Second College Grant - Resilience

Treatment: allow some change in current conditions, but encourage eventual return to original conditions

Management Goals

Forested area in Second College Grant Resilience Treatment; Photo Credit: Tony D'Amato, University of Vermont
Second College Grant Resilience Treatment. Photo Credit: Tony D’Amato, University of Vermont.
  • Multiple combinations of species composition and structure present (e.g., multiple pathways to recover from disturbance)
  • High overall tree species and functional diversity with increased component of local species adapted to future climate conditions/disturbance compared to current condition
  • Multiple age classes present
  • Increased amount of biological legacies and dead wood
  • Same growth/productivity as Resistance treatment, but allowing for some deviation/oscillation
  • High production of beech hard mast for wildlife

Strategies & approaches

Semi-forested area in resilience treatment.
Second College Grant Resilience Treatment. Photo Credit:
Tony D’Amato, University of Vermont.
  • Reduce competition for moisture, nutrients, and light
  • Hybrid single-tree and group selection (20% in gaps of 0.1-0.25 acre in size, 20% in patch reserves 0.1-0.25 acre in size, 70-80 ft2/acre matrix)
  • Maintain and restore diversity of native species
  • Increase drought-adapted species (red maple and beech)

Site Leads & Partners

Tony D’Amato (University of Vermont and Northeast Climate  Adaptation Science Center) is the site lead for the Second College Grant ASCC project. Key partners include Kevin Evans, Matt Ayres, Rich Howarth, and Caitlin Hicks Pries (Dartmouth College); Chris Woodall, Dave King, Isabel Munck,  Brian Palik, and Nate Siegert  (USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station); Carol Adair, Peter Clark, Alissa Freeman, Gary Hawley, Caitlin Henry,  Allan Strong, Lucas Harris, and Jess Wikle (University of Vermont); Shawn Fraver (University of Maine); Becca Rowe, Jeff Garnas, Alix Contosta, and Alexej Sirén (University of New Hampshire); Toni Lyn Morelli and Jahiya Clark (University of Massachusetts); Eben Broadbent (University of Florida); Dan Evans (Plymouth State University); Mark Greene (Case Western University); Ryan Stephens (Eastern Tennessee State University), Dave Lutz (Colby-Sawyer College).

Current graduate students involved in the project include Alissa Freeman (UVM), Caitlin Henry (UVM), and Jahiya Clark (UMass). Past graduate students on the project are: Ben Borgmann-Winter (UNH), Peter Clark (UVM), Fiona Jevon (Dartmouth), Ryan Stephens (UNH), Jen Santoro (UVM), Paulina Murray (UVM), Liz Studer (Dartmouth), Jess Wikle (UVM), Christopher Ziadeh (UNH).

Tony D'Amato headshot

Tony D'Amato
Second College Grant ASCC Site Lead

Professor, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
University of Vermont
204E Aiken Center Burlington, VT 05405
Phone: 802-656-8030
awdamato@uvm.edu

Kevin Evans

Kevin Evans
Second College Grant ASCC Site Manager

Director of Woodlands, Dartmouth College
P.O. Box 213 Milan, NH 03588
Phone: 603-449-2049
Kevin.S.Evans@dartmouth.edu