• Radosevich, Steven
  

In forest succession, the initial success of a species will depend on the availability of resources and its ability to use them. The availability of these resources is determined by site characteristics and the presence of other vegetation. Some ecologists believe that seedling establishment is probably the most critical time ln the life cycle of a plant. They have defined a term "safe site" to designate a zone where conditions are favorable for germination, resources are available for consumption during growth, and hazards are absent. Since conifer seedling survival and growth seem to be directly related to the availability of safe sites or planting spots' this concept should be extended to include safe sites for planting' as well as germination.