Regeneration Survey of Five Year Old Clearcuts in Nova Scotia

Forest disturbances, such as clearcutting, fire, and wind, invariably trigger a natural regeneration response in forest sites. Natural regeneration develops from local genetic stock that originates from surviving “legacies” of the former forest (advance regeneration, seed banks, coppice, etc.), and from “seed rain” that enters the site from surrounding forests. The speed and direction of the regeneration process is dependent on ecological responses to elements such as soil, climate, seed source, microsite, and harvest method/disturbance type, as well as to chance events. An important consideration for sustaining forest yields is the establishment of desirable regeneration soon after harvest. Whether a site is artificially regenerated or not, natural regeneration plays an integral role both as competitor and contributor to the new forest, and must be a primary consideration in any management strategy.