RIVER BENDS PARK-WEST AND HOLLAND ... - Shelby Township

EXISTING CONDITIONS FOR 'STAND 9. BUR OAK-IRONWOOD'
Land area: 3.1 Acres
Land use history: This stand was apparently heavily modified from any natural landscape it may have been
before its gravel pit period. Ditches were dug throughout, and the spoils piled to form ridges. The ditches
and other open water areas held water in July.
Forest Type:
-Existing: Oak-Elm-Ironwood
-Potential: Lowland Hardwoods
Successional trend: This is a very disturbed stand, mainly made up of ridges alternating with water-filled
ditches and open water areas. Most of the trees were on the ridges. The trees recorded were bur oak, elm,
hop-hornbeam (ironwood), and green ashes which were dead. In the understory were buckthorn, hophornbeam
and staghorn sumac. Ground vegetation was sparse, consisting of goldenrod, St. John's-wort,
buckthorn and silver maple seedlings, and barberry.
Forest health: The trees and shrubs appeared to be reasonably healthy. The true health of these
contaminated areas is unknown. Ash trees have died or were dying in July.
Site quality: Site index was estimated at a moderate 66 for Bur oak.
With ridges and troughs this stand is not expected to grow high quality trees, nor trees at high density.
Approximate age: 62 Size Class: Poles (5.5 - 11.5")
Trees per acre: 400 Mean Stand Diameter: 7 in.
Basal Area (BA): 50 Acceptable BA:
Growth Rate: % Timber Quality: medium
Stocking: Large pole-size bur oaks, small pole-size elms and sapling hop-hornbeam made up the fairly
sparse tree canopy of this swampy stand.
Stand volume: 7 Gross total cords/acre
Habitat and wildlife use: This stand has developed into a hardwood swamp community, and as such has
much the same habitat elements and wildlife use as Stand 7 and Stands 1 and 3. See those stand narratives
for descriptions of wildlife species that may use these vegetation types, and for management and habitat
improvement recommendations. The buckthorn and perhaps barberry in this stand should be eliminated.
Recreational opportunities: Few people probably enter this stand. Those that move quietly into this wet
forest probably have many opportunities to observe wildlife species and activity that are not available to
those who pass by on the main trails.
Potential for timber production: There is no reason to consider timber management for this swampy forest
stand. The tree canopy provides shelter, nesting sites, foods and predator escape cover for a variety of
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