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North Central Research Station - Experimental Forests |
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Climate Soil types Vegetation types Long-term data bases Research – past and current Major research accomplishments Collaborators Research opportunities Facilities, contact address, location Brief introductionIn 1961, the 3800 acre Udell Experimental Forest was established by the USDA Forest Service as a field laboratory for studying the hydrology of forested glacial sand softs. One of the major objectives was to compare water yields from the primary forest cover types. The Udell Experimental Forest is located in Manistee County on the Manistee Ranger District, Huron-Manistee National Forest. ClimateJanuary average minimum temperature: 16°F (-9°C) Soil typesUpland softs are predominantly within the Grayling sand soil type, a Spodic Udipsamment. On some ridgetops in the morainal hills, a clayey sand subsoil within the surface 120 cm characterizes inclusions of the Graycalm series (Alfic Udipsamment). Shallow water table areas on the northwest and southeast boundaries contain the imperfectly drained Au Gres sands (Entic Haplaquod) and poorly drained areas contain Roscommon sand (Typic Aquipsamment) interspersed with woody Tawas histosols. Grayling sands cover more than 90% of the Experimental Forest. Vegetation typesApproximately 70% of the Udell Experimental Forest is in oak (Quercus spp.) and aspen (Populus tremuloides) forest cover types. Stand composition in these types varies from mixed oaks with relatively few aspen to pure aspen stands. There are approximately 1500 acres of jack pine (Pinus banksiana) and red pine (Pinus resinosa) plantations that have been established on the eastern and western outwash plains. In the southeast and northwest portions, lowland hardwood forests of elm (Ulmus spp.), red maple (Acer rubrum), and occasional white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) are included. Long-term data basesWe are not aware of any. Research – past and current
Major research accomplishmentsNumerous reports have been published on changes in streamflow resulting from reforestation and cutting. CollaboratorsHuron-Manistee National Forest, Manistee Ranger District Research opportunitiesConsiderable portions of the upland moraines, level outwash plains, and hardwood swamp areas present in the unit are instrumented with wells and other measurement devices to determine the behavior of ground-water level under existing forest conditions. The forest includes the major portions of the surrounding plains and segments of extensive hardwood swamp areas. Facilities, contact address, locationThe forest extends from one to three miles south of the major access highway M-55. Research personnel assigned to the forest are headquartered at Cadillac, 35 miles to the east. Field operations at the forest are centered at the Pine River Forest Laboratory 10 miles east of the forest near the junction of highways M-55 and M-37. Contact information: |
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USDA Forest Service - North Central Research Station |