THE AUTHORS 



JAMES L. KINGERY is an assistant professor in the 

 Department of Range Resources at the University of 

 Idaho. He has been employed at the University of Idaho 

 since 1977. His primary research interests emphasize 

 range and forestry interactions. Dr. Kingery received his 

 Ph.D. in 1985 from the College of Forestry, Wildlife and 

 Range Sciences, University of Idaho. He received his B.S. 

 in 1974 and M.S. in 1977 from the College of Agriculture, 

 University of Wyoming. 



> 



RUSSELL T. GRAHAM is a research forester in the 

 research work unit on silviculture of cedar, hemlock, grand 

 fir, and Douglas-fir ecosystems and tree diseases of the 

 Northern Rocky Mountains. The unit is located at the Inter- 

 mountain Research Station's Forestry Sciences Labora- 

 tory, Moscow, ID. He began his career with the Forest 

 Service in 1973 as forester on the Bitterroot National 

 Forest and joined the Intermountain Station in 1975. He 

 received his B.S. degree in forestry from the University of 

 Montana and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in forestry from 

 the University of Idaho. 



JEFFREY S. WHITE is a range management specialist for 

 the Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture, in Willows, CA. He received his B.S. in forestry from 

 Humboldt State University, Areata, CA, in 1983 and an 

 M.S. in range resources from the University of Idaho in 

 1985. 



RESEARCH SUMMARY 



During the summer and fall of 1982, a study was 

 established on National Forests in northern and central 

 Idaho to investigate effects of livestock grazing on seed- 

 ling establishment and growth. Study areas were selected 

 in Douglas-fir/ninebark (study area 1), grand fir/clintonia 

 (study area 2), and western redcedar/clintonia (study 

 area 3) habitat types that represent a high potential for 

 both forage and timber production. 



Within each of the three study areas, three uniform sites 

 were located to represent different livestock grazing inten- 

 sities (light, medium, and heavy). Field observation and 

 records on history of grazing use were used for individual 

 site selection. Within each grazing intensity, a 0.4-ha plot 

 was located for observation. Actual forage utilization at 

 each of the study sites was determined at the end of the 

 first grazing season. 



All study plots were planted at a rate of 1 ,977 trees per 

 hectare. Two species were planted alternately in each 

 study area. Study areas 1 and 2 were planted in the spring 

 of 1983; ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir were planted in 

 area 1 and ponderosa pine and western white pine in 

 area 2. Study area 3 was planted in the spring of 1984 to 

 ponderosa pine and western white pine. 



Frequent, periodic observations made it possible to 

 define and quantify causes of damage and mortality to 

 tree seedlings. Each tree was observed seven times — six 

 times at 3-week intervals during the first growing season 

 and one time the following spring. By determining season- 

 al distribution patterns of deer and elk, and timing ob- 

 servations around livestock turn-on and turn-off dates, 

 accuracy in assessing the causes of damage was ensured. 

 A damage assessment key was developed and used to 

 record specific types of tree damage on each study area. 



The intensity of livestock utilization and livestock 

 management practices appeared to influence damage 

 associated with livestock, wildlife, rodents, and nonanima! 

 factors. Direct damage from livestock varied from no trees 

 damaged on a site receiving 27 percent utilization to 

 5.8 percent damage on a site receiving 81 percent 

 utilization. 



Grazing intensity also influenced damage from both 

 pocket gophers and other rodents that forage above- 

 ground. Where cover was reduced by grazing, there 

 appeared to be an overall decrease in the amount of 

 aboveground damage associated with rodents. On a site 

 receiving 36 percent utilization, rodent damage to pon- 

 derosa pine and western white pine was 51 percent and 

 61 percent, respectively; however, rodent damage to 

 ponderosa pine and western white pine on the site that 

 received 81 percent utilization was significantly less 

 (28 percent and 26 percent, respectively). 



Damage associated with deer and elk did not appear to 

 be related to livestock grazing intensities. Where steep 

 terrain limited livestock utilization, however, trampling 

 damage from big-game animals was higher than the other 

 two study areas due to the "stair steps" provided by the 

 scalped planting sites. 



The results of this study show that grazing intensity may 

 influence the impact that animals have on first-year estab- 

 lishment of tree seedlings in a plantation setting. The 

 results also indicate that through proper livestock manage- 

 ment direct damage from livestock can be minimal. In 

 addition, it appears that livestock grazing may decrease 

 damage from rodents. 



Intermountain Research Station 

 324 25th Street 

 Ogden, UT 84401 



