The term "old growth" has been around for a very long time--sorry, can't help with exact origins. However, my understanding is that its meaning and context have changed over the years. Up to 20 years ago it would have had a utilization or rotational context; that is, similar to "over-mature", meaning that the stand is older than the age at which one decided it should be harvested (whatever the basis of that decision). Today, "old growth" has more of a biological or ecological context. Definitions vary, but essentially it is used to refer to stands that have specific structural characteristics e.g. several tree species present and of an age that is advanced relative to their "usual" longevity, several age classes (uneven-aged), several layers in the canopy, significant amounts of standing dead and down wood, ... etc. Hope this helps. Clive David College of Natural Resources University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point e-mail: cdavid@fsmail.uwsp.edu
Mail converted by
MHonArc 1.1.0