Document Type

Article

Publication Title

The Leaflet

Publisher

Northern Hardwood Research Institute

Publication Date

Fall 10-2025

Issue Number

4

Volume Number

7

Abstract/ Summary

American beech is a foundational northern hardwood species challenged by the lethal or debilitating Beech Bark Disease (BBD) and the emerging threat of Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), caused by a foliar nematode. Effective beech silviculture aims to conserve BBD-resistant and tolerant trees, which are valuable for timber potential and critical hard mast production, while preventing the prolific regeneration of beech.

Four key principles guide effective management: I. Identify and retain smooth-barked BBD-resistant trees, protecting them from heavy release and herbicide backflash. II. Use silvicultural systems reliant on advance regeneration, such as continuous cover irregular shelterwood, maintaining approximately 70% shade to favor species like sugar maple. III. Prevent harvested beech trees from vigorously resprouting from root suckers or stumps. This is achieved efficiently and cheaply using targeted herbicide applications, such as the cut-stump method (applied within four days) or the highly productive "Drill and Fill" (D&F) stem injection technique. IV. Eliminate the existing lethal low-shade layer of beech saplings before shelterwood cutting. D&F is the most efficient method for removing this understory layer.

Practices like patch clearcutting are generally ineffective for regenerating shade-tolerant hardwoods, often resulting in pioneer species and beech suckers. Although BLD, combined with BBD, will likely reduce beech vigor, managers should not assume the disease will solve the “eech problem.” Continuing proactive control, including eliminating the understory, is hypothesized to reduce host foliage and potentially limit BLD severity on retained BBD-resistant trees.

Note: This article is a written synthesis of a presentation given at the spring, 2025 NESAF meeting on this topic (https://youtu.be/fBkyZ4QXgHM?si=gN9c8CpxqTyKdL6u), as it appeared in The Leaflet, the Northern Hardwood Research Institute's quarterly newsletter. The earlier review with the same title is an amalgamation of 8 individual articles that appeared in Maine Woodlands and includes details of practices and examples not included in this article.

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