document Historic, archived Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. i i>l> If 7 United States Forest Statistics for Department of Agriculture Michigan's Western Forest Service North Central Upper Peninsula Forest Experiment Unit, Station Resource 1993 Bulletin NC-153 Earl C. Leatherberry TheUnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture(USDA)prohibitsdiscriminationinitsprogramsonthebasis ofrace,color,nationalorigin,sex,religion,age,disability,politicalbeliefsandmaritalorfamilialstatus. (Notallprohibitedbasesapplytoallprograms.) Personswithdisabilitieswhorequirealternativemeans forcommunicationofprograminformation(braille,largeprint,audiotape,etc.)shouldcontacttheUSDA OfficeofCommunicationat(202)720-5881 (voice)or(202)720-7603^DD). Tofileacomplaint,writetheSecretaryofAgriculture,U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture,Washington,D.C. 20250,orcall(202)720-7327(voice)or(202)720-1127(TDD). USDAisanequalemployment opportunityemployer. North Central Forest Experiment Station — Forest Service U.S. Department ofAgriculture 1992 FolwellAvenue St. Paul, Minnesota 55108 Manuscript approved for publication January 24, 1994 1994 This report includes the most commonly used Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) statistics from the U.S. Department ofAgriculture, Forest Service. Additional forest resource data can be provided to interested users. Persons requesting additional information from the raw inventory data are expected to pay the retrieval costs. These costs range from less than $100 for a relatively simple request to more than $2,000 for a complex retrieval involv- ing the services ofa Forest Inventory and Analysis computer programmer. Requests will be filled so as to minimize the impact on the Forest Inventory and Analysis Work Unit. Requests for information may be directed to: Project Leader Forest Inventory and Analysis North Central Forest Experiment Station 1992 Folwell Avenue St. Paul, Minnesota 55108 Phone: (612) 649-5139 or State Forester Michigan Department ofNatural Resources Forestry Division P.O. Box 30028 Lansing, Michigan 48909 Phone: (517)373-1275 Area served: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin. L2fc Printed on recycled and recyclablepaper. FOREWORD FIA is a continuing endeavor as mandated by the Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978. Prior inventories were mandated by the McSweeney-McNary Forest ResearchAct of 1928. The objective ofFIAis to periodically inventory the Nation's forest land to determine its extent, condition, and volume oftimber, growth, and removals. Up-to-date resource information is essential to frame forest policies and programs. USDA Forest Service regional experiment stations are responsible for conducting these inventories and publishing summary reports for individual States. The North Central Forest Experiment Station is responsible for forest inventory and analysis in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Fieldwork for the fifth forest inventory ofMichigan's Western Upper Peninsula Unitwas begun in April 1991 and completed in September 1992. Reports ofthe four previous inventories ofMichigan's timber resource are dated 1935, 1955, 1966, and 1980. More accurate survey information was obtained during this survey than otherwise would have been feasible because ofintensified field sampling. Sampling intensity was tripled, providing reliable data at a county level. Such sampling was made possible through the cooperation, assistance, and additional funding provided by the Michigan Department ofNatural Resources (MiDNR) and the Michigan State Legislature. To aid in deter- mining current timber removals, MiDNR also surveyed primary wood- using plants in the State. Aerial photographs used were black and white, infrared taken in 1986 at a scale of 1:15,840 (nominal). These photographs were purchased by the MiDNR and loaned to the USDA Forest Service. Contents Page Highlights 1 General 1 Area 1 Volume 3 Timber Growth, Removals, and Mortality 5 Growth 5 Removals 5 Mortality 6 Appendix 6 Accuracy ofthe Survey 6 County Data 7 Comparing the Fifth Inventory ofthe Western Upper Peninsula with the Fourth Inventory 7 Survey Procedures 7 Major Steps in the New Survey Design 8 Tree and Log Grades 10 Metric Equivalents ofUnits Used in this Report 14 Tree Species Groups in Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula 14 Definition ofTerms 15 Literature Cited 20 Table Titles 21 Tables 23 Forest Statistics for Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula Unit, 1993 Earl C. Leatherberry HIGHLIGHTS remnant stands ofthe old growth timber remain, and younger trees now abound. NOTE: Datafrom newforest inventories are Forest resources once again support much of oftencompared