Rehabilitating a Young Northern Red Oak Planting with Tree Shelters

Abstract

Abstract Methods for deer browse protection are becoming a necessary aspect of hardwood silviculture, particularly with practices such as artificial regeneration of oaks. This study tested the effectiveness of two types of deer protection for aiding the rehabilitation of a failed northern red oak planting in southern Indiana. Tree shelters, bar soap repellent, and no protection (control) treatments were applied to 1 yr old, coppice-origin oak shoots arising from 8 yr old root-stocks of an unsuccessful 1980 old-field research planting. Oaks in tree shelters exhibited significantly greater early shoot growth than did unsheltered oaks. This height advantage was maintained, but not increased once tree crowns emerged from the shelter environment. After 5 growing seasons, oaks receiving the soap repellent treatment began to increase their rate of height growth. Continuation of this trend could negate early growth advantages of tree shelters. The use of tree shelters may improve the success of attempts to regenerate preferred browse species such as oaks, but concerns of practicality and economics remain. North. J. Appl. For. 13(1):24-29.