Papers by Peter Smallidge
Community Characteristics and Vegetation Management of Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) Habitats on Rights-of-Way in East- Central New York, USA
Journal of Applied Ecology, Dec 1, 1996
... Schenectad Albany Fig. 1. Counties sampled for investigation of Lycaeides melissa samuelis ha... more ... Schenectad Albany Fig. 1. Counties sampled for investigation of Lycaeides melissa samuelis habitat characteristics ... Plantago major, Streptopus roseus, Lepidium virinicum, Lychnis alba, Melilotus officinalis, Oxalis spp., Trifolium dubium, Trifolium repens and Silene cucubalus. ...
Forest Vegetation Management
Slimlam method: robotically bandsawn timber for Glulam applications
Construction robotics, May 18, 2023
Enhancing meat goat production through controlled woodland browsing: controlling undesirable and invasive species with goats
Forest Ecology and Management, Apr 1, 1995
Seed bank species composition, density, and frequency were evaluated as seedling emergence relati... more Seed bank species composition, density, and frequency were evaluated as seedling emergence relative to differences in substrate chemistry associated with watershed liming and pit and mound topography (microsites) on the Woods Lake watershed, western Adirondack Mountains, NY. Liming was expected to affect calcicole and calcifuge species richness and density, while species that form persistent versus transient seed banks were expected to vary with microsite. Two of five subcatchments were limed in October, 1989 with 6.89 t ha-' of pelletized CaCO,. Forest floor samples were collected in May 199 1 and 1992 from pit, mound, and undisturbed microsites in limed and reference (untreated) subcatchments. Water soluble calcium concentrations in forest floor samples collected in May 1992 from limed subcatchments were almost ten times greater than forest floor samples from reference subcatchments, but there were no differences in soluble calcium concentration among microsites within a subcatchment. Species richness and abundance varied among microsites, but the magnitude depended on year and lime treatment. Relative frequencies of Betula aZleghaniensis (yellow birch) and Oxalis acetosella (wood sorrel) exceeded 80% in both years, with a slightly greater frequency from limed than reference subcatchments. Differences in relative frequency for several species between subcatchments were not consistent between years. The relative frequency of all species by microsite was generally greater from limed than reference subcatchments. Total density and the density of individual species by microsite varied between treatments within subcatchments and between years, although some patterns exist. Seed bank patterns vary appreciably between years and among microsites. Differences in seedling emergence from pit versus mound microsites varied between years and depended on whether the microsites were in limed or reference subcatchments. These data suggest that there are no detrimental short-term effects of watershed liming on seed banks of upland deciduous forests. Microsites may affect plant community composition most through germination and survival of propagules.
Management Implications of Ash Yellows in Northeastern Hardwood Stands
Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, Sep 1, 1991
This paper identifies management implications for forest stands affected or potentially affected ... more This paper identifies management implications for forest stands affected or potentially affected by ash yellows (AshY) based on results from studies on the response of forest structure and composition to AshY and the interrelationship of AshY, drought, and radial growth decline of white ash. Specifically, the synthesis of these studies compares the structure and composition of forests classified as either declining or nondeclining based on patterns of white ash radial growth and identifies the role of AshY in these forests. Data were collected from 41 plots in 6 northeastern states. The incidence of AshY at the stand level was associated with high white ash density and importance value, increased white ash mortality in the upper canopy, stand ages generally less than 60 years, and a high degree of forest fragmentation. The presence of AshY in individual white ash was generally associated with a decline in radial growth. The radial growth of white ash unaffected by AshY could recover from drought stress, but white ash affected by AshY apparently could not. Managers of forest stands having a high white ash density, particularly in droughty stands or in areas with a high degree of forest fragmentation, should encourage greater overstory species diversity. North. J. Appl. For. 8(3):115-118.
