Growth Response of Ponderosa Pine to Intensive Cultural Treatments Varies with Site Quality and Plantation Age

Abstract Long-term forest experiments provide valuable knowledge in managing forests for productivity and other ecosystem services. California’s “Garden of Eden” experiment was established to determine growth potential of Pinus ponderosa plantations in response to intensive cultural treatments. We examined the 20-year growth-response of tree volume to intensive cultural treatments consisting of combinations of herbicide on competing vegetation (H), fertilization (F), and insecticide (I). We found that both H and F treatments synergistically increased tree growth at intermediate and lower-quality sites. Growth increased by 1.5–2.1 times with F, 2.1–2.5 times with H, and 2.3–3.8 times with HF treatments versus control (range = 39.3–109.2 m3 ha−1). Across the highest productive site, H and F effects on volume seemed additive at younger ages, but largely dissipated by age 20, with volume increasing by 1.6, 1.2, and 1.6 times relative to control in F, H, and HF treatments, respectively. However, 20-year mean annual increment was 21.7 m3 ha−1 yr−1 for the F treatment, the highest volume reported for ponderosa pine in California. The results underscore how site-specific cultural treatments, especially H and F, may widely enhance plantation productivity and boost stand development. Study Implications In Mediterranean climates, competing vegetation control is essential for ponderosa pine planation establishment and early growth, especially at intermediate and poor-quality sites. At higher-productivity sites, fertilization enhances stand growth and development, although fertilization’s beneficial effects on growth do not appear until canopy closure. Precommercial thinning in herbicide and fertilization treatments will not reduce overall stand growth 10 years postthinning. Intensively managed plantations appear to have a higher maximum stand density index compared to natural stands or unmanaged plantations. Therefore, these cultural treatments can be used to rapidly reforest areas after disturbances and subsequently promote larger trees on reforested landscapes.