Abstract

The Forest Ecosystem Research and Demonstration Area (FERDA) was established in 

1998 adjacent to the Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) for the Adirondack Park in Paul 

Smiths, NY, to provide visitors with first-hand exposure to forest management activities 

and to provide research opportunities for scientists and students at Paul Smith’s College. 

This research note is designed to provide an introduction to the plants found on the 

FERDA. It is primarily a list of what is where, but it includes an introduction that helps 

visitors to the area consider how and why different species of plants are found in different 

parts of the forest. The table of species can be used as a checklist by amateur botanists to 

keep track of the plants they find or as an aid to identifying plants by limiting the likely 

species to those listed in this paper.

MARK J. TWERY is a research forester with the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station 

in Burlington, VT, mtwery@fs.fed.us. ELIZABETH OLSON is a resource scientist with the 

Missouri Department of Conservation in West Plains, MO, elizabetholson77@gmail.com. GARY 

L. WADE is a consulting ecologist, drgarylwade@gmail.com. MICHAEL RECHLIN is dean of 

the Future Generations Graduate School in Franklin, WV, mike@future.edu.

Changes in Abundance of 

Vascular Plants under Varying 

Silvicultural Systems at the 

Forest Ecosystem Research 

and Demonstration Area, 

Paul Smiths, New York

Mark J. Twery

Elizabeth Olson

Gary L. Wade

Michael Rechlin

United States

Department of 

Agriculture

Forest Service

Northern 

Research Station

Research Note

NRS-169
2

Background

The interactions between forest management activities 

and the numbers and kinds of plants in a forest are 

complex. Forest management is conducted in many 

ways for many reasons. The primary activities that 

directly affect forest flora and fauna are operations that 

remove trees or other vegetation (Smith 1986). While 

timber harvested from a forest may be a primary source 

of revenue for a landowner, harvesting often yields 

additional benefits such as improved wildlife habitat and 

an increase in wildflower diversity.

Six silvicultural systems are demonstrated on 5-acre 

(2 ha) blocks near the Adirondack Park Visitor 

Interpretation Center (VIC) in Paul Smiths, NY (Fig. 1). 

The blocks are part of the Forest Ecosystem Research and 

Demonstration Area (FERDA). The primary goal of this 

demonstration project is to show visitors the conditions 

that result from a variety of silvicultural treatments, 

including changes to the plant species composition 

and wildlife habitat over time. A secondary goal of the 

FERDA is to document the effects of those treatments. 

Visitors can obtain a trail map at the VIC which includes 

illustrations of the five harvested and two unharvested 

(control) forest blocks. Interpretive signs along Jenkins 

Mountain Road briefly describe the silvicultural systems 

and depict projected forest development under each 

system.

This document lists the plant species present in the 

demonstration area and reports on resulting changes in 

species presence and abundance over the first 10 years 

since the initial treatments were applied.

Forest Management Activities

Different tree species require various light conditions for 

germination and growth. Some species, such as paper 

birch (see Table 1 for scientific names of species), are 

intolerant of shade and grow well in high light conditions 

but may not reproduce under the deep shade of a closed 

forest canopy. Certain sun-loving species store seed in 

forest soils for many years. For example, the seeds of pin 

cherry remain dormant in low light, but will germinate 

after the forest canopy has been removed. Still other 

species like sugar maple are shade tolerant, meaning they 

can survive and grow under very shady conditions, but 

may be outcompeted by faster-growing species in full 

sunlight.

The various silvicultural systems that have been 

established in the FERDA study cover the range of light 

conditions and extent of potential disturbances caused 

by forest management activities. This range of treatments 

gives visitors the opportunity to see which plants do well 

under the different conditions and allows forest managers 

to adapt their approaches to produce conditions that 

are likely to provide the benefits that a forest owner 

Figure 1.—Forest Ecosystem Research and Demonstration Area (FERDA) at the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive 

Center (VIC) in Paul Smiths, NY showing the configuration of treatment blocks.
3

wants. One basic premise is that trees in the northern 

hardwood forest, such as those found in the Adirondacks, 

can be managed to live 100 years on average. This life 

span, controlled by active forest management, generally 

produces a satisfactory balance of a variety of benefits 

from forests. Each forest management system simply 

varies the schedule and spacing within that 100-year cycle 

of the forest when trees are removed to make way for new 

growth (Smith 1986).

