REGENERATION OF BALSAM FIR AND SPRUCE ABOUT FIFTEEN YEARS FOLLOWING RELEASE BY SPRUCE BUDWORM ATTACK

Abstract

Regeneration plots were established near Laniel, P.Q., and in the Black Sturgeon and Cedar Lake areas of northwestern Ontario in 1950 to study the origin and development of regeneration in stands devastated by the spruce budworm. Results of tallies in 1950 and 1955 have been published, and this paper presents subsequent changes up to 1962. New balsam fir and spruce seedlings continue to become established on favourable seed beds in stands where seed trees survived the budworm outbreak. Some advanced growth, developing on the plots since the overstory was removed, began producing seed in 1962, although roadside trees of similar age and size were producing seed earlier. Balsam fir and spruce seedlings released by the budworm outbreak have grown rapidly, and are now retarding the height growth of some of the reproduction. The ratios of balsam fir to spruce reproduction calculated in 1950, 1955, and 1961 show considerable fluctuation within the same plots. Nevertheless, the general trend, toward a higher proportion of balsam fir in the reproduction than in the original stand of trees, which was established before the spruce budworm outbreak, has remained virtually unaltered.