Oak woodland restoration: assessing treatment effectiveness, cost, and EQIP practices

Objective 1: Assess effectiveness of conifer removal treatment by answering the following questions: a) What are the tree- and stand-level responses to different oak release (i.e., conifer removal) treatments? (This includes both oak response to release as well as Douglas-fir response to treatments like girdling.); b) What are the specific mechanisms of oak decline in encroached stands, and what is the trajectory of oak health post-treatment?; c) How do restoration treatments affect 1) tree regeneration (both oak and Douglas-fir) and reestablishment of understory vegetation, 2) wildlife habitat, and 3) the range value of a stand (e.g., forage quality and quantity)? d) How much do different treatments cost, and what are producers' perspectives on the ease of implementation and longer term project maintenance?
2. Objective 2: Synthesize results, develop decision support tools to guide existing NRCS practices, and provide recommendations on new ways to frame and prioritize oak woodland restoration.