• Wesely, Nathan
  School of Forest Resources, University of Maine
  

Northern white-cedar is ubiquitous in the Northern Forest; in Maine it is the fourth most abundant tree species by volume. Cedar is actively managed--275,000 to 350,000 cubic meters of cedar is harvested annually in New England, Quebec, and Ontario--but relatively little is known about cedar management relative to other commercial species. To determine which attributes best differentiate old-growth from partial harvest stands, 5 (out of 24) structural metrics were identified as most influential in differentiating old growth from partial harvest stands: 1. volume of advanced-decay coarse woody material; 2. live tree quadratic mean diameter; 3. trees per hectare; 4. total coarse woody material volume; and 5. dead tree (snag) quadratic mean diameter. Silvicultural applications are discussed.