Description
On rich productive mixedwood cutover sites in western Newfoundland, hardwood reproduction competes strongly with regenerating softwood seedlings, chiefly of balsam fir. An experiment was established to compare several chemical methods and one mechanical method of releasing the softwood seedlings from the hardwood competition. Predliminary results one year after treatment show that chemical treatments gave much better control of hardwood competition than mechanical brushcutting which stimulated profuse regrowth of hardwood species. Of the three herbicides tested, glyphosate ('Roundup') controlled most hardwood species better than triclopyr ('Dowcop 233') or a mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T ('Brushkill'). All treatments caused some minor damage to the fir and spruce seedlings they were intended to release, but the seedlings are expected go recover quickly. Abstract reproduced by permission, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service. See on-line Canadian Forest Service Bookstore. Many pubs distributed free or available to download in Acrobat versions.