The silvicultural systems demonstrated on the FERDA 

are listed below in order of severity of disturbance and the 

amount of light that reaches the ground layer: 

•	 No treatment (control). The forest was left 

alone to develop without direct intervention 

by forest activities. The control blocks allow 

for comparisons with more active management 

and demonstrate that things change even when 

people do nothing directly to the forest.

•	 Single-tree selection. About 30 percent of the 

tree volume was removed as single trees of 

varying sizes scattered throughout the block. 

Openings in the canopy were the size of 

individual trees. This system involves creating 

room for new trees to establish after each 

treatment and ensures that trees of many sizes 

and ages are present through the life of the forest. 

Treatments are applied about every 20 years or as 

needed to minimize overcrowding. Young trees 

and understory species that grow well in shade 

have the advantage.

•	 Group selection. About 30 percent of the tree 

volume was harvested. Trees were removed in 

clusters, forming openings of 0.10 to 0.25 acres 

in the forest canopy. This system creates space for 

new trees with each treatment and aims to ensure 

that trees of a variety of sizes and ages are always 

present. Under this plan, the decision to remove 

more trees occurs about every 20 years. Shade 

tolerant tree seedlings and understory plant 

species still have a competitive advantage but less 

so than under single tree selection.

•	 Two-aged. This system requires conversion to 

a forest with two distinct age classes. Most of 

the trees larger than 10 inches in diameter at 

breast height were removed to simulate a stand 

dominated by half-mature trees. The conditions 

created by this treatment are intended to produce 

more light on the forest floor and encourage new 

trees that need extra light to establish. This block 

will be ready for another treatment 50 years after 

the first one, when the forest will be composed of 

trees in two size classes of approximately 50 and 

100 years old.

•	 Shelterwood. This system aims to establish a 

full cohort of new trees of about the same age 

and encourages trees that need a lot of light to 

grow. About 70 percent of the overall shade was 

removed in the initial treatment, leaving a partial 

canopy over most of the area. After sufficient 

numbers of new trees are established as saplings, 

the remaining canopy trees will be removed, 

likely 10 to 20 years after the initial treatment. 

The newly established trees will be ready for 

harvest approximately 100 years after the first 

treatment.

•	 Clearcut. This system creates an area favorable 

to sun-loving plants and animals, with particular 

focus on trees that do not establish or thrive in 

shady conditions. All canopy trees and smaller 

trees were cut, resulting in an even-aged forest 

that will be harvested again when the trees are 

mature, in about 100 years.

Inventory

A detailed inventory of all vascular plants was completed 

in each forest block prior to the initial harvest (during 

the summer of 1998 and spring of 1999) and again in 

2009. Because this study aimed to identify all vascular 

plants present on the site, the inventory procedure was 

to walk multiple line transects across each block parallel 

to one boundary, close enough to each other (about 6 

meters apart) to increase the likelihood that all plants 

within the block were seen and identified. Each species 

found was assigned an abundance category after the 

block was completed. Sample plots were not used because 

although they provide good quantitative information, 

they typically do not sample a large proportion of the 

less abundant species. Inventories were also conducted in 
4

many of the intervening years but are not reported here. 

For details of the procedures, see Palmer et al. (1995) 

and Myers (2001). All plants within each block were 

identified and assigned an abundance class within each 

block for each inventory year: 

5: Abundant (an important dominant or codominant species), 

4: Frequent (easily seen or found), 

3: Occasional (scattered widely but easy to find), 

2: Infrequent (few individuals or colonies in a 

number of locations and difficult to find), and 

1: Rare (limited to one or several locations and 

observed rarely).

Species table

Table 1 presents the abundance classes of all plants 

found in the study area. Species within the table are 

grouped by growth form (tree, shrub, herb, etc.) and 

are listed alphabetically by scientific name within each 

group. Species names use conventions from the PLANTS 

database (USDA, NRCS 2012).

