The Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society (RGS & AWS) is excited to share that an important forest management project is underway on public land. The Nantahala Mountains Project on the Nantahala Ranger District will treat about 870 acres through commercial and noncommercial activities. These treatments include group selection, noncommercial midstory removal, noncommercial crown-touch release, clearcut and shelterwood harvests. Road maintenance will also be prioritized.
RGS & AWS was heavily involved with this project throughout the public comment period and advocated for additional forest management activities. We are glad to see that the U.S. Forest Service retained the original scope of the project, thanks in part to input from RGS & AWS and other advocates for science-based active forest management.
Project implementation is beginning immediately. As part of this effort, RGS & AWS is working alongside the Forest Service to administer a midstory removal contract designed to improve oak and hickory species composition.
What Is Midstory Removal?
Midstory removal is a forest management practice that selectively removes undesirable small to medium-size trees and shrubs growing between the forest floor and the main canopy (Lhotka, Hackworth and Stringer 2023). Over time, many forests in the Southern Appalachians have grown dense and shaded due to decades of limited disturbance. Through a process called mesophication, more mesic tree species like red maple have moved into drier sites than observed historically (Nowacki and Abrams 2008). As a result, species like oak are often outcompeted by more aggressive species. Oak regeneration and recruitment have suffered because of these trends.
Removing part of the midstory allows diffuse light to reach the forest floor, creating conditions needed for advance oak regeneration. According to Mississippi State University, “the term ‘advance regeneration’ means the seedlings of the desired species are present and have been actively growing for two or three years before the overstory is removed” (Mississippi State n.d.). Once advance regeneration is established, future harvest activities are more successful for oak recruitment when proper protocols are followed.
Midstory removal can be paired with other management practices, such as prescribed fire, to further promote fire-adapted species like oak.
Why This Project Matters
This project is another example of how RGS & AWS works with partners to advance science-based habitat restoration across the region. By helping administer this contract, we are ensuring the work is completed effectively and efficiently, leading to meaningful benefits for wildlife and long-term forest health.
We are excited to see this project move forward and are grateful to the Forest Service and to our dedicated members and supporters who make this work possible. Together, we are creating healthier forests for the next generation of hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists.
Works Cited
Lhotka, J. M., Hackworth, Z. J. and Stringer, J. W. (2023). Midstory removal for upland oaks (Upland Oak and White Oak Silviculture Practices Series FOR-163). University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.
https://forestry.mgcafe.uky.edu/sites/forestry.ca.uky.edu/files/midstory_removal_white_oak_practices_series.pdf
Nowacki, G. J. and Abrams, M. D. (2008). The demise of fire and “mesophication” of forests in the eastern United States. BioScience, 58(2), 123–138.
https://www.nrs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/jrnl/2008/nrs_2008_nowacki_001.pdf Mississippi State University Extension Service. Oak regeneration for the future (Publication P2625). n.d.
https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/oak-regeneration-for-the-future#:~:text=The%20term%20%E2%80%9Cadvance%20regeneration%E2%80%9D%20means,sunlight%20reaches%20the%20forest%20floor
