Black Hills Experimental Forest

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Past studies at Black Hills focused on the management of ponderosa pine forests for multiple resource outputs, including timber products, forage production for livestock and wildlife, wildlife habitat, and aesthetic values. Ongoing research includes continuation of studies of long-term levels of growing stock in ponderosa pine, overstory/understory production relationships, initial spacing in ponderosa pine (including impacts of root diseases and control of competing vegetation), silvicultural control of mountain pine beetle populations, and wildlife habitat. A ponderosa pine provenance study of Black Hills sources also is being conducted. The levelsof- growing-stock study is part of a west-wide effort begun in the early 1960s to provide basic information on thinning responses in even-aged stands of ponderosa pine. An AMERIFLUX monitoring tower and instrument shelter were installed in 2000 by the South Dakota School of Mines and remain in use.