Condition and deterioration rate of precommercial thinning slash at False Island, Alaska

We examined slash from thinning treatments in a 21-year chronosequence of young-growth stands in southeast Alaska to determine the strength and persistence of slash effects on two key features of deer habitat quality: forage availability and deer mobility within thinned areas. We describe the main deterioration processes and their dynamics over time. We measured wood density of slash of various ages and present a model to estimate changes in wood density over time. This report also discusses factors that contribute to initial slash loading, slash deterioration, and effects on deer habitat.