Olympic Natural Resources Center

Long-Term Ecosystem Productivity Study

Study Overview

The Long-term Ecosystem Productivity (LTEP) study was created in the early 1990s with replicates across the Pacific Northwest including a site in the Siskiyou National Forest in southern coastal Oregon, the Willamette National Forest in central Oregon, the Siuslaw National Forest in northern coastal Oregon, and within WA DNR’s Olympic Experimental State Forest in Sappho, WA, just 10 miles north of ONRC. This study was established to test various forest management approaches. The overarching research question is: ‘What factors, influenced directly or indirectly by management, most affect the long-term productivity of the land?’.

At the Sappho LTEP site, three silviculture treatments were created: 1.) an early seral treatment where stands were clear-cut and replanted with an equal mix of Douglas-fir and red alder trees; 2.) a mid seral treatment where stands were clear-cut and replanted with only Douglas-fir trees; and 3.) a late seral treatment where stands were heavily thinned with an aim of creating old-growth characteristics faster. This site also has a no-action control.

Over the last few decades, researchers have studied the growth of trees, regeneration of understory plants and biodiversity, coarse woody debris, seeding growth, and soil health in permanent plots within each experimental unit. Researchers, students, and interns have collected and analyzed data to address forest ecology and management questions.

We welcome collaborators to this research site through field tours, data sharing, and data collection. For more information or to get involved, please contact ONRC Director Bernard Bormann at bormann@uw.edu or ONRC Research Scientist Courtney Bobsin at cbobsin@uw.edu.

Long Term Ecosystem Productivity Project: Sappho, WA Framework GIS and Field Data Integration

SapphoOverview

TPlotClickMap_4E2

USplotClickMap_4E2

Sappho GIS Map and Products – Site Level

*Appropriate software must be installed on tablets and desktops using these maps and data products. Installation and use on mobile phones may be iffy.

Data Sharing and Access Using Google Drive

A few things to remember:

  • Collaborators will be invited to share via email
  • Invited collaborators must download and install Google Drive before they can access the folder they’ve been invited to share
  • Even though access privileges have been granted, collaborators still must sign in
  • Anyone with a UW ID may access this folder, However: They may only view the contents of the folder. They do not have privileges that allow them to open, download, or change any file in the Sappho GIS project folder(s)
  • Some folders contain UW | ONRC’s core data holdings. Only UW | ONRC administrators will be given full access. All others will have Read Only access.
  • Folders with collaborator / worker’s names will be provided, with that person having full control of the contents within it.
  • There will be project common folders where many collaborators may share data and will have full control of the contents within it.
  • We are currently working out details of exactly how this will work with our collaborators on this project, so please have patience. Over the Labor Day holiday, a complete reorganization of the folders will be undertaken.
  • If you have questions, please call me, Keven Bennett, at 425-279-3179 or email me at kbenet@uw.edu. I will not take access requests by phone as security is a primary concern, so email requests to me.

Sign into the UW | ONRC Google Drive here.