Study establishment:

1. Final stages of project installation have been completed, including:
   • All initial treatments have been installed per study plan (Weyerhaeuser Co)
   • Planted graded, first-generation improved Douglas-fir 1+1seedlings on a 2.5-m grid at a density of 650 TPA
   • Seedlings were sampled for biomass and morphological characterization prior to planting (Harrington, Terry)
   • Extra seedlings were planted for biomass sampling at age 2-years
   • Vegetation control treatments were applied on prescribed treatment plots using Oust¬ and Accord¬ herbicides
   • Exclusion fence was constructed around the study site to protect confounding seedling damage occurring from elk and deer browse.

Pre-harvest site characterization and nutrient pools (Objective 1):

1. Pre-harvest understory vegetation species survey has been completed. A summary report has been drafted (Beach et al.).
2. Pre-harvest understory vegetation biomass samples have been collected, weighed and analyzed. Data is being summarized to estimate understory vegetation nutrient pools (Flaming, Harrison, et al.).
3. Tree biomass samples were collected prior to harvest (31 Douglas-fir and 12 western hemlock trees across diameter range) are being processed in the lab. These data will be used to estimate stand biomass nutrient pools (Flaming, Harrison, et al.).
4. Forest floor and soil samples were collected across all four blocks prior to harvest. Samples have been processed and are being analyzed to estimate forest floor/soil nutrient pools (Flaming, Harrison, et al.).

Post-treatment characterization of biomass residuals and forest floor (Objectives 1 and 2):

1. Low elevation aerial photographs of the study site have been taken to document treatments and location of large woody debris and old-growth stumps. Plans are to incorporate this information along with future stem maps into a GIS system (Harrington et al.).
2. Post-harvest assessment of the forest floor, coarse woody debris, and logging slash by organic matter removal treatment is nearing completion. Organic matter biomass will be characterized by size, decomposition class, and nutrient content in the different harvesting/organic matter removal treatments (conventional bole-only harvest to a 8-13 cm top, total bole removal to a 5 cm top, total-tree removal, and total-tree removal "plus"). Biomass and nutrient pool estimates will be determined. (Piatek, Terry)
3. The amount of disturbance to the forest floor will also be assessed in the total-tree and total-tree plus removal plots. (Licata, Piatek, Terry)
4. Estimates of stump, and fine root biomass (nutrient pools) is in progress. Coarse-root estimates will be delayed until the adjacent stands are felled. (Piatek)

1. Collection and analysis of first-year early-growing season lysimeter soil solutions at 20 cm depths in the bole-only, and total-tree, and total-tree plus treatments has been completed and is currently being summarized. (Flaming)
2. Laboratory incubations of forest floor materials have been completed and will be used to describe potential differences in mineralization between organic matter removal treatments. (Flaming)
3. Assessment of the mineralization rates in the first-year fall and second-year spring season is being initiated (Licata, Shumway, Terry). Treatments assessed will include the bole-only, total-tree, and total-tree plus treatments. This study will focus on how the following factors are affected by organic matter removal treatments utilizing ion-exchange resin bags at the base of PVC cores (20 cm depth):
   • Organic matter / soil-N mineralization
   • Soil temperature
   • Soil moisture
   • Seedling performance

Soil disturbance / compaction (Objective 3):

1. Post-treatment soil disturbance in "compacted" plots was assessed using Scott's soil disturbance classification codes. Data has been summarized. (Terry, Flaming)
2. Soil bulk density samples were collected at three depths from compacted and non-compacted plots to assess the impacts from ground-based harvesting on soil density. Soil samples will subsequently be taken from compacted plots that received the soil tillage treatment. We are assessing the best methods to do this task. The small soil bulk density sampler initially used was inadequate to assess the variability encountered on the tillage plots. (Flaming, Terry, Licata, Shumway).
3. Soil bulk density samples were collected from an ancillary shovel-trail compaction study which is assessing impacts of repeated forwarder traffic (compaction) on Douglas-fir seedling growth. This study utilized an area where repeated shovel traffic followed a designated trail leading to a log landing. These conditions represent the "worse-case" compaction that might occur on this soil. Soil tillage is being tested as an amelioration treatment. Data summaries have been completed for the initial soil bulk density values on the "compacted", "compacted and tilled," and adjacent "log-only" areas (Terry).

Vegetation assessment (Objectives 5 and 6):

1. Post-treatment vegetation sampling (species, percent cover, percent over-topping) was completed for the late July 2000 sampling period by Dave Peter, USFS. These data will be used to track vegetation development as well as explain treatment impacts of the vegetation control treatments. (Peter, Harrington).
   • Percent cover of understory species will be assessed in the conventional bole-only removal plots (with and without vegetation control) and in the weeded total-tree plus treatment.
   • Data will be linked to soil moisture and seedling moisture stress information. (Harrington)

Seedling micro-climate assessment (Objectives 5 and 6):

1. A weather station is recording site environmental variables; e.g., rainfall, air temperature, humidity, wind speed, etc.. (Harrington)
2. Monitoring of post-treatment microclimate conditions associated with the seedling growing environment within the bole-only (w/wo vegetation control) and total-tree plus treatments has begun. (Harrington, et al.)
   • Remote Hobo data loggers are recording treatment temperature differences at seedling height (25-cm) and at 10-cm soil depth.
   • Sap-flow sensors are currently being used to measure soil/seedling water relations.

1. Soil atmosphere and soil moisture/temperature conditions at 20-cm depth are being monitored as part of a wood-block decomposition study. This study is being replicated at various locations across the country to relate decomposition rates to soil /climatic variables. (Jurgensen, Page-Dumroese, Terry).