: Whole tree vs bole only effects on nutrition and growth – 10 yr Report – Terry Shaw, IFC

11:00   Member Project Discussion Period

11:30   Lunch (on your own)

1:00   James Moore Keynote Address: Precision forestry initiative at the University of Idaho – Bruce Ripley, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho

1:30   Democratizing precision forestry – a collaboration between Oregon State University, University of Idaho and USFS-RMRS – Wade Tinkham, USFS-RMRS

2:00   Research Spotlight: Automating the fusion of multiple sparse lidar point clouds – Onni Pohjavirta, Finnish Geospatial Research Institute and Xinlian Liang, Wuhan University

2:30   Discussion + Refreshment Break

3:00   Defining and identifying site trees from varying pulse density lidar – Noel Daugherty, IFC CAFS Scholar

3:30  Site-stand dynamics and pine beetle mortality in ponderosa pine ecosystems – implications for density management – Haley Anderson, IFC

4:00   IFC Online Research Tools for Members – Mark Kimsey, IFC

4:20   Meeting wrap-up

*Click on any of the linked titles below to view the recording of that presentation. Please note the recordings are password protected and all paid attendees will receive the password by email.

8:45   Welcome/Intro – Jacob Strunk, USDA Forest Service, FIA (PDF)

9:10   CMS Regional Map Calibration – Andy Hudak, USDA Forest Service, RMRS (PDF)

9:35    Break

9:45  Species Identification from Remote Sensing Data – Examples from Three Forests – Cam Brown, Forsite (PDF)

10:10  Modeling LynxHabitat with TLS and ALS – Jonathan Batchelor, UW (PDF)

10:35   Scale Effects in Area-Based Forest Modeling – Jacob Strunk, USDA Forest Service, FIA (PDF)

11:00   Break

11:10  Working with a Single-Tree Digital Inventory – Mark Corrao, Northwest Management, Inc.

11:35   Saving the Monarchs One Tree at a Time – Kelsey Watkins, NV5 (PDF)

12:00   Lunch

12:50  Assessment of NAIP Point Clouds with Lidar – Kevin Ceder, Woodland Creek Consulting (PDF)

1:15   Remote Sensing Inventory Research Database – Luke Rogers, University of Washington, SEFS, NRSIG (PDF)

1:40   Lidar Carbon Analysis – Peter Tittman, New Forests (PDF)

2:05  Break

2:15  LAPIS – Lidar Processing Tool – Jonathan Kane, UW, PFC

2:40   Recovering Discrete Distributions in Forest Inventory using R package Hermite – Tom Baribault, Mast Reforestation (PDF)

3:05   Interior AK Advanced Remote Sensing Forest Inventory – Hans Andersen, USDA Forest Service, FIA (PDF)

3:30   Break

3:40   Field Technology for OLI – Kerry Halligan, Woodland Solutions Group (PDF)

4:05   Stand Effects: What Are They and What Can We Do About Them? – Bryce Frank, OR BLM (PDF)

4:30   Adjourn

PNW Forest Vegetation Management Conference:

Click on any of the green titles below to view the PDF of that presentation.

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

8:30   Opening Remarks
8:45   Seven Years of Vegetation Management Research: Lessons Learned – Max Wightman, WA DNR
9:45   Oregon & Washington Pesticide Laws and Rule Changes – Katie Murray, Oregonians for Food and Shelter and Ben Buchholz,  WA Friends of Farms & Forests
10:45   Break
11:15  Efficient establishment: Stopping weeds before they emerge – Harry Quicke, ENVU (formerly Bayer Corp)
12:15   Lunch
1:15   ENVU Product Update – Jerry Ellis, ENVU
1:30  The Ins and Outs of a Well-Written Reforestation Contract – Zak Thomas, WA DNR
2:00   Pesticide Handling Safety and Update on PPE – Wendy Wheeler, WSU Pesticide Educator
3:00   Waiting for the Comet: Slashpiles are Dinosaurs – Debbie Page-Dumroese, Rocky Mt Research Station
3:30   Break
3:45   Veg. Mgmt Coop Research Updates – Carlos Gonzalez, OR State University VMRC
4:45   Applied Practices for Reforestation Under Changing Climate and Forest Conditions – Robert Slesak, PNW Research Station
5:15   Reception

