Thomas Creek Watersheds

Treatments and Practices

Research emphasis in the mid 1970s shifted to the South and North Forks of Thomas Creek. The objective was to demonstrate and evaluate the knowledge of integrated resource management for southwestern mixed conifer forests.

A primary objective of the harvesting treatment on Thomas Creek was to develop an operational resource allocation plan and use a procedure to establish a management plan over a 120-yr period. Based on inputs from managers and researchers in natural resource disciplines, a prescription using patch clearcutting with other single-tree and group selection methods was selected. They decided that this prescription would produce the highest return for a mix of timber, watershed, range, and wildlife resources. Harvesting that created small openings had been advocated as a method of increasing water yields from moist, mixed conifer forests. The Thomas Creek prescription was also consistent with the silvicultural recommendations for southwestern mixed conifer forests.

 
Mixed conifer type in Arizona