Is the Charter Oak State Losing Its Oaks?

Is the Charter Oak State Losing Its Oaks?

Throughout the second half of the 20th century, oak trees have dominated Connecticut's forests. But changing land uses have altered the state's forest, says Steve Broderick, extension educator in the UConn Cooperative Extension System and State Certified Forester. Oak acreage has declined from two-thirds of the total in 1972 to just over half in 1998, and continues to decline.

From the mid 18th century through World War I, charcoal fueled Connecticut's industries and wood heated its homes. Virtually the entire state was clear-cut repeatedly to meet the demand for these products. Hardwood trees like oaks (which, unlike conifers, sprout readily from fresh-cut stumps) would often grow back to no more than large saplings before they were cut again.

By the 1930s the fossil fuel era had begun. Hundreds of thousands of clear-cut acres were abandoned and allowed to re-grow. Sun-loving oaks, usually already in place as freshly cut stumps or sprouts, thrived. They were adept at filling the space newly vacated by millions of American chestnuts killed by the chestnut blight. The number and size of oaks increased steadily for six decades. By the 1970s oaks were supplying raw materials for a growing sawmill industry.

But about 1980, the amount of oak/ hickory timber-sized forests stopped growing and leveled off at around 650,000 acres. A decade earlier, the acreage of "pole timber" (5" to 10" diameter trees) oak/ hickory forests had begun to drop. And, new seedling/ sapling oak forests plummeted from 162,000 acres in 1972 to 30,000 acres by 1998. What was preventing new oak forests from developing?

The loss of forest to development comes quickly to mind. Forested acreage has declined slightly in the past 30 years, but oak acreage has declined much more rapidly, from two-thirds of the total in 1972 to just over half in 1998. And the loss of seedling/ sapling oak forests alone exceeded the total loss of forestland during the same time. The explanation for this lies in how people use their land. Eighty years ago it was widespread and repeated clear-cutting that ironically created ideal conditions for oak development once that cutting stopped. Oak can take some shade, but it cannot compete successfully in the heavy shade of a forest canopy; it will germinate there and struggle along for years as a seedling, but unless it gets to sunlight and lots of it, eventually it will lose out to more shade-loving species. Today the very word clear-cutting is anathema to most landowners. The norm now is partial harvests, which, barring fire or hurricane, have no chance of resulting in new oak forests.

For more info on Connecticut forests and forestry, visit the Cooperative Extension System at <www.canr.uconn.edu/ces>.