Regeneration and Restoration — Abstract of Paper


Modeling the Effectiveness of Tree Planting to Mitigate Habitat Loss in Blue Oak Woodlands
Richard B. Standiford,¹ Douglas McCreary,¹ and William Frost¹


Many local conservation policies have attempted to mitigate the loss of oak woodland habitat resulting from conversion to urban or intensive agricultural land uses through tree planting. This paper models the development of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) stand structure attributes over 50 years after planting. The model uses a single tree, distance independent growth model, calibrated to data derived from a blue oak plantation. The results vary based on initial planting density and plantation management intensity. Data on crown cover, basal area, and average tree diameter and height are presented. For the range of modeled conditions, canopy cover after 50 years is projected to range from 7 to 33 percent, with an average DBH after 50 years ranging from 3.4 to 4.1 inches (8.6 to 10.4 cm). The cost of these tree replacement strategies is evaluated, and the effectiveness of tree planting as a mitigation tool, especially as it relates to the creation of wildlife habitat, is discussed.