Structure and Composition of Forest Stands Affected and Unaffected by Ash Yellows
Plant Disease, 1991
The incidence and effect of the mycoplasmal disease ash yellows in forest stands were evaluated i... more The incidence and effect of the mycoplasmal disease ash yellows in forest stands were evaluated in 50 plots located in six northeastern states. Three forest types identified by a vegetation analysis were dominated by Fraxinus americana, Acer saccharum, or F. pennsylvanica. The density of dead F. americana was greatest on sites dominated by this species, and the height of dead F. americana relative to live trees, or vertical distribution, differed among the forest types. Total tree mortality was generally greater in yellows-affected plots than in unaffected plots because of greater F. americana mortality (.)
Landscape and Urban Planning, Nov 1, 1997
Many temperate butterfly species occur in habitats where human activities have altered the natura... more Many temperate butterfly species occur in habitats where human activities have altered the natural or long-term disturbance regime, and current activities modify the structure and availability of butterfly habitats over several spatial and temporal scales. Indeed, human activities modify key ecological processes sufficiently that the maintenance of some butterfly populations depends on human intervention to provide suitable habitat. Combined changes in historic and current disturbance regimes and human land-use practices necessitate active vegetation and habitat management to conserve and expand many butterfly populations. Efforts to protect temperate butterfly habitats often have resulted in successional changes that reduce habitat suitability. Butterfly habitats commonly deteriorate through a reduced intensity and frequency of long-term disturbance or management patterns that result in smaller and fragmented patches of early successional habitat. Fragmentation of otherwise continuous habitats can result in the forced dependence of a metapopulation structure. Because some butterfly larvae require one or a few host plants or adults are selective for nectar or oviposition sites, habitat management plans that include selection of an appropriate site for subsequent vegetation management activities may enhance conservation efforts. Vegetation management activities within an area can be coordinated to provide a mosaic landscape with habitats suitable for numerous species. Recommended vegetation management strategies vary with plant community type, historic disturbance regime, desired vegetation structure and composition, spatial pattern of habitat patches, land ownership patterns, and economic constraints. Because buttefflies respond directly and indirectly to vegetation management and to the mosaic nature of habitat patches within the landscape, management plans must accommodate the constraints of the regional landscape and the spatial and temporal dynamics of the prescribed disturbance or management regime. We review efforts to manage temperate plant communities for butterfly habitat, and discuss general strategies for developing a vegetation management program for butterfly habitats in human-dominated landscapes. A case study of Karner blue butterfly habitat conservation efforts is provided. 0 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
Small-scale forest economics, management and policy, Oct 1, 2003
Natural disasters occur in all forests, and may provide an opportunity for forestry extension edu... more Natural disasters occur in all forests, and may provide an opportunity for forestry extension educators and natural resource professionals to reach landowners with education and technical assistance. The 1998 ice storm that hit northern New York State, USA in January 1998, was used to assess the educational and technical assistance needs of forest owners. The degree of commonality among private forest landowners and maple syrup producers in their preferred delivery methods and messengers for educational materials was explored as a result of this natural disaster. Most respondents surveyed indicated that newsletters or special mailings were the best way to reach them. However, some evidence was found that small-scale forest landowners find personal contacts more useful than written materials when considering adopting a new practice. Evidence exists that some people likely sought information for the first time as a result of the storm and many think about the possibility of future ice storms when making management decisions. Responding effectively to a teachable moment created by a natural disaster requires the ability to disperse quickly relevant educational materials through a knowledgeable and trusted human network and into the hands of affected individuals before they begin making resource management decisions.
