CHANGES IN ALBEDO OF A NORTHERN HARDWOOD FOREST FOLLOWING CLEARCUTTING

A semi-empirical model designed to stimulate seasonal and midsummer al bedo of a northern tolerant hardwood stand following clearcutting was developed from field determinations conducted in west-central Neu Brun swick. In this model, changes in albedo are related to (1) vegetative regrowth (spreading of newly developing foliage over the cut area); (2 ) the gradual addition of vegetation layers within the forest canopy; and (3) seasonal variations from bud burst to fall. The field data ind icated that (1) cutting reduced the albedo; (2) foliage regrowth rapid ly increased the albedo to a maximum similar to that of a continuous s ingle leaf layer within a few years after the cutting operation; (3) d eepening of the canopy gradually decreased the albedo after its initia l peak; and (4) albedo values were highest in early summer, except in the first year after the cutting operation.