VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Abies magnifica | California Red Fir 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
The wood of California red fir is straight-grained, light and soft but
stronger than the wood of other firs, and has a low specific gravity
[26,49,60].  California red fir often has sweep in the butt [60]. The
wood is used for fuel, coarse lumber, quality veneer, solid framing,
plywood, printing paper, and high-quality wrapping paper, and is
preferred for pulping (sulphite and thermomechanical) [43,49,60].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Old-growth forests of California red fir provide important habitat for
many animals, some of which are sensitive, rare, and/or endangered [44].
Marten prefer large snags, stumps, and logs in closed canopies of these
forests for den sites [18,47,62].  Other animals that use California red
fir forests include fisher, wolverine, black bear, squirrels, chickadee,
pileated woodpecker, great gray owl, Williamson's sapsucker, and pocket
gopher [18,45,62,67].  The cones are cut and cached by squirrels.  Deer
browse new growth in the spring [43].

Climax communities of California red fir support birds that forage for
insects in the foliage of conifers [11].  Mountain beaver use California
red fir for food and thermal and escape cover [9,69].


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
California red fir is used for Christmas trees [28,43,45]. 

High-elevation California red fir stands are frequently used as
recreational sites [44].
 


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Together, California red fir and white fir produce one-fourth of
California's timber volume [31].  After partial cutting, California red
fir is susceptible to windthrow [43].  Unmanaged, even-aged,
well-stocked stands tend to mature in approximately 140 years [24,43].
Shasta red fir grows in dense stands that are highly productive [25].
Southern aspects that dry early in the growing season and flat surfaces
associated with frost are the most difficult for Shasta red fir
reforestation [2].

California red fir is an important tree for watershed protection because
of the large amounts of snow that accumulate in these stands during the
winter [28,44].

Fir dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium abietinum ssp. magnificae) causes a
significant amount of damage and occurs throughout the range of
California red fir [33,43].  Infected trees show less growth and vigor
and produce fewer seeds with lower viability [21,33,57].  When infected,
California red fir is more susceptible to secondary attack by insects
and fungi, which most commonly results in death of the tree
[21,33,56,57].  The wood of infected trees has decreased strength and
value for pulp [33].  Dense stands make it easy for fir dwarf mistletoe
to spread from crown to crown [56].  Management of infected stands is
discussed in the literature [24,40,56,57].  California red fir does not
respond well to thinning because of its susceptibility to infestation
after mechanical wounding [24].

Annosus root rot (Heterobasidion annosum) also causes significant losses
[24,58].  Infection is most common on the east side of the Sierra Nevada
and in relatively pure stands or dense stands with a history of logging
[16,59].  Infected California red fir are vulnerable to windthrow and
secondary attack by insects and other fungi [13,21,58,59].  The
occurrence and management of other fungi that damage California red fir
are discussed in the literature [22,23,43,44,57].

The major insect pest of California red fir is fir engraver beetle
(Scolytus ventralis) [13,21,43].

Related categories for Species: Abies magnifica | California Red Fir