Striped Maple

Striped maple ( Acer pensylvanicum ) is a small tree common to the understory of northern hardwood forests throughout the northern and mountainous parts of Pennsylvania. The species is very tolerant to low light levels and is very resilient to deer browsing. These two qualities make striped maple an excellent competitor in the forest understory in the absence of fire or other disturbances. Because of its dense, umbrella-like leaves and ability to thrive in the low light conditions, striped maple effectively "shades out" species less tolerant of shade, and interferes strongly with the regeneration and establishment of tree species, such as black cherry ( Prunus serotina ). Therefore, a dense subcanopy of striped maple is a serious concern to managers of forestlands throughout the state and scenes such as those above (an overstory of black cherry and other hardwoods, and an understory dominated by striped maple) are common in north-central Pennsylvania.

The US Forest Service (USFS), the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry (BoF), and managers of private forestlands are challenged with the task of finding effective solutions to control striped maple growth and maintain successful regeneration timber species. A common method employed to control understory herbaceous and woody vegetation, including striped maple, is the application of herbicide. However, little information on the response of non-target, herbaceous vegetation and their underground constituents to herbicide treatment exists. Responsible forest stewardship relies on an understanding of the response of the ecosystem to management activities. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy ecologists are currently assisting the USFS and BoF to monitor the response in the herbaceous composition following different herbicide treatments to control striped maple. Through collaboration in scientific endeavors with state and federal agencies, WPC can play an important role in responsible stewardship of Pennsylvania's forests.

Today's photos are by WPC's Ephraim Zimmerman

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