withdatafromearlier invento- the economic activity ofthe region. ries to determine trends inforest resources. However,for the comparisons to be valid, the In the Western Upper Peninsula, the decidu- procedures used in the two inventories must be ous and coniferous forests merge, in a region similar. As a resultofourongoing efforts to ofunsurpassed beauty and charm. Several improve the inventory's efficiency and reliabil- forested areas attract visitors seeking recre- ity, we have made several changes inproce- ation experiences where solitude is valued; for dures and definitions since the lastMichigan example, the Sylvania, Sturgeon River Gorge, inventory in 1980. Because some ofthese and McCormick National Wilderness Areas, changes made it inappropriate to directly administered by the Ottawa National Forest; compare the 1993 data with thosepublishedfor and the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State 1980, datafrom the 1980 inventory have been Park, and Isle Royale National Park. The re-processed using the currentprocedures. region has some ofthe oldest exposed volcanic Please refer to the appendixsection labeled rock on Earth. The Huron, Keweenaw, and "Comparing theFifthInventory ofthe Western Porcupine Mountains possess landscapes that UpperPeninsula with the FourthInventory"for are uncommon in the Upper Midwest. During more details. The data in this report are the winter, the hills and forests ofthe region subject to change when inventory datafor are used for a variety ofoutdoor recreational the entire State have been compiled. It is activities. The diverse forest once again sup- expected, however, that any such changes ports wildlife species, such as the eastern will be minor. timberwolfand moose, which were nearly extinct in the area. The following are some General major highlights from the 1993 inventory of Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula, with The Western Upper Peninsula ofMichigan (fig. comparisons to 1980, the year ofthe previous 1) is comprised ofeight counties. Natural inventory. resource exploitation has long driven the economy ofthe region. During the 1840's, one Area ofthe richest mining eras in American history was centered on the Keweenaw Peninsula, • In 1993 forest land accounted for 4.8 giving the region its current nickname of million acres (88 percent ofthe Unit's land Copper Country. During the 1880's and area). The vast majority offorest land (95 1890's, most ofthe virgin stands oftimber percent) was classified timberland. Most of were cut and used to build the cities and the remaining forest land was classified as towns ofthe Midwest. Later, iron ore mining reserved timberland. dominated economic activity in the region. Today, nearly all the mines are closed, only • Between 1980 and 1993, total area offorest land in the Unit increased by 24,700 acres. This modest increase reverses a two- Earl C. Leatherberry is a Resource Analyst decade-long pattern ofdecline in forest with the Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit, land. North Central Forest Experiment Station, St. Paul, Minnesota. — — Keweenaw ;ure 1. Western UpperPeninsula Unit, 1993. Between inventories, timberland area increased by 83,800 acres. The increase in 1,200 •/ timberland resulted largely because land classed as unproductive forest land in 1980 was found to be marginally productive in 1993. Also, some land classed as produc- tive-reserved in 1980 has been reclassified as timberland. Unproductive forest land and reserved timberland declined by 24,900 and 34,200 acres, respectively, between inventories. Marquette Cou—nty contains 1 million acres oftimberland more timberland than in any other county in the Unit. Timberland area in Marquette County amounts to 22 percent ofthe Unit's total (fig. 2). Every county in the Unit is at least 80- percent forested. In Gogebic and Keweenaw Counties, 9 ofevery 10 acres of Figure 2. Areaoftimberland by county, land are forested. Western UpperPeninsula, 1993. Forest industries (24 percent) and private • The maple-birch forest type continues to individuals (24 percent) together own nearly dominate timberland area, occupying 54 halfofthe timberland in the Unit. Thirty- percent ofthe timberland area, compared four percent ofthe Unit's timberland area is to 52 percent in 1980 (fig. 4). publicly owned, the largest proportion (19 percent) being in the Ottawa National • In 1993 almost half(49 percent) the Unit's Forest. The remaining 18 percent is owned timberland was in the sawtimber stand-size by miscellaneous corporations not engaged class. The area in sawtimber-size stands in the forest industry (fig. 3). Less than 1- increased between inventories. In 1980 percent (6 thousand acres) oftimberland is close to half(44 percent) ofthe timberland Indian owned.