A list of species abundances before treatments were 

implemented can be found in Wade et al (2003). The 

2009 abundance classes are listed in the species table 

(Table 1) for each block individually. If the abundance 

of a species within a block increased from 1999 to 2009, 

it is represented in boldface type. If the abundance 

decreased, it is represented in italics. If the abundance 

remained the same, it is presented in normal type. If the 

species was not recorded in the initial 1999 inventory, it 

is underlined. If a species was recorded in the 1999 survey 

but was not found in a block in 2009, it is recorded with 

a zero in italics (“0”). In this way, a quick scan of the 

rows and columns of the table can provide an impression 

of which species increased or decreased their abundance 

under the various treatments, and which treatments 

affected the abundances of large numbers of species. 

Some species may not have been recorded in the 1999 

inventory due to differences in data collectors.

Each column in the table reports abundances for an 

individual block. The column headings correspond to the 

treatments as follows:

CL1 = Control (Block 3)

CL2 = Control (Block 6)

ST = Single-tree selection (Block 4)

GS = Group Selection (Block 5)

TA = Two-age (Block 1)

SW = Shelterwood (Block 7)

CC = Clearcut (Block 2)

Findings

Plant species abundances changed from year to year 

under all conditions, even when there was no humancaused disturbance, as was demonstrated in the two 

control blocks, each of which differed substantially from 

the other (Table 2). The number of species that did 

not change abundances during the first 10 years of the 

experiment was relatively small (13 percent in the clearcut 

to 29 percent in the single-tree selection) and was lowest 

among the blocks disturbed the most by harvesting and 

higher in the blocks with less disturbance. The block 

with the greatest number of species that decreased in 

abundance was Control Block 2, demonstrating that 

natural rises and falls in populations occur even without 

human activity. The block that showed the most new 

species arriving after the treatment was the clearcut, 

where many of the new species were those that typically 

germinate from dormant seed in the forest soil after 

disturbance occurs. While many species also decreased 

in abundance, the clearcut had the fewest number of 

species that completely disappeared over the 10 years after 

treatment, indicating that such treatments create a variety 

of habitat conditions in which many species can find a 

niche. In total, 33 species were found on every block both 

before and after the study (the “core flora” for the area), 

including 9 trees, 2 shrubs, 13 herbs, 4 ferns, 2 fern allies, 

1 grass, and 2 sedges.
5

Acknowledgments

The authors are greatly indebted to the many people who 

helped to plan the FERDA activities, collect the data, 

and generally support the work. These include Jim Allen, 

Celia Evans, Kathie Detmar, William Mator III, Kerri 

Ryniker, Cecilia Martin, Jonathan Myers, Tii McClane, 

Kate Berven, and others. We also want to thank Paul 

Smith’s College and the Adirondack Visitor Interpretive 

Center for their assistance and collaboration.

Literature Cited

Myers, J. 2001. Procedures manual for FERDA.

Unpublished report. On file with U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research 

Station, University of Vermont Aiken Center, 81 

Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405.

Palmer, M.W.; Wade, G.L.; Neal, P. 1995. Standards 

for the writing of floras. Bioscience 45: 339-345.

Smith, D.M. 1986. The practice of silviculture. 8th ed. 

New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 527 p.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (USDA, NRCS). 2012. The 

PLANTS Database. Greensboro, NC: National Plant 

Data Team. Available at http://plants.usda.gov. [Date 

accessed unknown].

Wade, G.L.; Myers, J.A.; Martin, C.R.; Detmar, K.; 

Mator, W., III; Twery, M.J.; Rechlin, M. 2003. 

Vascular plant species of the forest ecology 

research and demonstration area, Paul Smith’s, 

New York. Res. Note NE-380. Newtown Square, 

PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 

Northeastern Research Station. 6 p.
6

Scientific namea Common name Abundanceb

CL1c CL2 ST GS TA SW CC

Trees, needle-leaf

Abies balsamea (L.) P. Mill. balsam fir 2 2 3 2 2 3 3

Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch tamarack 1

Picea rubens Sarg. red spruce 3 2 3 3 2 3 3

Pinus resinosa Aiton red pine 1 2

Pinus strobus L. eastern white pine 1 2 1 1 1 1

Pinus sylvestris L. Scots pined 1

Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. eastern hemlock 2 1 2 3 1 2 1

