REFORESTATION OF BRUSH FIELDS IN NORTHERN 



CALIFORNIA 



By Richard H. Boerker 



One of the greatest silvicultural problems which confronts 

 the Forest Service in California is the reforestation of the vast 

 brush fields in the central and northern parts of the State. 

 Rough estimates place the total area so occupied at 2,000,000 

 acres. This area instead of producing timber worth from $30 

 to $50 per acre, is occupied by brush of little value even as 

 browse. Moreover, with such an enormous area of potential 

 forest land lying unproductive, the State has a problem not only 

 of great importance to itself, but one of great economic impor- 

 tance to the nation. 



Unlike the chaparral regions of southern California, this brush 

 is only a temporary type and is, in most cases, the result of fire 

 having destroyed the forest cover. In the days before the Forest 

 Service system of protection was maintained, fire, originating in 

 various ways, swept through the timber unmolested. Not a small 

 part of our brush areas may be attributed to "light burning"^ 

 which was practised for many years by Indians and more recently 

 by stockmen. In most cases, in from 5 to 10 years after the fire 

 has consumed the timber, the brush takes possession of the land ; 

 the length of time depending upon the severity of the fire, the 

 presence of brush plants in or near the fire area, and other condi- 

 tions. After the brush has established itself, if seed trees are 

 nearby, seedlings will get started and fight their way through the 

 brush. It takes from 15 to 30 years for a seedling to get large 

 enough to overtop the brush, this depending upon the height of 

 the brush, the tree species, and other factors. This is usually an 

 intense struggle and, even if a sapling has succeeded in winning 

 out, it is of small size as compared to forest-grown trees of the 

 same age. In course of time, if the stand of saplings becomes 

 dense enough, the brush underneath will be killed for lack of 

 sunlight and a forest cover will begin to form. This is nature's 



'The methods and results of light burning are described in detail in an 

 article, "Light Burning versus Forest Management," F. Q., Vol. X, No. 2, 

 pp. 184 flf. 



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