New Publication Available on the Ecology and Management of Northern Red Oak

By Karen Bennett, Forestry Professor and Specialist, UNH Cooperative Extension

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) is one of the highest-valued species for both timber production and wildlife amenities. In New England, the species is declining due to regeneration difficulties, dwindling farmland abandonment, and losses from deer browsing.

The new publication, Ecology andManagement of Northern Red Oak in New England, attempts to assemble and evaluate information on red oak ecology, management, and habitat that is especially applicable to New England. Red oak appears to occupy a different niche here than in other regions, and research from those regions may not fully apply.

The authors provide silvicultural and habitat information and recommendations for northern red oak using literature from within and outside the region, coupled with a synthesis of many observations by the authors and practicing foresters. Topics include site factors, regeneration, succession, stocking, growth, quality, step-by-step silvicultural prescriptions, damaging agents, and wildlife habitat.

It is available free of charge. You can access this publication online.

The guide was written by a multiagency, multidisciplinary team to address the specific issues land managers face. The authors welcome comments and questions: 

• William B. Leak (bleak@fs.fed.us) and Mariko Yamasaki (myamasaki@fs.fed.us), U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Durham, NH
• Jeff Ward (jeffrey.ward@ct.gov,) The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
• Ken Desmarais (kdesmarais@fs.fed.us), U.S. Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest, NH formerly NH Division of Forests and Lands
• Karen P. Bennett (karen.bennett@unh.edu), UNH Cooperative Extension, Durham, NH