VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia | Thinleaf Alder 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Thinleaf alder is generally not used as a wood source because of its
small size.  It is occasionally used for firewood [33].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Cattle, sheep, and goats all eat thinleaf alder.  Varying degrees of use
have been reported, ranging from near zero to moderate.  In Montana,
livestock generally do not browse thinleaf alder [18].  But in the Blue
Mountains of Oregon, cattle use of thinleaf alder is considered to be
moderate [47].  Utilization by livestock seems to depend on stand
accessibility, stand density, and the palatability of other browse
species present.  In Montana, dense stands hinder access and are of
limited value for livestock [17].  Cattle tend to avoid thinleaf alder
stands found on the mucky soils associated with mountain springs [31].

The twigs and leaves of younger thinleaf alder plants are eaten by deer,
elk, and moose [21,28,53].  Light to moderate use by elk was observed
primarily in summer and fall in portions of the Rocky Mountains [60].
Moderate use of thinleaf alder by moose occurred during late winter in
Montana [29].  It is a moderately important browse for Rocky Mountain
mule deer [32].  Muskrats, beavers, cottontails, and snowshoe hares all
eat alder (Alnus spp.) twigs and leaves [21].  Beavers eat the bark and
build dams and lodges with the stems [53].  Alder seeds, buds, and
catkins are eaten by redpolls, siskins, chickadees, and goldfinches and
are considered to be an important winter food source [2,15,36].


PALATABILITY : 
Thinleaf alder generally has a poor to fair palatability rating for
livestock [8,53].  Cattle may use thinleaf alder more than sheep or
horses, as they frequent riparian habitats where plants grow [53].  In
Wyoming, thinleaf alder was found to be relatively unpalatable to big
game animals and was browsed very little, and thus was considered an
increaser [3].  In the Blue Mountains of Oregon, research showed that
thinleaf alder comprised 57 percent of available shrubs for browse in
the study area but made up only 47 percent of shrub use [47].

The relish and degree of use shown by livestock and wildlife species for
thinleaf alder in several western states is rated as follows [3,6,8]:


                      CO    ID    MT    UT    WY

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


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Thinleaf alder's energy value has been rated fair and its protein value
poor [8].


COVER VALUE : 
Thinleaf alder communities provide hiding and thermal cover for big game
animals such as white-tailed and mule deer [17] and often serve as travel
corridors for these and other big game animals [18].  Many bird species
use thinleaf alder communities for nesting and brood rearing [28].  When
thinleaf alder overhangs a streambank, plants provide cover and shade
for salmonids [31].

The degree to which thinleaf alder provides environmental protection
during one or more seasons for wildlife species is as follows [8,17]:

                       CO    MT    UT    WY
Pronghorn             ----  ----  poor  poor
Bighorn               ----  ----  ----  ----
Elk                   fair  ----  good  fair
Mt.goat               ----  ----  ----  ----
Mule deer             good  good  good  fair
White-tailed deer     poor  good  ----  ----  
Small mammals         good  fair  good  good
Small nongame birds   good  good  good  good
Upland game birds     fair  fair  good  good
Waterfowl             ----  ----  fair  poor


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
Thinleaf alder is recommended for use in revegetating disturbed riparian
areas.  Since thinleaf alder is easy to establish on disturbed sites and
has a rapid growth rate, it can quickly stabilize disturbed streambanks
[43].  Plants can be established along streambanks from direct seeding,
container-grown seedlings, or bareroot stock [43,44], but propagation
from stem cuttings is not recommended.  Once established, plants spread
well vegetatively and by natural seeding [44].

To obtain seed, proven cone collection and seed extraction procedures
should be followed [21,50].  A closely related alder, Hazel alder (Alnus
incana ssp. rugosa), yielded 1 pound (0.45 kg) of seed per 2.5 gallons
(9.5 l) of cones [21].


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
Native Americans reportedly pounded the wood of thinleaf alder into a
powder to produce a red dye [33].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Streambanks anchored by thinleaf alder are stable and can withstand
relatively severe spring runoff [31].  However, overgrazing and
excessive trampling by livestock can seriously reduce thinleaf alder's
ability to maintain streambank stability during spring runoff and
flooding [30,31].

Thinleaf alder improves soil fertility through the addition of nitrogen
to the soil from nitrogen-fixing root nodules and a nitrogen-rich leaf
litter [15,31]].

Related categories for Species: Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia | Thinleaf Alder