Trees, broad-leaf

Acer pensylvanicum L. striped maple 4 3 4 4 4 4 4

Acer rubrum L. red maple 3 2 3 4 4 4 5

Acer saccharum Marsh. sugar maple 4 3 4 4 4 3 3

Acer spicatum Lam. mountain maple 1 1 1 1 1 1

Amelanchier spp. Medik. serviceberry 1 1 1 1 1

Betula alleghaniensis Britt. yellow birch 3 3 3 4 4 4 4

Betula papyrifera Marsh. paper birch 0 1 2

Betula populifolia Marsh. gray birch 1

Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. American beech 5 5 5 5 5 4 5

Populus grandidentata Michx. bigtooth aspen 1

Populus tremuloides Michx. quaking aspen 2

Prunus pensylvanica L. f. pin cherry 1 1 1 2 2 4

Prunus serotina Ehrh. black cherry 2 1 3 1 3 2 3

Prunus virginiana L. chokecherry 1 1 1 1

Salix bebbiana Sarg. Bebb willow 1

Salix spp. L. willow 1 2

Sambucus racemosa L. red elderberry 2 1 2 1 2 2 2

Sorbus americana Marsh. American mountain ash 1 1 1 1

Shrubs

Cornus alternifolia L. f. alternateleaf dogwood 0

Diervilla lonicera P. Mill. northern bush honeysuckle 1 1

Ilex mucronata (L.) Powell, Savolainen & 

Andrews catberry/mountain holly 1 1 1

Ilex verticillata (L.) Gray common winterberry 1

Ledum groenlandicum Oeder Labrador tea 1

Lonicera canadensis Bartr. ex Marsh. American fly honeysuckle 3 1 3 1 0 1 1

Ribes cynosbati L. eastern prickly gooseberry 0 0

Ribes glandulosum Grauer skunk currant 1 1 1 1

Rubus allegheniensis Porter Allegheny blackberry 1 3 2 4 4 5

Rubus idaeus L. American red raspberry 2 1 4 4 5 5 5

Spiraea alba Du Roi var. latifolia (Ait.) 

Dippel white meadowsweet 1 1

Spiraea tomentosa L. steeplebush 1

Table 1.—Forest Ecosystem Research and Demonstration Area 2009 species list and vascular plant species abundances

Scientific names and common names from PLANTS Database (USDA NRCS 2012). continued b Bold = ↑; italics = ↓; underline = new 2009; Italic”0” = found 1999 but not 2009. c CL=control; ST=single tree; GS=group selection; TA=Two-age; SW=shelterwood; CC=Clearcut

d Introduced species according to PLANTS data base (USDA NRCS 2012).
7

Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. lowbush blueberry 1 1 1

Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx. velvetleaf blueberry 2 1

Viburnum lantanoides Michx. hobblebush 4 3 5 3 3 4 3

Viburnum nudum L. var. cassinoides (L.) 

