The effects of timber harvesting on the structure and composition of adjacent old-growth coast redwood forest, California, USA

Data collected across timber harvest boundaries on nine sites within the Redwood National and State Park management area in California, USA, were used to estimate the effective size of old-growth coast redwood preserves. Fourteen variables related to stand structure and composition, wildlife habitat, and physical environment were significantly correlated to distance from the timber harvest boundary using multiple regression analysis. A maximum depth of edge influence of 200 m was determined for variables exhibiting a significant correlation to the distance from the harvest edge. A spatial analysis using ArcView indicated that 53% of the old growth preserved within the study area was influenced by edge conditions, leaving 47% as effective old-growth.