Where Is The Forest Service Marker In Lyman Maine

York Canton, Maine

Sunlight filters through a stand of trees on the Massabesic Experimental Forest The Massabesic Experimental Forest is in the procedure of revitalization. Ravaged by fire and windstorms, underutilized for decades, it is in one case once more serving equally a location for wood ecology and management research and demonstration.

Information technology is typical of much nonindustrial forest country in New England. Located in York County, Maine'southward southernmost, the Massabesic is grown-over farmland abandoned between the Civil War and the Great Depression. Eastern white pine and northern red oak colonized its old fields and still dominate those sites.

Ownership of the Massabesic is not typical of that of other experimental forests in that the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station purchased the land nether the Weeks Act betwixt 1937 and 1942. The 1,497-ha woods consists of two units (North and South) that are about the same size. At that place are a number of special ecological features, including one of the largest Atlantic white-cedar wetlands in New England, many vernal pools, and numerous plants and animals that are rare or uncommon.

As 1 of the largest blocks of public state in southern Maine, the Massabesic is popular for recreation. Information technology is managed by ane of the units at the Northern Research Station Laboratory in Durham, New Hampshire, and is the only experimental woods with appreciable amounts of white pine and red oak.

The history of Massabesic is ane of alter and challenge. Soon after establishment, it closed for World War II. It reopened in 1946, and studies on white pine management were planned and installed.

Post-obit years of drought, 1,214 ha burned in October 1947, in a 61,000-ha burn that consumed entire villages in southwestern Maine. On the Massabesic, the burn down was a stand-replacing disturbance in some places, while in other areas only role of the forest floor was consumed, or skipped entirely. Although many trees killed in the fire were harvested the next twelvemonth, 80 percent of the timber was destroyed or salvaged. Over the adjacent few years, windstorms blew down many more than trees in fire-weakened stands.

Following the fire and windstorms, research accent shifted from stand direction to artificial regeneration, both direct seeding and planting, and later to woods genetics.

Climate

The Massabesic climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, which is fewer than 20 mi (32 km) southeast of either unit. Average almanac temperature is 46.half-dozen °F (eight.ane °C), with July normally warmest (70.2 °F, 33.9 °C) and Jan coldest (21.five °F, -v.eight °C). Total annual precipitation averages 46.eight in (1,188 mm), with September typically the driest and November the wettest month. May 4 is the average date of the last killing frost and the growing flavor averages 157 days.

Soils

Soils are of glacial origin over granite bedrock. Upland soils are typically stony to very stony sandy loams, ranging to sandy on outwash plains. Exposed ledge is mutual. Major soil taxa are Dystrochrepts, Udorthents, and Udipsamments. The land is flat to gently rolling, lying at elevations from 200-450 ft (61 to 137 thou) meridian.

Vegetation

The eastern white pine-northern ruby oak forest type > dominates upland sites. Eastern hemlock and red maple are also well represented throughout the forest. About pure stands of newspaper birch occupy some areas cleared by the 1947 fire and subsequent salvage. Other cleared areas were planted or direct seeded to white pine or a mixture of white and scarlet pino. Exotic species, including western white and Scots pines, were besides planted. Mutual woody shrubs include beaked hazelnut, several species of Viburnum, winterberry, witch-hazel, sheep-laurel, and Vaccinium species. Mutual herbaceous plants are star flower, Canada mayflower, bracken fern, wild sarsaparilla, wintergreen, wild oats, and mountain rice. There are few nonnative invasive plant species.

Research, Past and Present

When the Massabesic was established, permanent sample plots were installed only many plot location stakes were lost in the 1947 fire and never reestablished. Following the burn, white pine direction research was reinitiated but accent shifted to bogus regeneration research, including a number of pesticide trials to control competing vegetation and white pino weevils. Management enquiry airtight in the 1960s and a series of genetics studies on white pine weevil resistance was initiated, followed by a broader focus on tree improvement inquiry. Recent research includes investigations of soil nitrogen processes, aquatic insects, amphibian and owl environmental, and comparison of methods for sampling coarse woody material.

Major Research Accomplishments and Furnishings on Management

Some of the first recommendations for aerial seeding of burns and for herbicide use in white pino management were based on research on the Massabesic. In planted stands like to those of the forest, most i-third of western white pines suffer weevil damage compared to two-thirds of eastern white pines.

50 years later farming ceased, its effects were yet axiomatic on soil pH, C:N, percent organic matter, and concentrations of total C and full N. The effects of fire on soil later on the aforementioned menstruation were much less clear. With its location in the most populous part of Maine, the Massabesic EF hosts a conservation education project that reaches hundreds of school children and adults every twelvemonth.

Collaborators

Kinesthesia members and graduate students from the University of Southern Maine and the University of New Hampshire are collaborating in studies at the Massabesic. The education projection is a partnership with the state forestry agency, local soil and water conservation commune, local conservation commission, and the Small Woodland Owners Clan of Maine. Numerous volunteers from local communities and state naturalist societies participated in the floristic inventory and go along to support activities on the forest.

