Forestry Practices That Can Affect Soils

Spectrum of Managed Systems

High intensity forest management systems affect forest soil through use of fertilizers, weed control chemicals, large machinery, and other potential mechanical impacts which may affect the environmental quality and sustainability of forest sites, as described by Burger (2002) (at right). Forest management systems that are designed to produce bioenergy feedstocks often may involve whole-tree harvesting to recover greater biomass than typically removed during stem-only harvesting systems. Increased biomass recovery and associated intensive silvicultural and mechanical harvesting increases the risk of negative site impacts, and therefore requires care to ensure that such operations can be certified as sustainable. Nutrient depletion and organic matter removal are of specific concern in such intensive biomass production systems, as is the potential for soil erosion and displacement, and soil compaction. Practices that may affect soil quality and sustainability include:

• Organic Matter Disturbance
• Nutrient Management
• Soil Displacement and Compaction