Forest statistics for Michigan's western upper peninsula unit, 1993

58 Pages·1994·2.6 MB·English

by  Leatherberry, Earl C

document
Historic, archived
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
i
i>l> If 7
United States Forest Statistics for
Department of
Agriculture
Michigan's Western
Forest
Service
North Central Upper Peninsula
Forest Experiment Unit,
Station
Resource 1993
Bulletin NC-153
Earl C. Leatherberry
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(Notallprohibitedbasesapplytoallprograms.) Personswithdisabilitieswhorequirealternativemeans
forcommunicationofprograminformation(braille,largeprint,audiotape,etc.)shouldcontacttheUSDA
OfficeofCommunicationat(202)720-5881 (voice)or(202)720-7603^DD).
Tofileacomplaint,writetheSecretaryofAgriculture,U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture,Washington,D.C.
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North Central Forest Experiment Station
—
Forest Service U.S. Department ofAgriculture
1992 FolwellAvenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
Manuscript approved for publication January 24, 1994
1994
This report includes the most commonly used Forest Inventory and Analysis
(FIA) statistics from the U.S. Department ofAgriculture, Forest Service.
Additional forest resource data can be provided to interested users. Persons
requesting additional information from the raw inventory data are expected
to pay the retrieval costs. These costs range from less than $100 for a
relatively simple request to more than $2,000 for a complex retrieval involv-
ing the services ofa Forest Inventory and Analysis computer programmer.
Requests will be filled so as to minimize the impact on the Forest Inventory
and Analysis Work Unit.
Requests for information may be directed to:
Project Leader
Forest Inventory and Analysis
North Central Forest Experiment Station
1992 Folwell Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
Phone: [phone]
or
State Forester
Michigan Department ofNatural Resources
Forestry Division
P.O. Box 30028
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Phone: [phone]
Area served: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin.
L2fc Printed on recycled and recyclablepaper.
FOREWORD
FIA is a continuing endeavor as mandated by the Renewable Resources
Research Act of 1978. Prior inventories were mandated by the
McSweeney-McNary Forest ResearchAct of 1928. The objective ofFIAis
to periodically inventory the Nation's forest land to determine its extent,
condition, and volume oftimber, growth, and removals. Up-to-date
resource information is essential to frame forest policies and programs.
USDA Forest Service regional experiment stations are responsible for
conducting these inventories and publishing summary reports for
individual States. The North Central Forest Experiment Station is
responsible for forest inventory and analysis in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South
Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Fieldwork for the fifth forest inventory ofMichigan's Western Upper
Peninsula Unitwas begun in April 1991 and completed in September
1992. Reports ofthe four previous inventories ofMichigan's timber
resource are dated 1935, 1955, 1966, and 1980.
More accurate survey information was obtained during this survey than
otherwise would have been feasible because ofintensified field sampling.
Sampling intensity was tripled, providing reliable data at a county level.
Such sampling was made possible through the cooperation, assistance,
and additional funding provided by the Michigan Department ofNatural
Resources (MiDNR) and the Michigan State Legislature. To aid in deter-
mining current timber removals, MiDNR also surveyed primary wood-
using plants in the State. Aerial photographs used were black and
white, infrared taken in 1986 at a scale of 1:15,840 (nominal). These
photographs were purchased by the MiDNR and loaned to the USDA
Forest Service.
Contents
Page
Highlights 1
General 1
Area
1
Volume 3
Timber Growth, Removals, and Mortality 5
Growth 5
Removals 5
Mortality 6
Appendix 6
Accuracy ofthe Survey 6
County Data 7
Comparing the Fifth Inventory ofthe Western Upper
Peninsula with the Fourth Inventory 7
Survey Procedures 7
Major Steps in the New Survey Design 8
Tree and Log Grades 10
Metric Equivalents ofUnits Used in this Report 14
Tree Species Groups in Michigan's Western
Upper Peninsula 14
Definition ofTerms 15
Literature Cited 20
Table Titles 21
Tables 23