Research Opportunities

In that location are ample opportunities for inquiry on all aspects of ecology and management of pine-oak and other mixed-species forests, particularly with regard to coming together data needs of nonindustrial landowners. Manipulative experiments are possible in collaboration with Northeastern Research Station scientists. Project staff members are willing to facilitate nonmanipulative studies that do non conflict with the long-term research and demonstration missions of the Massabesic.

Facilities

The Massabesic has just minimal facilities. The Forest Service-owned buildings are occupied by country and local agencies under long-term use permits.
Lat. 43°27′8″ N, long. 70°40′44″ Due north

Contact Information

Massabesic Experimental Woods
USDA Woods Service
Northern Enquiry Station
271 Mast Road
Durham, NH 03824
Tel: 603-868-7659

Related Publications

Brissette, John C.; Sendak, Paul Due east.; Dibble, Alison C.; Rees, Catherine A. 2005. Massabesic Experimental Forest. In: Kenefic, Laura S.; Twery, Mark J., eds. Irresolute Forests- Challenging Times: Proceedings of the New England Guild of American Foresters 85th Wintertime Meeting; 2005 March xvi-eighteen; Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-325. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wood Service, Northeastern Research Station: 36

Dibble, Alison C.; Rees, Catherine A.; Sendak, Paul E.; Brissette, John C. 2004. Vegetation of forested uplands in the Massabesic Experimental Forest. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-320. Newtown Foursquare, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Enquiry Station. 71 p.

Eckert, R.T. 1993. Population genetic analysis and estimation for protection of Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides [Fifty.] B.Southward.P.) in New Hampshire and Maine. In: Coastally Restricted Forest, A.D. Laderman, Ed. Oxford Univ. Press.

Garrett, P.W. 1972. Resistance of eastern white pino (Pinus strobus L.) provenances to white pine weevil (Pissodes strobi Peck.). Silva Genetica 21: 119-121.

Garrett, P.W., E.J. Schreiner, H. Kettlewood. 1973. Geographic variation of eastern white pine in the Northeast. Res. Pap. NE-274. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Section of Agronomics, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 14 p.

Garrett, P.Due west., A.L. Shigo, J.Carter. 1976. Variation in diameter of cardinal columns of discoloration in vi hybrid poplar clones. Can. Jour. For. Res. 6: 475-477.

Graber, R.Eastward. 1965. Straight seeding white pine in furrows. In: Direct Seeding in the Northeast. Univ. Mass. Agr. Exp. Sta. Symp. Proc. 99-101.

Graber, R.E. 1968. Planting site, shade, and local seed source: their furnishings on the emergence and survival of eastern white pine seedlings. Res. Pap. NE-94. Upper Darby, P:. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Woods Experiment Station. 12 p.

McConkey, T.Due west. 1953. Growth behavior of white pine in an uncut stand in southeastern Maine. Res. Note 25. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agronomics, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 3 p.

McConkey, T.West. 1955. Returns from a white pine woodlot. Order Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Forest Notes 46: 32-33.

Perrilo, A. 1997. Vernal pools in southeastern Maine. MS thesis. University of Maine, Orono.

Safford, L.O. 1989. Growth of birch increased by release and autumn fertilization In: Proc. Articulation Meeting Maine Division of New England SAF, Maine Chapter of Wild fauna Society, and Atlantic International Affiliate of American Fisheries Guild. Maine Agri. Exp. Sta. Misc. Rep. 336. p. 262.

Soulia, M. 1997. Changes in soil nitrogen processes resulting from previous tillage and fire in a Maine Forest. MS thesis. Univ. New Hampshire. 74 p.

Wilkinson, R.C. 1977. Inheritance of budbreak and correlation with early on height growth on white spruce (Picea glauca) from New England. Res. Pap. NE-391. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Department of Agronomics, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 5 p.

Wilkinson, R.C. 1980. Relationship between cortical monoterpenes and susceptibility of eastern white pino to white-pino weevil assail. For. Sci. 26(four): 581-589.

Wilkinson, R.C. 1981. White-pine weevil assault: susceptibility of western white pino in the Northeast. Res. Pap. NE-483. Upper Darby, PA: U.S. Section of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 3 p.

Wilkinson, R.C. 1983. Leader and growth characteristics of eastern white pine associated with white-pine weevil assault susceptibility. Can. Jour. For. Res. 13(1): 78-84.

Summary information presented here was originally published in:

Adams, Mary Beth; Loughry, Linda; Plaugher, Linda, comps. 2004. Experimental Forests and Ranges of the USDA Forest Service. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-321. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wood Service, Northeastern Research Station. 178 p.

Information may have been updated since original publication.

Last Modified: 01/21/2016