The Forestry Forum

I live in the northeast,  for many of the past winters the ground around here doesnt freeze anymore, also the trees when cut are not frozen like they used to be.

Does this mean these trees are growing most of the winter now where before they were not growing?

Will this eventually lead to more fiber being produced on the stump/ more productive forest???

Will it change the type of fiber somehow?? (Pulp quality)

Will these species  Red Spruce, Black Spruce,  Fir etc grow better or will some other factor enter the picture and they might not do as well due to the fact they might be growing all year instead of part of the year and are not frozen anymore?

Will more trees be destroyed by insects that might also be affected by the non freezing...

Thanks

Doubtful, here in the south we still have the annual slow down, or stop.  Has more to do with the hours of sunlight, as well as moisture and temperature.

No the trees won't grow much faster if at all. Once the temperature of the soil in the root zone goes below 40 degrees F the trees won't photosynthesize even if the ground isn't frozen. Even though the temps of the air are above 40 degrees and even though there might be plenty of sunshine on some of the winter days the trees won't take up enough water and nutrients when the soil temps are below 40 degrees. I asked this question of a USFS Forest researcher a couple of years ago concerning White pine and this is the answer that she gave me. It makes sense especially when you consider that seedlings shouldn't be planted when the soil temp is below 40 degrees.

In terms of a more productive forest you'll probably achieve a greater amount of traditional usable products like sawtimber if you thin your forest throughout its lifetime. That's the single most necessary action that I've seen having looked at forests from Northern California to southeast Alaska and across the northern tier of states from Washington to Maine.

As for insect attacks it may be that they will be more severe if the current warming cycle goes on for a few more decades. I would strongly suspect though that during that period there will be enough cold spells or prolonged cold periods to keep the insect populations at an endemic level of damage.

As for changing the amount and quality of the fiber that will have more to do with managing for a healthy and productive forest than in the amount or duration of the warmer winter weather.