Project Code:	WEYDV-02-089
Program:	FRIP
Sponsor:	Weyerhaeuser
Project Status:	Completed

Object & Deliverables

This project funds the re-measurement of tree characteristics as outlined in WEYDV-02-029. The overall project consisted of 5 parts, all centering on aspen decline and regeneration, season of harvest and travel level impacts on aspen regeneration and a juvenile aspen mortality study. The results indicate that early trends in measurements (first two years) have now largely disappeared which indicates that the timing of monitoring for research trials is very important. The greater sucker production in healthy vs. decadent clones had all but vanished by the fifth year post harvest. Conversely, early indications of a lack of difference in height growth between healthy and decadent clones in year 5 show small but consistent differences. The divergence in height growth patterns in these two clone types appears to be increasing. Differences in sucker density among treatments related to season of harvest also decreased over time though, on average, “summer” harvested areas have lower densities than “winter” harvest areas in the Drayton Valley site. The effect of level of traffic treatments after 5 years is largely nonexistent.

Final Report

The final report was the Annual Progress Report for Fiscal Year 2001-2002, entitled, “Factors Influencing the Vegetative Regeneration and Growth of Aspen in Alberta”, prepared by Ken Greenway and Amar Varma, Alberta Research Council, May 2002.