VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Alnus viridis ssp. crispa | American Green Alder 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Alders (Alnus spp.) are used as a source of firewood in regions where
fuels are scarce [21].  Native Americans in Alaska consider alder a
prime fuel for smoking salmon [39].



IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
American green alder generally is of low value as browse for big game,
but it is consumed in small quantities by deer [24,25].  In some areas,
however, it is utilized heavily by moose [3,15,52,54] and caribou
[2,54].

Although American green alder is a principal component in mountain goat
foraging areas, goats do not browse it.  The alder shrubs do, however,
provide ground cover that lessens snow accumulation, making lady fern
(Athyrium filix-femina) more accessible to mountain goats [29].

Muskrat, beaver, cottontail, and snowshoe hares feed on alder twigs and
foliage [25].  Many birds eat alder seeds, buds, and catkins [25,54,58].
American green alder is an important component of white-tailed ptarmigan
winter forage [58].
 
Alder can be an important secondary forage for livestock, especially
cattle [21,54].


PALATABILITY : 
The palatability of alder to big game and livestock is generally low
[15,24,54].


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
American green alder often forms dense thickets which serve as cover for
many wildlife species.  Big game animals use alder for hiding and escape
cover.  Bird species use alder thickets for nesting, feeding, and
resting [25].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
The major value of American green alder in rehabilitation is its ability
to invade sterile soil and increase the organic matter content by
nitrogen fixation [9,24].  American green alder can fix nitrogen at a
rate of 18 to 55 pounds per acre (20-62 kg/ha) per year [24].  Soil
fertility increases as the plant looses leaves and other parts and the
nitrogen-containing materials become available to decomposer species in
the soil [51].  The nitrogen content in soil after glaciation is at a
maximum when inhabited by mature alder, but is slowly depleted as spruce
(Picea spp.) takes over [53].
  
Alders contribute to the reduction of soil erosion [21,50,59] and help
to stabilize alluvial deposits [50].

American green alder recovered well within 2 to 3 years after an oil
spill near Norman Wells, Northwest Territories [59].  It was also noted
for its ability to colonize tailings at the Discovery Mine, Northwest
Territories [59].
 


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Alder bark is very astringent and has been used medicinally by Native
Americans.  It has also been used in the tanning of leather and dying of
textiles [21].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
American green alder can be a major competitor of conifer seedlings
following timber harvest.  Dense thickets can prevent conifer
establishment over large areas [24].  However, due to its
nitrogen-fixing ability, alder can improve soil fertility [9,40,50].  It
is also a nurse tree for conifers such as spruce (Picea spp.), pine
(Pinus spp.), and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) on
nitrogen-deficient soils [50].  Some suggest that conifers should be
established prior to the alder to ensure that conifer growth is not
hindered [24].

American green alder is a key indicator species of productive lodgepole
pine stands in subalpine regions in British Columbia [26].

When desired, alder stands can be established on cool, moist sites by
direct seeding or planting 2- and 3-year-old seedlings.  Nondormant
seeds should be sown in the spring and dormant seeds in the fall.
Unstratified alder seeds will germinate but at a slower rate than
stratified seeds [59].  Overmature thickets cut in the spring or winter
will rapidly regrow [25].

Control:  In the Caribou Forest Region of British Columbia, ripping
apart clumps of alder with V-shaped or straight-blade plows has been
successful at setting back the alder enough to establish a softwood crop
[24].  When applied as stump, basal, or foliage sprays, 2,4,5-T or 2,4-D
control alder effectively [25,40].

Related categories for Species: Alnus viridis ssp. crispa | American Green Alder