VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Betula occidentalis | Water Birch 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Water birch seldom reaches commercial size and is therefore of
little importance for wood products.  However, the wood is "hard and
heavy" and is used locally for firewood and fence posts [21,30].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Water birch is only lightly browsed by most classes of livestock.  Sheep
and goats seem to browse this plant more than other livestock [44].
This species can sometimes form dense, monotypic stands, thereby
excluding access to livestock [15].  Community herbage production for
livestock may be low as a result of frequent flooding and alluvium
deposition [15].

Browsing of water birch by big game animals such as mule deer and elk is
light; use increases when other more palatable woody species become
scarce [18,28,29].  Birch (Betula spp.) catkins, buds, and seeds are
eaten by numerous bird species including sharp-tailed grouse, spruce
grouse, ruffed gouse, redpolls, pine siskin, chickadees, and kinglets
[6,37].  The broad-tailed hummingbird and red-naped sapsucker feed on
sap oozing from holes in the bark made by sapsuckers [14].  Beaver build
dams and lodges with water birch stems [14].


PALATABILITY : 
Water birch is generally considered to have a poor to fair palatability
rating for most classes of livestock and wildlife.  It may be slightly
more palatable to sheep and goats than to cattle and horses.  The relish
and degree of use shown by livestock and wildlife species for water
birch in several western states is rated as follows [8,10,23,40,41].

                         AZ    CA         CO    MT    ND    UT    WY

Cattle                  ----  poor-fair  poor  poor  poor  poor  ----
Sheep                   good  poor-fair  poor  poor  poor  fair  ----
Horses                  ----  poor       poor  poor  poor  poor  ----
Goats                   good  fair       ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
Pronghorn               ----  ----       ----  ----  poor  poor  poor
Elk                     ----  ----       ----  poor  ----  fair  fair  
Mule deer               ----  fair-good  ----  ----  poor  fair  fair  
White-tailed deer       ----  ----       ----  ----  fair  ----  fair
Small mammals           ----  ----       ----  ----  ----  poor  good
Small nongame birds     ----  ----       ----  ----  ----  poor  good
Upland game birds       ----  ----       ----  ----  ----  poor  fair  
Waterfowl               ----  ----       ----  ----  ----  poor  poor
           


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Water birch's energy and protein value is rated as fair [8].  


COVER VALUE : 
Water birch often occurs in dense stands which provide excellent thermal
and hiding cover for many wildlife species [15].  A member of woodland
riparian communities, water birch contributes to structural diversity
which is an important habitat requirement of many avian species [30,47].
Grouse often winter in these riparian habitats and use water birch for
cover and food [32].  Cavity-nesting birds utilize mature trees [47].
Plants overhanging streambanks provide shade and organic matter
important for fish habitat [47].

The degree to which water birch provides environmental protection during
one or more seasons for wildlife species is as follows [8]:


                         CO    MT    ND    UT    WY

Pronghorn               ----  ----  ----  poor  poor
Elk                     poor  ----  ----  good  fair
Mule deer               fair  ----  fair  good  good
White-tailed deer       ----  ----  good  ----  good
Small mammals           ----  fair  ----  good  poor
Small nongame birds     ----  good  ----  good  poor
Upland game birds       ----  good  ----  fair  poor
Waterfowl               ----  ----  ----  poor  poor


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Water birch is well-adapted for revegetating disturbed riparian sites.
Nursery-grown seedlings transplanted onto moist sites establish easily
and grow rapidly [37,45], but direct seeding is considered unreliable
[37].  Once transplants become established their roots effectively
stabilize the streambank [47].  The best time for transplanting is in
the spring just as the buds begin to turn green [24].

Seed may be collected from local trees for establishing nursery stock.
Proven seed collection and planting methods should be followed [6].
Seedlings are normally transplanted when 1 or 2 years old.  


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
In Utah, water birch is recommended for landscape plantings in
residential areas occurring on historic mule deer winter range.  Many
traditionally used landscape plants have been heavily browsed and
damaged by mule deer.  However, water birch is normally browsed only
moderately by mule deer and recovers quickly [2].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Soils on steep streambanks may be susceptible to sloughing, especially
along trails used by livestock and wildlife.  Heavy recreational use
associated with fishing in nearby streams may increase sloughing rates
[15].

The dense root system of water birch effectively stabilizes streambanks.
Stands should therefore be maintained for their streambank stabilization
value [15,47].

Related categories for Species: Betula occidentalis | Water Birch