Forest Statistics for Michigan's Western
Upper Peninsula Unit, 1993
Earl C. Leatherberry
HIGHLIGHTS remnant stands ofthe old growth timber
remain, and younger trees now abound.
NOTE: Datafrom newforest inventories are Forest resources once again support much of
oftencompared withdatafromearlier invento- the economic activity ofthe region.
ries to determine trends inforest resources.
However,for the comparisons to be valid, the In the Western Upper Peninsula, the decidu-
procedures used in the two inventories must be ous and coniferous forests merge, in a region
similar. As a resultofourongoing efforts to ofunsurpassed beauty and charm. Several
improve the inventory's efficiency and reliabil- forested areas attract visitors seeking recre-
ity, we have made several changes inproce- ation experiences where solitude is valued; for
dures and definitions since the lastMichigan example, the Sylvania, Sturgeon River Gorge,
inventory in 1980. Because some ofthese and McCormick National Wilderness Areas,
changes made it inappropriate to directly administered by the Ottawa National Forest;
compare the 1993 data with thosepublishedfor and the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State
1980, datafrom the 1980 inventory have been Park, and Isle Royale National Park. The
re-processed using the currentprocedures. region has some ofthe oldest exposed volcanic
Please refer to the appendixsection labeled rock on Earth. The Huron, Keweenaw, and
"Comparing theFifthInventory ofthe Western Porcupine Mountains possess landscapes that
UpperPeninsula with the FourthInventory"for are uncommon in the Upper Midwest. During
more details. The data in this report are the winter, the hills and forests ofthe region
subject to change when inventory datafor are used for a variety ofoutdoor recreational
the entire State have been compiled. It is activities. The diverse forest once again sup-
expected, however, that any such changes ports wildlife species, such as the eastern
will be minor. timberwolfand moose, which were nearly
extinct in the area. The following are some
General major highlights from the 1993 inventory of
Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula, with
The Western Upper Peninsula ofMichigan (fig. comparisons to 1980, the year ofthe previous
1) is comprised ofeight counties. Natural inventory.
resource exploitation has long driven the
economy ofthe region. During the 1840's, one Area
ofthe richest mining eras in American history
was centered on the Keweenaw Peninsula, • In 1993 forest land accounted for 4.8
giving the region its current nickname of million acres (88 percent ofthe Unit's land
Copper Country. During the 1880's and area). The vast majority offorest land (95
1890's, most ofthe virgin stands oftimber percent) was classified timberland. Most of
were cut and used to build the cities and the remaining forest land was classified as
towns ofthe Midwest. Later, iron ore mining reserved timberland.
dominated economic activity in the region.
Today, nearly all the mines are closed, only • Between 1980 and 1993, total area offorest
land in the Unit increased by 24,700 acres.
This modest increase reverses a two-
Earl C. Leatherberry is a Resource Analyst decade-long pattern ofdecline in forest
with the Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit, land.
North Central Forest Experiment Station, St.
Paul, Minnesota.
— —
Keweenaw
;ure 1. Western UpperPeninsula Unit, 1993.
Between inventories, timberland area
increased by 83,800 acres. The increase in 1,200 •/
timberland resulted largely because land
classed as unproductive forest land in 1980
was found to be marginally productive in
1993. Also, some land classed as produc-
tive-reserved in 1980 has been reclassified
as timberland. Unproductive forest land
and reserved timberland declined by
24,900 and 34,200 acres, respectively,
between inventories.
Marquette Cou—nty contains 1 million acres
oftimberland more timberland than in
any other county in the Unit. Timberland
area in Marquette County amounts to 22
percent ofthe Unit's total (fig. 2).
Every county in the Unit is at least 80-
percent forested. In Gogebic and
Keweenaw Counties, 9 ofevery 10 acres of Figure 2. Areaoftimberland by county,
land are forested. Western UpperPeninsula, 1993.
Forest industries (24 percent) and private • The maple-birch forest type continues to
individuals (24 percent) together own nearly dominate timberland area, occupying 54
halfofthe timberland in the Unit. Thirty- percent ofthe timberland area, compared
four percent ofthe Unit's timberland area is to 52 percent in 1980 (fig. 4).
publicly owned, the largest proportion (19
percent) being in the Ottawa National
• In 1993 almost half(49 percent) the Unit's
Forest. The remaining 18 percent is owned timberland was in the sawtimber stand-size
by miscellaneous corporations not engaged
class. The area in sawtimber-size stands
in the forest industry (fig. 3). Less than 1- increased between inventories. In 1980
percent (6 thousand acres) oftimberland is close to half(44 percent) ofthe timberland
Indian owned.