Regenerating mixed oak stands in Pennsylvania: a quarter-century retrospective

The outcomes of regeneration treatments in 90 oak-dominated stands in Pennsylvania are examined 20 to 33 years after treatment. Approximately one-quarter of the stands failed to reach 50 percent stocking after at least 20 years, but most stands regenerated successfully. Red maple is the most frequently observed species in the regenerated stands, followed by oak species and sweet birch. The relative basal area of oak decreased from pre-harvest levels while the relative basal area of sweet birch and red maple increased substantially. Oaks and red maple regenerated from both seeds and sprouts, while sweet birch regenerated primarily from seeds. Oaks were generally larger than their competitors and may become an increasingly important component of the regenerated stands.