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H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest & LTER Program
H.J. ANDREWS EXPERIMENTAL FOREST
Since its establishment in 1948, the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest has
grown to be a major center for research and education about the ecology
and management of forests and streams. The Andrews Forest is dedicated
to research and to communication of research results to land managers,
policy makers, scientists, students, and the general public. Located about
80 km east of Eugene, Oregon, the Andrews Forest is centrally located in
the coniferous forest biome of the Pacific Northwest. The Andrews Forest
is administered cooperatively by the USDA Forest Service’s Pacific
Northwest Research Station, Oregon State University, and the Willamette
National Forest.
THE ECOSYSTEM
The Andrews Forest is on the west slope of the Cascade Range of Oregon, and occupies
the 6400-ha watershed of Lookout Creek, a tributary of Blue River and the McKenzie
River. Elevation rangers from about 410 m to 1630 m. Broadly representative of the
rugged, mountainous landscape of the Pacific Northwest, the Forest features excellent
examples of the big, Pacific Northwest, conifer forests and steep, fast-flowing streams.
Annual average precipitation exceeds 2500 mm, falling mainly in the fall and winter as
rain at low elevations and snow in upper elevation areas.
Before timber cutting began in 1950, about 65 percent of the Forest was cloaked in
450-year-old Douglas-fir forests. The remainder was largely stands regenerated
following wildfires in the mid- and late 1800s. Since 1950 clearcutting has created
plantations over about 25 percent of the Forest.
The wide range of canopy to soil and stream habitats supports diverse fauna and flora.
About 500 species of vascular plants are found on the Forest. Vertebrate species
include cutthroat trout, Pacific giant salamander, black bear, coyote, mountain lion,
osprey, Roosevelt elk, and bobcat.
RESEARCH PROGRAM HISTORY
In the 1950s the program of research began as a few Forest Service
scientists studied effects of forest practices on vegetation, wildlife,
and watersheds. In the 1970s university researchers began working
at the Forest as it became a site in the Conifer Forest Biome of the
International Biological Program (IBP). This basic science examined
how forest and stream ecosystems function in old-growth and
managed forests. The Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program
of the National Science Foundation began in 1980, making it possible
to sustain this basic work on ecosystem structure and function. Also
in the 1980s researchers and land managers teamed up to develop
approaches to ecosystem management. The 1990s saw major growth
in landscape studies and development of ecosystem management
concepts and practices.
Time line of selected LTER-related research, programmatic,
and issue history of H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest.
Biodiversity/Arthropods
terrestrial
canopy
aquatic
CWD
litter/soil
conifer
riparian
Decomposition/C Dynamics
regional C
log decomposition
leaf
Soils
soil characterization, mapping
soil solution chemistry mycorrhizal mats
trace gases
Vegetation Succession
growth and yield
post-clearcut succession
characterize old growth
species diversity
Hydrology/Small Watersheds
land use treatment effects, water quality,
peak flows
rain-on-snow
revisit peak, low flows, roads
Forest-stream Interactions
old-growth/clearcut
comparisons
river continuum
geomorphic template
coarse woody debris
riparian
hyporheic
Disturbance/Landscape
EVENTS
landslides
Blue River Experimental Forest established
Named H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest
forestry research
1950s
ISSUES
IBP
1960s
management
efficiency
fire history
environmental
protection
forest harvest patterns
LTER 1
ecosystem research
LTER 2
1980s
1970s
clearcutting
windthrow
cumulative effects
of management
old growth
LTER 3
1990s
species conservation
global change
LTER 4
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Research themes of LTER and Andrews Forest - Over 100 research
projects are underway at Andrews Forest under the direction of dozens of
lead investigators from many institutions.
Central Question of Andrews Forest LTER Program:
How do land use, natural disturbance processes, and climate variability affect
key ecosystem processes such as biodiversity, carbon dynamics, and hydrology?
Watershed Studies
Experimental watershed studies
of water, sediment, vegetation,
and nutrient dynamics
Landscape Ecology
Pattern dynamics, and effects of
vegetation patchworks and stream
networks on biodiversity, hydrology,
and carbon dynamics
Stream and Riparian Zone
Ecology and Restoration
Dynamics of woody debris dynamics and
riparian vegetation, hyporheic zones, water
temperature, and nutrient dynamics.
Forest Development, Growth and Yield
Forest structure and composition dynamics at
stand and regional levels
Invertebrates
Identification of species
and their functional roles.
Carbon Dynamics
Carbon flux and storage at log to regional scales
Remote Sensing
Application of diverse technologies to ecosystem science
View of a SLICER lidar transect through H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest
Forest Height
140
Ground Surface- vertical scale of forest height exaggerated 10x
0
0
Close-up of young stand
70
0
0
Distance Along Transect (m)
0
550
0
Distance Along Transect (m)
550
Close-up of old growth stand
Height (m)
70
Close-up of mature stand
Height (m)
Height (m)
70
4
Distance Along Transect (km)
High
Canopy
Density
0
0
Distance Along Transect (m)
550
Low
Canopy
Density
LINKS WITH LAND MANAGEMENT
The Andrews Forest program has a long history of important contributions to
forest management and policy on themes as diverse as old-growth forests,
watershed protection, ecology of northern spotted owl, and efficient road
construction practices to minimize water quality effects. Currently land
managers of the Willamette National Forest working closely with the
Andrews Forest ecosystem research program develop, test, and apply new
approaches to management of forest and stream ecosystems through the
Cascade Center for Ecosystem Management and Central Cascades Adaptive
Management Area. Projects to develop and apply landscape management
plans based in part on the historic wildfire disturbance regime draw on
studies of fire history and fire effects as well as habitat requirements of
individual species. Several large-scale field and modeling experiments
concerning alternative silvicultural practices examine tradeoffs between
wood production and ecological properties of stands.
Simulated future landscape patterns, Central Cascades Adaptive Management Area,
Willamette National Forest, Oregon. Landscape Plan based on historical wildfire disturbance;
Interim Plan based on Federal land-use mandate for matrix land allocation.
BROADER PERSPECTIVES
The Andrews Forest is a major node in a series of networks at regional, national
(e.g., LTER), and global (e.g., MAB Program) scales. It is the hub of many regional
studies of forest cover change, carbon sequestration in forests, forest hydrology,
decomposition processes, historic fire regimes, and other phenomena.
FURTHER INFORMATION
For further information check out the webpage http://www.fsl.orst/lter for a science emphasis or http://www.fsl.orst/ccem
for information with management emphasis or call the Andrews Forest at 541 822-6300.