Acorn Weevils, Rodents, and Deer All Contribute to Oak-Regeneration Difficulties in Pennsylvania

In parts of Pennsylvania, oak regeneration after harvest cutting or natural disturbances has been very poor. Studies on the Tuscarora State Forest suggest that the primary cause of natural regeneration failure may be a lack of viable acorns; on some sites acorn insects and rodents destroy nearly all acorns, even in good seed years. Artificial regeneration is not without difficulties either: rodents were able toreach direct-seeded acorns even through plastic protectors; and planted seedlings have been severely damaged by deer browsing. This article was written by David A. Marquis, Philip L. Eckert, and Benjamin A. Roach for the USDA Forest Service (Research Paper NE-356).

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