• IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE
• PALATABILITY
• NUTRITIONAL VALUE
• COVER VALUE
• VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES
• OTHER USES AND VALUES
• MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE:

Rocky Mountain maple is a principal forage species of shrubfields in the northern Rockies, which provide important winter range for deer and elk [21,70,102,179,180,196,288,326,334].

Though it is also browsed in the summer [157,286], Rocky Mountain may be heavily used in late fall and winter by mule deer and white-tailed deer [84,123,157,171,207,237,238]. It is also important winter browse for bighorn sheep [123,317], and elk [105,123,204,320,334]. Rocky Mountain maple is particularly important winter and spring moose browse [123,254,257,298].

Ruffed grouse in Idaho and blue grouse in Nevada eat the leaves and buds of Rocky Mountain maple [202]. Rocky Mountain maple seeds are also important forage for grosbeaks [172] and small mammals [172,287].

PALATABILITY:

The palatability of Rocky Mountain maple for domestic livestock has been rated as follows [85]:

NUTRITIONAL VALUE:

Rocky Mountain maple has low winter nutritional value for moose in British Columbia. Samples collected had the following nutrient content (in % by dry weight): 5.9% protein, 2.4% ether extract, 33.3% crude fiber, and 54.2% nitrogen-free extract [68].

Rocky Mountain maple has fair energy value and poor protein value for domestic cattle, sheep and horses [85].

COVER VALUE:

Cover value of Rocky Mountain maple has been rated as follows [85]:

VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES:

Rocky Mountain maple seed is commercially available [76] and should be stored dry at 35 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7-5 ^oC) [322]. Though storage for less than 2 years is recommended [129,322], Rocky Mountain maple seeds may be viable up to 3 years [123,279]. Germination requirements include 180 days of warm stratification [322,325] at 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (20-30 ^oC) [243] and 180 days of cold stratification [129,243,279,322,325] at 37 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit (2.8-5 ^oC) [243]. In a laboratory test, 40% of seeds kept at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10-15.6 ^oC) both night and day germinated within 30 days [243]. Shade is recommended for seedling establishment [322]. Rocky Mountain maple can also be transplanted; though better results are achieved with older plants than with seedlings [325], bareroot seedlings are often used for restoration and rehabilitation projects [129].

OTHER USES AND VALUES:

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Rocky Mountain maple percent cover has been found to increase in response to thinning of forest stands [147]. The abundance of Rocky Mountain maple either remains static or increases slightly following logging operations or overstory removal [62]. In Idaho, Rocky Mountain maple demonstrated increased density following a clearcut with no site preparation, a shelterwood cut with mechanical scarification, and a clearcut with mechanical scarification [295]. However, severe mechanical disturbance to the root crown will decrease the abundance of Rocky Mountain maple [86]. Rapid resprouting is likely to follow cutting of Rocky Mountain maple, producing an increase in the total number of stems present. The crown normally becomes more dense and rounded form following canopy removal [62]. Three seasons following mechanical cutting of 19 feet (5.8 m) tall Rocky Mountain maple, clump height ranged from 4 to 6 feet (1.2-1.8 m), crown diameter from 8 to 12 feet (2.4-3.7 m), and stem diameter from 1 to 8 inches (2.5-20.3 cm). Plants produced up to 10 sprouts each, and the treatment released 4-foot (1.2 m) conifer seedlings from shading [216]. 

Herbicide applications of glyphosate, triclopyr, hexazinone, and 2,4-D ester, result in low to severe damage to Rocky Mountain maple [33,62,65,213,214,214,217,218,220,235,250]; however, Rocky Mountain maple is likely to resprout following damage [62,197,235]. Picloram treatments may achieve up to 80% control of Rocky Mountain maple [272]. 

Treatments that cause top-kill will likely result in sprouting [62,197,235], though height reduction to improve browse availability may not be substantial or for any extended duration [197]. 

On sites treated with combination herbicide and mechanical treatments, percent cover, presence, and height of Rocky Mountain maple were substantially lower on scarified than unscarified sites [46]:

Related categories for SPECIES: Acer glabrum | Rocky Mountain Maple