Clearcuts often create stark boundaries between forest habitats. These ecological “edges” can seriously affect neighboring undisturbed ecosystems for some distance in from the edge, perhaps representing a multi-decadal legacy of has clearcutting. A new study led by David Bell took on the question of how historical timber harvests have affected the structure of neighboring old-growth forests in western Oregon.
Much of the Andrews Forest watershed has experienced more recent fire over the last 150 years, ranging in severity from ground low-severity understory fire that killed few adult trees to so-called stand-replacing fires that killed most or all of the old-growth trees that established approximately 500 years ago.
There is much discussion about how plantation forestry affects streamflow in dry (lowflow) seasons, especially as climate change may exacerbate water scarcity. Analysis of 60‐year records of daily streamflow from eight paired‐basin experiments in the Andrews Forest revealed that the conversion of old‐growth forest to Douglas‐fir plantations had a major effect on summer streamflow.
The first timber harvest at the Andrews Forest occurred in 1951 to study the effects of logging on hydrology, sediment yield, and nutrient losses. Later harvests were done to test different harvesting techniques. Learn more about the history of the Forest on our History page.
The first timber harvest at the Andrews Forest occurred in 1951. Scientists initiated three sets of experimental watersheds designed to study the effects of logging on hydrology, sediment yield, and nutrient losses. Treatments included clearcutting and partial cutting, and one watershed was left in its “natural” forested condition as a control. Learn more about the history of the Forest on our History page.