Author Description

Red alder is capable of dominating a range of sites following harvesting of coastal forests, quickly overtopping slower growing conifers. Manual cutting is an alternative to herbicides for controlling it but the species can resprout after cutting and continue to compete with the conifers for light. This study was initiated to explore the effects of timing of cut on resprouting behaviour of red alder. Circular brush saws were used to cut a 4-year-old stand of red alder overtopping planted Douglas-fir and grand fir seedlings on a site near Powell River, B.C. Cutting treatments were applied at five different times between June 7 and September 1, 1983.