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

8:00  Cowboy Science: What You See is not What You Get – Diane Haase, USDA Forest Service
8:30   OR Pesticide Rule Enforecment Activities, PPE and Handling Safety – Andrea Sonnen, OR Dept of Agriculture
9:30   Break
10:00   Corteva Product Update – Rob LaGrange, Corteva
10:15   A Billion Trees in the Ground: The REPLANT Act is Here – Kas Dumroese, Rocky MT Research Station
10:45   Vegetation Management after Forest Wildfires – Jerome Otto, Corteva
Noon Lunch
1:00  Glyphosate Environmental Chemistry and Exposure Assessment – Allan Felsot, WA State University
2:00   MAX SDI: Understanding Site and Species Limitations and Carrying Capacity – Mark Kimsey, U of I
2:30   Using Drones for Applied Reforestation – Mark Micheletti, WA DNR
3:00   Update on the Private Forest Accord and the Oregon Forest Practices Act – Seth Barnes, OR Forest Industries Council
3:30   Adjourn

April 06, 2023, 09:00 AM – 4:00 PM

09:00 – 09:30     Logistics and Introductions

• Co-Moderators, Weikko Jaross (LandVest) and Kevin Ceder (Woodland Creek Consulting)
• Venue – Western Forestry and Conservation Association – Richard Zabel
• Introductions

9:30 – 12:00 (4-5)             Growth Model Updates (30-Minutes Each)

A whole stand growth model for natural silver birch regeneration – Dr. Karol Bronisz (Warsaw University Of Life Sciences, Poland).  Abstract forthcoming.

Development of models to predict tree crown variables for Maritime pine –  Muha Abdullah Al Pavel (University of Lisbon).  A system of equations to predict crown ratio, crown length and height to the base of the crown in a compatible manner for Maritime pine in Portugal.

Forest Projection System: Traditional Site Curves in FPS –  Dan Opalach (Forest Biometrics Research Institute) Dan has developed methods for using traditional site index curves to drive the height growth in FPS. His will demonstrate his “crosswalk” table approach to determine the SITE_PHY, SITE_SHP, and PctHt from a Pacific Northwest timber cruise.

Multistage modeling improves individual tree mortality predictions – Cen Chen (University of Maine). Individual tree mortality plays a fundamental role in the forest growth model dynamics yet is one of the most difficult phenomena to accurately model. Chen and colleagues’ results indicate the multistage approach more closely depicts observed mortality and shows a notable improvement from the conventional approach in the Acadian region.

FVS Acadian Variant – Ben Rice (Midgard Natural Resources). The Acadian Region of Maine is characterized by extensively managed naturally regenerated forests comprised of mixed species and multicohort structures in a complex of topography, soil parent material, and climatic zones. The Northeast Variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS-NE) has a long history and covers a broad geographic region with previous testing indicating potential shortcomings in the Acadian Region. Since 2008, efforts at the University of Maine and New Brunswick have focused on developing a FVS variant specific to the Acadian Region (FVS-ACD). Ben’s presentation will review the progress on model components and recent updates and a more general look at the FVS framework that supports FVS-ACD.

Open Discussion – Growth Model Updates, Q&A (Kevin Ceder Moderator)

12:00 – 1:00        Break for Lunch

1:00 – 2:30 (3)   Data Processing Tools, Model I/O (30-minute each)

Investigating the 3% Growth Rate Assumption. Nate Herring (American Forest Management). The 3% rate of change for basal area, volume, weight, and mortality is commonly assumed in the US South and beyond to project natural hardwood stands. This presentation will test the 3% assumption using USFS FIA data and evaluate regional growth models like FVS, SOHARC, and USFS yield tables. Nate will demonstrate how he used the rFIA package to build a data set to test the 3% growth assumption.

Biomass from western dry forests: spatially-explicit yield projections from the FIA, FVS, TreeMap modelling ecosystem –  Reid Lewis (PhD student, Yale’s Forest School). This talk explores how we can use a recent USFS product – TreeMap 2016 – to create spatially-explicit models of available biomass from forest restoration treatments. We use TreeMap and ArcGIS Pro to identify most-similar FIA plots for each 30m pixel within the region(s) of interest. We then model forest restoration treatments with FVS using data from FIADB, and remap these results to their correlated pixels with TreeMap.

