Crown release as a potential old-growth restoration approach in northern hardwoods.

Examines the question of whether crown release might hasten the development of large trees in second-growth northern hardwoods in northern Wisconsin. Measurement of growth response to a wide range of past thinning treatments in seven stands; Method; Findings; Suggestion that 30 cm DBH sugar maples (Acer saccharum Marsh.) given full crown release would reach 50 cm DBH (the mean size of canopy trees in old-growth stands) in 46-49 years, compared with 92 years with no treatment; Potentional of crown release for enhancing foliar height diversity and increasing the number of canopy gaps, standing snags, and fallen logs.