Torr. & A. Gray withe-rod 1 1 1 1 1

Herbs & Sub-shrubs

Anaphalis margaritacea (L.) Benth. pearly everlasting 1

Aralia hispida Vent. bristly sarsaparilla 1 2 3

Aralia nudicaulis L. wild sarsaparilla 3 1 3 3 2 2 2

Arisaema triphyllum (L.) Schott Jack in the pulpit 3 2 1 2 2 1 2

Circaea alpina L. small enchanter’s nightshade 1 1 1 1

Claytonia caroliniana Michx. Carolina spring beauty 2 1 1 1 1

Clintonia borealis (Ait.) Raf. bluebead lily 3 2 3 2 2 2 2

Coptis trifolia (L.) Salisb. threeleaf goldthread 2 1 3 2 1 2 2

Cornus canadensis L. bunchberry dogwood 2 1 1 1 1

Cypripedium acaule Ait. pink lady’s slipper 0 0 1 1

Dalibarda repens L. robin runaway/dewberry 1 1 2 2 1 1 1

Doellingeria umbellata (P. Mill.) Nees parasol whitetop 1 0 2 0 2

Epifagus virginiana (L.) W. Bartram beechdrops 1 2 0 1 2 0 0

Epilobium coloratum Biehler purpleleaf willowherb 2

Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz broadleaf helleborined 1

Erythronium americanum Ker Gawl. dogtooth violet 2 2 0 3 2 2 1

Euthamia graminifolia (L.) Nutt. flat-top goldentop 1 1 1 1 3

Fragaria vesca L. woodland strawberry 1 1 1

Galeopsis tetrahit L. brittlestem hempnettle 2 0 1 2 2 2

Galium triflorum Michx. fragrant bedstraw 1 1 2 1 2 1 1

Hieracium aurantiacum L. orange hawkweedd 1 1

Hieracium scabrum Michx. rough hawkweed 1

Hieracium spp. L. hawkweed 1 1

Hypericum perforatum L. common St. Johnswortd 1

Impatiens capensis Meerb. jewelweed 1 2

Laportea canadensis (L.) Weddell Canadian woodnettle 0

Lactuca biennis (Moench) Fernald tall blue lettuce 1

Lactuca canadensis L. Canada lettuce 2 1

Lobelia inflata L. Indian-tobacco 1

Lycopus uniflorus Michx. northern bugleweed 1 1 1 1 2

Maianthemum canadense Desf. Canada mayflower 4 4 4 3 3 3 3

Maianthemum racemosum (L.) Link false Solomon’s-seal 2 2 0 1 2 1 1

Medeola virginiana L. Indian cucumber 3 3 3 3 3 2 2

Mitchella repens L. partridgeberry 2 1 3 1 2 1 1

Monotropa uniflora L. Indianpipe 2 2 2 2 2 1 1

Oclemena acuminata (Michx.) Greene whorled wood aster 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Table 1.—continued

Scientific namea Common name Abundanceb

CL1c CL2 ST GS TA SW CC

Scientific names and common names from PLANTS Database (USDA NRCS 2012). continued b Bold = ↑; italics = ↓; underline = new 2009; Italic”0” = found 1999 but not 2009. c CL=control; ST=single tree; GS=group selection; TA=Two-age; SW=shelterwood; CC=Clearcut

d Introduced species according to PLANTS data base (USDA NRCS 2012).
8

Oxalis montana Raf. mountain woodsorrel 3 3 3 3 3 2 2

Oxalis stricta L. common yellow oxalis 1 1 1

Panax trifolius L. dwarf ginseng 3 2 2 1

Polygonatum pubescens (Willd.) Pursh hairy Solomon’s seal 0 2 2 2 2 2 1

Polygonum cilinode Michx. fringed black bindweed 1 1 3 1 3 3 3

Potentilla norvegica L. Norwegian cinquefoil 1

Prenanthes altissima L. tall rattlesnakeroot 1

Prenanthes cf. altissima L. tall rattlesnakeroot 2 1

Pyrola elliptica Nutt. waxflower shinleaf 1 1 1

Ranunculus recurvatus Poir. blisterwort 1 1

Rubus flagellaris Willd. northern dewberry 1 1 1 1

Rubus hispidus L. bristly dewberry 0 0 0 0 1 1 1

Rubus pubescens Raf. dwarf red blackberry 2 1 1 1 1

Scutellaria lateriflora L. blue skullcap 1

Solidago caesia L. wreath goldenrod 1

Solidago canadensis L. Canada goldenrod 1

Solidago rugosa P. Mill. wrinkleleaf goldenrod 1 0 1 1 1 2 3

Streptopus lanceolatus (Aiton) Reveal twistedstalk 2 1 2 1 1 1 1

Symphyotrichum lanceolatum (Willd.) G.L. 

Nesom white panicle aster 1

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (L.) A.& D. 

Löve calico aster 1

Taraxacum officinale G.H. Weber ex 

Wiggers common dandeliond 1 1 1 1

Tiarella cordifolia L. heartleaf foamflower 2 2 2 1 1 1 2

Trientalis borealis Raf. starflower 3 2 4 2 2 2 2

Trillium erectum L. red trillium 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Trillium undulatum Willd. painted trillium 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

Typha latifolia L. broadleaf cattail 1

Uvularia sessilifolia L. sessileleaf bellwort 1

Veronica officinalis L. common speedwelld 1 1

Viola cucullata Aiton marsh blue violet 0 0 0

Viola spp. L. violet 3 2 3 3 3 1 2

Ferns

Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth ssp.

angustum (Willd.) Clausen common ladyfern 3 1 1 1 1 1 1

Botrychium dissectum Spreng. cutleaf grapefern 1 1

Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) T. 

