Expert Estimate

System is characterized by transitional landforms between northern hardwood uplands (Lake Superior's north shore) and lowlands with saturated soils (central Minnesota). These are areas where deep material exists that is not necessarily bedrock-controlled. Vegetation Description These are dense forests with early-seral aspen-birch, tamarack, spruce-fir, developing mid-seral spruce-fir and late-seral spruce-fir, northern white cedar, eastern white pine, and northern hardwoods (sugar maple, yellow birch, red maple). Late-seral is an uneven-aged system with gaps regenerating to spruce-fir and other species. Disturbance Description Fire Regime V is applicable. Two primary infrequent disturbance factors occur involving distinct successional pathways. Wind events (1,000-year intervals) developed early-seral spruce-fir. Fire developed early-seral aspen-birch. Stand replacement fire at a 300-year interval dependent on low-intensity maintenance fires to retain the late-seral uneven-aged stage. Spruce budworm appears to affect individual trees rather than produce broad-scale infestations