About UPTIC
- Directions
- Site Resources
- Lodging (for visiting researchers)
- Other UP Forest Research Properties
The Upper Peninsula Tree Improvement Center (UPTIC) was established in 1986 when Michigan State University purchased an 840-acre farm in Escanaba, MI. The Center was expanded to its present size in 1987 when Mead Corporation donated an adjacent 880-acre tract of cedar swamp.
In the mid-1800s this area area's vast hardwood stands supplied charcoal to the region's pig iron furnaces. UPTIC's fields were cleared around 1890 and incorporated into one of the first dairy farms in Delta County. Most of MSU's forest research properties were abandoned farms. UPTIC differs from the others because it was not abandoned due to infertility but rather because it was so far from agricultural markets.
UPTIC is the focal point for Michigan State University's forestry research in the Upper Peninsula. It serves as the home base for staff and equipment that are used to manage the Dunbar Forest Experiment Station and the Jim Wells Forests. A complete summary of our Forestry Research in the Upper Peninsula is available in the "Articles & Reports" section of this web site.
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(click to receive a pdf version of this map) |
From the traffic light in Escanaba where M35 departs
to the south from US 2 & 41, travel 5.9 miles west on US 2 &
41 to Hyde. OR from the flashing light in Bark River, travel 5.3
miles east on US 2 & 41 to the same point. At Hyde, turn north
on Co. 521, which becomes Co. 533. Travel 2.5 miles north to 16.25
Road (C-21) which is the first hard surface road to the right. Turn
east onto C-21 and follow it for 1.5 miles around 3 sharp turns
to the main Center’s driveway. Turn right onto the driveway
and proceed west to the office.
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The physical plant at UPTIC includes:
Site maps and photographs are included below. |
The 1700 acres of the Upper Peninsula Tree Improvement Center are divided into several types of forests:
- 59% is northern white-cedar swamp
- 15% is dominated by red maple-balsam fir-aspen stands
- 2% is a beech-maple stand
- 24% is open agricultural fields
About 85 acres of young plantations and mature forests at UPTIC are enclosed by electric deer exclosures.
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Soil Map
Click here to see a soil map of the area around UPTIC. The upland soils at UPTIC are highly productive Onaway fine sandy loams with some inclusions of other sandy loam soil types. The swamp land is predominantly Carbondale muck with some inclusions of other shallower muck soils. Soil series appearing on this map are:
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Topography
Map
Click here to see a topography map of the area around UPTIC (USGS Chandler, Michigan 7.5' Quadrangle). The area's geology is dominated by glacial lacustrine landforms. UPTIC is 7 miles west of Lake Michigan in an area dominated by flat uplands interspersed with forested swamps. Soils vary in depth from 14 feet to less than 1 foot above limestone bedrock. |
Other UP Forest Research Properties
For information about UPTIC or the other properties, click on the map below.