Moore eastern hayscented fern 4 3 4 3 4 4 5

Deparia acrostichoides (Sw.) M. Kato silver false spleenwort 1

Dryopteris intermedia (Muhl. ex Willd.) 

Gray intermediate woodfern 4 5 4 4 4 4 3

Dryopteris marginalis (L.) Gray marginal woodfern 1

Table 1.—continued

Scientific namea Common name Abundanceb

CL1c CL2 ST GS TA SW CC

Scientific names and common names from PLANTS Database (USDA NRCS 2012). continued b Bold = ↑; italics = ↓; underline = new 2009; Italic”0” = found 1999 but not 2009. c CL=control; ST=single tree; GS=group selection; TA=Two-age; SW=shelterwood; CC=Clearcut

d Introduced species according to PLANTS data base (USDA NRCS 2012).
9

Dryopteris X boottii (Tuckerman) 

Underwood (pro sp.) Boott’s woodfern 1

Gymnocarpium dryopteris (L.) Newman western oakfern 2 1 1

Onoclea sensibilis L. sensitive fern 1 1 0 1 1 1 2

Osmunda cinnamomea L. cinnamon fern 0 1 1 1 1 1

Osmunda claytoniana L. interrupted fern 1 2 2 1 2 2

Osmunda regalis L. royal fern 1 1 1

Phegopteris connectilis (Michx.) Watt beech fern 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

Polypodium virginianum L. rock polypody 1 1 1 0

Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn western brackenfern 0 0 1

Thelypteris noveboracensis (L.) Nieuwl. New York fern 3 2 2 2 3 2 3

Fern allies

Equisetum arvense L. field horsetail 1

Equisetum sylvaticum L. woodland horsetail 1 1

Huperzia lucidula (Michx.) Trevis. shining clubmoss 4 5 4 4 3 3 2

Lycopodium annotinum L. stiff clubmoss 2 3 1

Lycopodium clavatum L. running clubmoss 1

Lycopodium digitatum Dill. ex A. Braun fan clubmoss 1

Lycopodium obscurum L. tree clubmoss/ground pine 3 1 4 2 3 2 2

Grasses

Agrostis gigantea Roth redtop 1 1

Agrostis hyemalis (Walter) Britton, Sterns 

& Poggenb. winter bentgrass 1 2

Agrostis perennans (Walt.) Tuckerman upland bentgrass 0 1 1

Brachyelytrum erectum (Schreb. ex 

Spreng.) Beauv. bearded shorthusk 1 0 1 0 1 1 1

Calamagrostis canadensis (Michx.) Beauv. bluejoint 1 1

Cinna latifolia (Trevis. ex Goepp.) Griseb. drooping woodreed 3 1 3 2 3 3 2

Danthonia compressa Austin flattened oatgrass 1 1 1 2

Danthonia spicata (L.) Beauv. ex Roemer 

& J.A. Schultes poverty oatgrass 0 1

Dichanthelium acuminatum (Sw.) Gould & 

C.A. Clark tapered rosette grass 1

Glyceria canadensis (Michx.) Trin. rattlesnake mannagrass 1

Glyceria melicaria (Michx.) F.T. Hubbard melic mannagrass 1 1 1 1

Glyceria striata (Lam.) Hitchc. fowl mannagrass 1

Oryzopsis asperifolia Michx. roughleaf ricegrass 0 1 1

Poa pratensis L. Kentucky bluegrassd 1 1

Poa saltuensis Fernald & Wiegand oldpasture bluegrass 1 1

Poa spp. 2 1

Rushes

Juncus brevicaudatus (Engelm.) Fernald narrowpanicle rush 1

Juncus effusus L. common rush 1 2

Table 1.—continued

Scientific namea Common name Abundanceb

CL1c CL2 ST GS TA SW CC

Scientific names and common names from PLANTS Database (USDA NRCS 2012). continued b Bold = ↑; italics = ↓; underline = new 2009; Italic”0” = found 1999 but not 2009. c CL=control; ST=single tree; GS=group selection; TA=Two-age; SW=shelterwood; CC=Clearcut

