Oak Regeneration Guidelines for the Central Appalachians

This article presents the first explicit guidelines for regenerating oaks in the central Appalachians. The objectives of this paper are (1) to describe the research foundation on which the guidelines are based and (2) to provide users with the instructions, data collection forms, supplementary tables, and decision charts needed to apply the guidelines in the field. The principal research foundation for the guidelines is a set of quantitative models that estimate, in advance of harvest, a stand’s potential to regenerate oak stocking from advance regeneration and stump sprouts. Regeneration potential is measured by the predicted stocking by oak species, expressed as a percentage of full (100%) stocking, in the new stand in its third decade (21‐30 years) after overstory removal. An understory classification system is used in conjunction with the models to help identify potential barriers to regeneration development. Model results and other data on current stand conditions are used in the decision charts to identify prescriptions for achieving a strong component of oak regeneration after stand harvest. Overstory removals are recommended when the stand’s oak regeneration potential is adequate to meet management goals. Otherwise, prescriptions designed to enhance seedling-origin oak regeneration potential are recommended.