Forest Community Composition and Juvenile Red Spruce (Picea rubens) Age-Structure and Growth Patterns in an Adirondack Watershed
Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, Oct 1, 1994
ABSTRACT Characteristics of juvenile Picea rubens Sarg. (red spruce) age- and size-structure were... more ABSTRACT Characteristics of juvenile Picea rubens Sarg. (red spruce) age- and size-structure were evaluated as well as terminal and lateral growth increments for P. rubens saplings among forest community types and microtopographical positions on the Woods Lake watershed in the western Adirondack mountains, New York, USA. The effects of a watershed liming with 6.89 t·ha-1 of pelletized CaCO3 on the growth of P rubens saplings were evaluated in reference and treated subcatchments for the year prior to and three years after treatment to determine if a calcite application initially affected growth. Forest community types at Woods Lake were similar to other northeastern forests in composition and structure, but will likely experience changes in overstory composition as the dominant species, Acer rubrum L. (red maple), is replaced. Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. (American beech) was codominant in the overstory with A. rubrum, and was dominant in the understory. Picea rubens saplings were more frequently found on mounds than other microtopographical positions, but not on mounds that were of recent origin. Picea rubens saplings had an unimodal age-structure characteristic of an even-aged population, which suggests a pattern of episodic regeneration coincident with local windthrow disturbance. Picea rubens that occurred on mounds, rocks, and intact areas tended to be larger and older than those found in pits. The establishment and survival of juvenile P. rubens were limited by the availability of microsites coincident with good seed years, and the suitability of microsites for growth once stems were established. Terminal and lateral growth increments of P rubens saplings were similar among microtopographical positions and between reference and limed subcatchments before and in the two years after liming. In 1992, the terminal increment of P. rubens was not different from the 1991 terminal increment on treated subcatchments, but in reference subcatchments the terminal increment was less than in 1991. The potential role of P rubens in future forests is discussed.
Pathogens, Patterns, and Processes in Forest Ecosystems
BioScience, 1995
studies the social and economic aspects of natural resources and the environment and the applicat... more studies the social and economic aspects of natural resources and the environment and the application of social and economic insights in management planning and policy. A list of HDRU publications may be obtained by writing to the
The objective of our research was to identify and understand the motivations and barriers of a va... more The objective of our research was to identify and understand the motivations and barriers of a variety of stakeholders for participating in the woody biofuel supply system in New York State. In this report, we focus on the views and actions of foresters and loggers. (A companion report [Connelly et al. 2011] discusses the results from our survey of private woodland owners.) A survey of foresters active in New York State was conducted by web and mail. We found that most foresters included the harvesting of wood for commercial woody biofuels production in recommendations they made to their clients or employers at least some of the time. We also found that most foresters think the trend is toward increasing commercial woody biofuels production, both in their region and in their own business. For foresters, the primary benefits of developing woody biofuels markets were to provide a market for low grade wood and to provide landowners with more options for achieving their land ownership objectives. The most frequently cited barriers to recommending the harvest of wood for use as biofuels were: high trucking costs, lack of markets for woody biofuels, no processing facility close enough to landowners, and landowners not getting sufficient financial return for the harvest of woody biofuels. Personal interviews were conducted with loggers living in New York State (n=11). They thought demand was currently high for firewood, but not for large volumes of low grade material. Loggers do not see supply, per se, as a barrier to utilization of woody biofuels. However, one of the most commonly mentioned barriers was the cost of transportation for both wood and equipment. In general, they think the future looks bright for small scale firewood production. Some also see strong demand for specific markets, such as for uses associated with gas drilling. Development of a larger scale facility that uses woody biofuels to produce energy brings up more concerns among interviewees. These included the need for year-round demand, sufficient supply within a reasonable area to cover the transportation costs, the difficulty of obtaining financing, and the volatility of other energy markets and their influence on the value of woody biofuels. Recommendations are made at the end of the report for educational programs that might address some of these barriers.
