The Fallingsnow Ecosystem Project: Comparing conifer release alternatives in northwestern Ontario

The Fallingsnow Ecosystem Project documents the ecological consequences of alternative conifer release treatments (motor-manual [clearing/brush saw], mechanical [Silvana Selective/Ford Versatile tractor], helicopter-applied herbicides Vision(R) [a.i. glyphosate], Release(R) [a.i, triclopyr], and control [no treatment] in young spruce (Picea spp.) plantations. Here a series of papers that quantify the effects of these alternative treatments on major environmental components, as well as their production rates and costs is introduced. In general, one growing season after treatment, untreated plots tended to have consistently larger, more diverse populations of the biotic components examined. Biotic and abiotic changes caused by the cutting treatments were more similar to each other than to those resulting from the herbicide treatments, but statistical differences among treatments were few. Herbicide treatments were the most productive and least costly, and about 60% of the active ingredient was deposited on the target (aspen [Populus tremuloides Michx.]) foliage.