North Central Research Station - Experimental Forests

Lower Peninsula Experimental Forest (2 Units) Huron-Manistee National Forests, MI 3,422 acres, Est. 1954 Contact: Bob Haack Pine River Unit: Management of forest plantations and oak and aspen stands. Newaygo Unit: Management of white pine and red pine plantations.

Brief introduction

The 3,400-acre Lower Peninsula Experimental Forest, made up of the Pine River and Newaygo Units, was formally established in 1954 by the USDA Forest Service. The forest was initially used for silvicultural research, chemical release of overstory hardwoods in pine plantations, and growth and yield of northern hardwoods under different stocking levels. The Pine River Unit is located in the southwest corner of Wexford County in Township 21 North, Range 12 West. The gross area within the Pine River Unit boundaries is approximately 2,760 acres. The Newaygo Unit is located in Newaygo County astride the township line separating Townships 12 and 13 North in Range 12 West. The gross area within this experimental unit is 640 acres.

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Climate

Wexford County (Source: NOAA Climate Summary, 1995):

January average minimum temperature: 10°F (-12°C)
January average maximum temperature: 25°F (-4°C)
July average minimum temperature: 56°F (13°C)
July average maximum temperature: 79°F (26°C)
Average annual rainfall: 31 in (79 cm)
Average annual snowfall: 71 in (180 cm)
Days above 90°F (32°C): 5
Days below 0°F (-18°C): 23

Newaygo County (Source: NOAA Climate Summary, 1995):

January average minimum temperature: 11°F (-12°C)
January average maximum temperature: 28°F (-2°C)
July average minimum temperature: 56°F (13°C)
July average maximum temperature: 82°F (28°C)
Average annual rainfall: 32 in (81 cm)
Average annual snowfall: 71 in (180 cm)
Days above 90°F (32°C): 8

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Soil types

Pine River Unit:

The Unit is located in the northern highlands division of the Lower Peninsula. This region is covered with a thick layer of glacial drift deposited by the Lake Michigan ice-lobe during the most recent period of glaciation. In general, the soils are low in fertility for agriculture. The principal soil types encountered are Rubicon, Grayling, Roselawn, and Emmet sands. Some differences, which are reflected by differences in forest types and growth, exist in the texture and moisture-holding capacities of these soils. Those in the rolling hills on the east (principally Emmet sands) and in the northern portion of Section 17 (principally Kalkaska loamy sand) are superior in this respect to the soils elsewhere in the area. Soils in the remaining parts of the area are principally Rubicon, Grayling, and Roselawn sands. In general, the soils are deep, well-drained, slightly acid podozols, which are characteristic of extensive areas in northern Lower Michigan.

Newaygo Unit:

The Newaygo Unit is located in the well-glaciated central uplands division of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. These uplands have a thick layer of glacial drift, and probably were covered by the Lake Michigan ice lobe during the most recent period of glaciation. The principal soil types, according to the soil survey made in 1950, are Sparta loamy sand and Plainfield sand. These are both dry, well-drained, and occur in nearly level plains. The top 10 and 18-inch layer of Sparta loamy sand is a mixture of sand and fine organic matter. Plainfield sand has a thin layer of loamy sand mixed with a moderate amount of organic matter. Within the Plainfield sand sites there are small wind-eroded areas where the surface sand has largely been removed. The surfaces of these dish-shaped spots are several feet below the surface of surrounding non-eroded areas, and are frequently gravelly. There is little or no organic matter in these so-called sandblows.

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Vegetation types

Pine River Unit:

Three natural forest types prevail. These include oak, aspen (Populus grandidentata, ranging from pure stands to mixtures with oak and maple), and second-growth northern hardwoods. The oaks are mainly pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis), white oak (Q. alba), red oak (Q. rubra), and black oak (Q. velutina). Considerable acreages of pine, including red (Pinus resinosa), jack (P. banksiana), and white (P. strobus), have been planted.

Newaygo Unit:

Mixed white pine-oak type is the principal forest type. The Newaygo Unit also contains about 160 acres of plantations, most of which are red pine. A few acres of jack and white pine have also been planted.

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Long-term data bases

We are not aware of any.

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Research – past and current

Pine River Unit:

• Herbicide release of pine plantations.
• Growth and yield of northern hardwoods.
• Municipal sewage sludge fertilization of aspen sprouts and pine plantations.

Newaygo Unit:

• Prairie restoration study; removal of red pine stands that were planted on prairie sites.
• Studying changes in insects and vegetation as the prairie comes back, with emphasis on the endangered Karner blue butterfly.

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Major research accomplishments

Incidental silvicultural studies included outplanting of genetically selected white pine, jack pine, white spruce varieties, growth and yield of bigtooth aspen, soil moisture availability under hardwoods and conifers, and growth of pine plantations and aspen sprout forests under sewage sludge fertilization. It was also the site for forest studies of stream bank erosion and stabilization studies, studies of groundwater quality under forests fertilized with sewage, and for measures of understory growth and chemical quality.

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Collaborators

Huron-Manistee National Forest.

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Research opportunities

No studies have been installed on the Forest since 1981. The Newaygo tract has not been used for research purposes since 1965. All older studies have been measured, reported and discontinued. Except for the Administrative Site there are no plans to use the Forest for research purposes in the future.

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Facilities, contact address, location

The Lower Peninsula Experimental Forest has only one administrative site, located in that portion of the SW 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 7, T21N R12W, Wexford County, Michigan, which is on the north side of highway M-55. The portion described contains about 30 acres; it is the site for the Wellston Field Laboratory, which consists of three buildings: an 864 ft² laboratory building, a 720 ft² shop and garage, and a 160 ft² flammables storage building. A National Atmospheric Deposition collection site is located 150 ft west of these buildings. Also on the site is a 2-acre cleared area enclosed with a deer-proof fence, which currently contains a collection of hybrid aspen clones.

Contact information:
Dr. Robert Haack
North Central Research Station
Stephen S. Nisbet Bldg.
1407 S. Harrison Road
East Lansing, MI 48823
phone: 517-355-7740; ext. 36
e-mail: Bob Haack

USDA Forest Service - North Central Research Station
Last Modified: Thursday, 19 February 2004