We used 1976 and 1996 Forest Resource Inventory (FRI) maps
(OMNR, unpublished) to select jack pine and black spruce stands
that were conifer-dominated prior to disturbance. We sampled
stands in three post-disturbance regeneration types: fire (FIRE),
clearcutting followed by natural regeneration (CUT), and clearcutting
followed by intensive silviculture (INT). CUT stands typically
incorporated seed trees (i.e., a small number of seed bearing trees
left on site following logging), and were generally not mechanically
or chemically treated after the harvest. Stand density and composition
after the harvest were not controlled. The INT treatment always
had mechanical site preparation followed by manual planting
or spraying with herbicide, or a combination of planting and spraying
with herbicide. We amalgamated planting and herbicide combinations
into one treatment based on a pilot study in 2008 that
showed no significant effects on shrub and tree composition between
the two treatments. For this study, INT did not include
any pre-commercially thinned stands.