d Introduced species according to PLANTS data base (USDA NRCS 2012).
10

Juncus tenuis Willd. poverty rush 1 1

Sedges

Carex arctata Boott ex Hook. drooping woodland sedge 2 1 1 1 1 2 2

Carex blanda Dewey eastern woodland sedge 1

Carex brunnescens (Pers.) Poir. brownish sedge 2 1 2 3 3 2 3

Carex canescens L. silvery sedge 1

Carex communis L.H. Bailey fibrousroot sedge 1 2 2 1 2 1 2

Carex crawfordii Fernald Crawford’s sedge 1

Carex debilis Michx. white edge sedge 2 1 3 3 3 3 3

Carex deweyana Schwein. Dewey sedge 1 1 1 1

Carex disperma Dewey softleaf sedge 1 1 1 1

Carex echinata Murray star sedge 1

Carex gynandra Schwein. nodding sedge 1 0 1 1 3 3 3

Carex intumescens Rudge greater bladder sedge 2 2 2 1 2 1 3

Carex laxiflora (Lam.) broad looseflower sedge 0 0

Carex leptonervia (Fernald) Fernald nerveless woodland sedge 1 1 1 1 2 1 1

Carex novae-angliae Schwein. New England sedge 1

Carex pensylvanica Lam. Pennsylvania sedge 1 1

Carex projecta Mackenzie necklace sedge 1 1 2 1

Carex scabrata Schwein. eastern rough sedge 1 1

Carex scoparia Schkuhr ex Willd. broom sedge 2

Carex stipata Muhl. vex Willd. awlfruit sedge 1 1

Carex trisperma Dewey threeseeded sedge 1 1 1 1

Scirpus atrocinctus Fernald blackgirdle bulrush 1 2

Scirpus atrovirens Willd. green bulrush 0 0 0 2

Scirpus cyperinus (L.) Kunth woolgrass 2

a Scientific names and common names from PLANTS Database (USDA NRCS 2012).

b Bold = ↑; italics = ↓; underline = new 2009; Italic”0” = found 1999 but not 2009. c CL=control; ST=single tree; GS=group selection; TA=Two-age; SW=shelterwood; CC=Clearcut

d Introduced species according to PLANTS data base (USDA NRCS 2012).

Table 1.—continued

Scientific namea Common name Abundanceb

CL1c CL2 ST GS TA SW CC

Table 2.—Summary of species abundance changes by block within the Forest Ecosystem Research and Demonstartion 

Area (FERDA) at the Adirondack Park Visitor Interpretative Center (VIC) in Paul Smiths, NY

Block CL1 CL2 ST GS TA SW CC

Number of species that were found in 1999 but not in 2009 7 9 11 4 6 3 1

Number of species that were found in 2009 but not in 1999 29 13 27 26 33 43 64

Number of species that increased abundance 1999-2009 11 6 10 5 13 9 10

Number of species that decreased abundance 1999-2009 18 30 22 27 19 27 36

Number of species that did not change abundance 32 24 28 19 20 16 17

Total species found by block 97 82 98 81 91 98 128

Grand total of species found in FERDA at the VIC 173
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities 

on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, 

or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not 

all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for 

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s 

TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, 

Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call 

(800)795-3272 (voice) or (202)720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

Printed on Recycled Paper

Visit our homepage at: http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/

Published by: For additional copies:

U.S. FOREST SERVICE U.S. Forest Service

11 CAMPUS BLVD SUITE 200 Publications Distribution

NEWTOWN SQUARE PA 19073 359 Main Road

Delaware, OH 43015-8640

Fax: 740-368-0152

April 2013 Email: nrspubs@fs.fed.us

Manuscript received for publication 25 July 2012

Twery, Mark J.; Olson, Elizabeth; Wade, Gary L.; Rechlin, Michael. 2013. 

Changes in abundance of vascular plants under varying silvicultural 

systems at the Forest Ecosystem Research and Demonstration Area, 

Paul Smiths, New York. Res. Note NRS-169. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 10 p.

KEY WORDS: diversity, biodiversity, forest management, northern hardwoods, 

ecosystem management
Northern Research Station

www.nrs.fs.fed.us