Restoration of Natural Forests After Severe Wind Disturbance in a Cold, Snowy Region With a Deer Population: Implications From 15 Years of Field Experiments

Questions have been raised about the application of conventional post-windthrow forest practices such as salvage logging, site preparation, and afforestation in response to increase wind disturbance caused by climate change. In particular, it is necessary identify effective management that consider pressure from deer browsing forests cold, snowy regions because population ungulates expected increase. The impacts legacy destruction, i.e., destruction advance regeneration, microsites, soil structure, rarely assessed separately subsequent on regeneration or evaluated based sufficiently long monitoring periods assess vegetation succession. This lack studies one reason alternative salvaging planting not proposed. We conducted a field experiment at large-scale windthrow with (1) impact biomass species composition after 15 years (2) effects retention. study design allowed us distinguish between measure during 15-year period. results revealed following: Salvage logging preparation suppressed development shrub tree layers forested areas where harvest residues were piled up shifted plant communities these herbaceous communities. Subsequent throughout ruderal dominated alien species; 3. Compared planting, retention enabled sites more quickly develop into stand characteristics similar mature, natural forest. Forest presence are necessary. propose policy shift trees leaving downed regenerate forests, unless there concern insect damage remaining forestry land vicinity.