Increasingly, the forests in the Catskill and lower Hudson region are being threatened by the spr... more Increasingly, the forests in the Catskill and lower Hudson region are being threatened by the spread of exotic insect pests and invasive plants. To minimize this spread, the Watershed Agricultural Council (WAC) would like to support a forestry education and early detection program. However, little is known about people's current level of awareness and knowledge of invasive plants and insects. The surveys reported herein were conducted by the Human Dimensions Research Unit (HDRU) at Cornell University to provide the baseline information that would inform WAC's development of education programs. The study area consisted of 10 counties in the Catskill region (Delaware, Schoharie, Greene, Ulster, and Sullivan) and the lower Hudson region (Orange, Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess). Three audiences were targeted for the survey effort: non-industrial private landowners, local government officials, and local forestry professionals. Landowners were divided into four groups based on the location and size of their property so that possible differences in awareness or educational needs could be detected. Local officials surveyed included town supervisors, town planners, town highway supervisors, city or village Department of Public Works supervisors, and chairpersons of town conservation advisory committees-people at the local government level who might be involved with invasive species management. Forestry and tree professionals included foresters, loggers, arborists, landscapers, and nursery operators that WAC believed were active in the Catskill or Lower Hudson region. The purpose of the study was to: (1) assess the current knowledge and awareness levels of each target audience with respect to invasive plants and insects, and (2) identify effective means of educating these audiences about the prevention and early detection of invasive species. Questionnaires were mailed to the survey audiences in early April, 2007. Up to three reminder mailings were sent over the course of the following month. A telephone follow-up survey was conducted with 25 nonrespondents in each landowner strata, 50 nonrespondents in the local officials' stratum, and 70 nonrespondents in the forestry professionals' stratum to determine whether their answers to key questions differed from those of respondents. Survey of Landowners Of the 4,000 questionnaires mailed, 394 were undeliverable and 1,047 completed questionnaires were returned, for an adjusted response rate of 29%. In general, respondents were more aware of and concerned about invasive species than nonrespondents. Thus, when looking at the results of the mail survey, we can assume that awareness and concern for invasive species is slightly overestimated. Conclusions and Recommendations for Educational Outreach to Landowners • Awareness of invasive species among landowners was low. Over half of the respondents had never heard of 12 of the 14 invasive plants and insects we asked about in the survey. Outreach efforts should focus first on increasing basic awareness and knowledge of invasive species. We recommend assessing existing identification guides to determine ` vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Tom Pavlesich of the Watershed Agricultural Council for his oversight on this project and his review of the questionnaires and report, as well as providing the survey samples. John Swartz, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, also assisted with questionnaire and report review. We also appreciate the interest of the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership in this project. Special thanks are extended to HDRU staff members Karlene Smith and Linda Weaver, who implemented the survey and entered the data on computer. Margie Peech assisted with table preparation and report formatting.
Composition, Vegetation, and Structural Characteristics of a Presettlement Forest in Western Maryland
... Timber harvesting has traditionally occurred in western Maryland and the lower Eastern Shore ... more ... Timber harvesting has traditionally occurred in western Maryland and the lower Eastern Shore of the state (Alban et al. ... Study Area Coleman Hollow is located within the Savage River State Forest, in Garrett County, Maryland (39?31'W, 79?06'N). There are two distinct forest ...
Assessing Extension Educator Needs in New York to Address Natural Resource Issues for the New Millennium
The Journal of Extension, 2000
Limited Invasion and Reproduction of Loblolly Pines in a Large South Carolina Old Field
Oikos, Feb 1, 1994
The invasion and subsequent reproduction of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) in a large (142 ha) old ... more The invasion and subsequent reproduction of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) in a large (142 ha) old field in Aiken County, South Carolina, USA has occurred more slowly than expected based on successional studies performed in the 1930s and 1940s. Although the field was abandoned in 1951, only 57 pines invaded a centrally-located 26.7-ha study plot. Pines are normally expected to completely occupy an abandoned field within 25 years. Most of the trees in the center of the field were established between 1955 and 1965 and have shown limited reproduction and dispersal of offspring. The median number of offspring per parent tree is 13, and 90% of the offspring are located within 20 m of the parent. The limited pine invasion may be due to the large size of the abandoned field
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Papers by Peter Smallidge