A treelist imputation framework for a remotely-sensed forest inventory – Jacob Beard (Washington State Department of Natural Resources). Following on the work initiated by Kate McBurney and Peter Gould, Jacob will present considerations in preparing the stand level FVS ready treelists including the development and testing of innovative approaches for assigning plots to a remotely-sensed inventory across eastern Washington forested Statelands.

Open Discussion – Data Processing, Q&A (Weikko Jaross Moderator)

15 Minute Break

2:45 – 3:45 (4)   Growth Model Updates (continued) (30-Minutes Each)

FVS Alaska Variant: New Models – Mark Castle (Forest Vegetation Simulator Group, USFS) “From 2018 to 2021, new relationships were developed for twenty-three species commonly found in the coastal and northern boreal forest types of Alaska. In 2021, the Alaska variant was released to model forested conditions throughout all of Alaska. Mark Castle led the development work with notable contributions from Mike Shettles, Aaron Gagnon, Lance David, Chad Keyser and others who helped fit and embed new relationships in this new variant.

Climate FVS Simulations for Stimson Inland Lands – Don Patterson (Stimson Lumber Company, Inc.)  As part of our efforts to comply with Climate Smart Forestry SFI obligations, we have investigated the potential impacts of climate change on long term growth and mortality using Climate FVS across 400,000 +/- acres in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and northwestern Montana.  Through a standard set of silviculture prescriptions both with and without climate adjustments, this work highlights the sensitivity of Climate FVS to the dClim rule.

The Tree and Stand Simulator (TASS): Seeing the light of complex stands – Jeff Stone (Stand Development Modelling Research Scientist, BC Ministry of Forests, Victoria, BC) Jeff will provide a brief overview of TASS’s distinctive structure and discuss how some of the challenges, such as the computational needs of the underlying light model, have been addressed to advance the modelling of complex stands.

incorporation of crown ideotype into CIPSANON – Doug Mainwaring (Center for Intensive Planted-forest Silviculture) Doug will provide a  brief overview of CIPSANON and a preview of the new crown ideotype work including preliminary measurements and intended methods.

Open Discussion – Model Updates, Q&A (Kevin Ceder Moderator)

3:45 – 4:00          House Keeping Items – (Weikko Jaross Moderator)

• Words from our GMUG 2023 sponsor (LandVest)
• Feedback on agenda and venue
• Ideas for new topics to discuss in 2023
• When next to meet again?

Day 1

8:00 – 8:15      Workshop Introductions and Overview

8:15 – 10:00    Unit Layout – How to layout a unit

• Different levels of harvest planning
• What is successful skyline harvesting?
• Review of cable systems and skyline carriages
• Logging around streams
• Laying out a unit with unstable steep slopes

10:00 – 10:15  Break

10:15 – 11:45  Payload, Productivity, and Efficiency

• Skyline deflection – safe working Loads
• Factors that influence productivity
• Understanding wire rope characteristics
• Variables affecting skyline deflection

11:45 – 12:45  Lunch

12:45 – 2:15    Skyline Logging Landings

• How landing layout affects productivity
• Managing wood flow through the landing
• Deploying yarder guylines
• Placement of stump anchors
• Multi-stump anchors
• Machine anchors

2:15 – 2:30      Break

2:30 – 3:15      Rigging Tail and Intermediate Trees

• When and where to use
• Design and layout of tail trees
• Model demonstration for plotting trees
• Field cards for unit layout

3:15 – 4:15      SkylineXL software

• Introduction to SkylineXL
• Determining Skyline Payloads

4:15 – 4:30      Wrap-up

Day 2

8:00 – 9:30      Logging Safety

• What unit layout can do for unit safety
• Review of major watch-out situations

9:30 – 10:00    Break

10:00 – 12:00  Tethered Assist

• A game changer for logging safety?

12:00 – 1:00    Lunch

1:00 – 2:00      Cut-to-length Logging

• Economic viability: higher upfront costs with improved safety and decreased stand and soil damage
• Steep slope harvesting

2:00 – 2:30      Workshop review and summary