Use summer instead of winter harvesting

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

0%
Certainty

13%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Logging alters the composition and ecology of forests. In seasonal climates the timing of logging operations can be adjusted to avoid damage during the major growing season of understory plants and seedlings.

Study locations

Key messages

One replicated study in the USA found no effect of logging season on plant species richness and diversity.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated study in 2002-2006 in temperate mixed forest in Wisconsin, USA (Wolf et al. 2008) found no effect of logging season on plant species richness and diversity. Plant species richness/plot (winter-logged: 71-103; summer-logged: 70-99) and Shannon's index of diversity (winter-logged: 5.5-6.0; summer-logged: 5.5-6.0) were similar between treatments. Five plots (100 × 250 m) were logged in 2002-2005 to retained 16-19 m²/ha basal area in summer (June - October) and winter (November – March). Data were collected in May-September 2006 in 60 plots (2 × 2 m) in each treatment plot.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Wolf A.T., Parker L., Fewless G., Corio K., Sundance J., Howe R. & Gentry H. (2008) Impacts of summer versus winter logging on understory vegetation in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Forest ecology and management, 254, 35-45.

Please cite as:

Agra, H., Schowanek, S., Carmel, Y., Smith, R.K. & Ne’eman, G. (2020) Forest Conservation. Pages 323-366 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Forest Conservation

Related Actions

Actions	Effectiveness	Studies	Category
Thin trees within forests: effects on mature trees Action Link	Trade-off between benefit and harms	18	Synopsis Link
Thin trees within forests: effects on understory plants Action Link	Likely to be beneficial	37	Synopsis Link
Thin trees within forests: effects on non-vascular plants Action Link	Likely to be ineffective or harmful	4	Synopsis Link