For
the past few weeks we have focused on Eastern White Pine, a vital tree species
to the economy and ecology of Maine, the “Pine Tree” state. White pine has long
been designated as Maine’s official state tree, and the white pine cone and
tassel as the official state flower. So how can you get pine to grow in your
woods?
For a
tree that seems so well suited to Maine soils and growing conditions,
establishing a new stand of naturally seeded white pine is not as easy as it
seems. It’s easy to be fooled by the
nearly pure stands of white pine found throughout Maine, which suggests that
white pine naturally and easily reproduces itself, replacing an established
pine stand with another stand of young white pine. In reality, many of these “pure” stands are
the result of discontinued agricultural land, and are only a relatively early
stage of forest development. This process is sometimes referred to as “old field
succession”. Without active management, many of these stands will eventually
give way to the growth of mixed species. Regenerating new white pine under an
existing stand of pine can sometimes be challenging to the woodland manager.
Once
established, white pine grows statewide on most sites, from nearly pure sand to
forested wetlands. It grows best in open
sun or partial shade, putting on a foot or more of height growth each year
under good conditions. Although sunlight it a requirement for tree growth, the
role of shade and space in growing white pine is extremely important. Growing white pine trees in partial sunlight
as well as with the proper spacing between trees can minimize weevil damage,
reduce impact of funguses that cause needle blight, and minimize lower branch
size, ultimately resulting in higher quality trees for future generations.
Here
is a tip for regenerating white pine:
- Although
white pine stands usually produce some seeds every year, good seed years
generally occur only every 3 – 7 years.
A good forest manager should watch the appearance and abundance of pine
cones in a stand. Since pine cones take
two years to develop, planning a regeneration harvest around the summer months
of the second year of cone development, just before the mature cones drop their
seeds, is ideal. The soil scarification
that results from skidding operations may provide a good seedbed for the
falling pine seeds. If harvesting at that time is not feasible, a separate
scarification operation within the next year or two may also be effective.
In
summary, regenerating white pine, while often challenging, can usually be
accomplished with good timing of harvest and seed/cone years; adequate soil
disturbance; effective management of sunlight ; and realistic expectations of
future species mix.
To
find out more, check out MFS
information Sheet # 22, Regenerating White Pine Stands In Maine: A Landowner’s Guide.
As
always, you
can call the Maine
Forest Service for more information or assistance at 1 800 367-0223
(in state) or (207) 287-2791, or e-mail forestinfo@maine.gov.
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