An Ecological Field Study as a Basis for a Woodlot Management Plan

Abstract

Facilities of the Kalamazoo Nature Center include three buildings which are heated by wood stoves which require a large volume of fuel-wood over the course of a Michigan winter, in addition to that used during special programs, such as Maple Sugaring Weekend, cook-outs, etc. Land areas owned by the Nature Center include three or four small-to-medium-sized woodlots. The initial plan of this study was to develop an ecologically sound woodlot management plan for one of these woodlots. The plan would combine management practices for the cutting of trees for fuel-wood with those designed to improve the quality of the woodlot for timber and to provide adequate wildlife habitats. To do this, an understanding of the basic ecological relationships that exist in the selected woodlot was essential.