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effects of flooding on the health or regeneration of the forest. The first problem can be solved expensively, by additional surveying, or less expensively by conducting a trial flood (Zuckerman, personal communication, 1990). The second problem, although not immediately crucial, must be better understood within the next ten years. Without knowing the demography of the forest trees, managers will be unable to evaluate the success of management activities. An analogy might be helpful. If our goal were to maintain a healthy deer herd, the manager would need to know the size of the herd, the ratio of males to females, approximate ages of the population and birth rates and hunting success. The manager uses this information to set the annual hunting limit and to properly manage the herd. Although deer are quite different than oaks, similar information is necessary to properly manage the forest. Currently we know the extent, approximate numbers, and even have a rough estimate of reproduction. However, since we know neither the ages or the mortality rates, we cannot determine if there are enough trees,or the effects of our management decisions. Option 3 involves developing appropriate regeneration and management techniques based on site field trials. Although this option is time consuming, it is not costly and should generate valuable information.We think that waiting to implement a management plan until after a 3 to 5 year trial period would not have an adverse affect on the health of the forest. Option 4 involves complete management of the forest. This option is not necessary, nor philosophically or economically attractive. The expense involved in marking, mapping and managing the forest would far exceed the costs of the other options. In addition we believe that the forest ecosystem retains some natural capacity for self-regeneration. After consultation with Bob Belt, from Kjeldsen-Sinnock, and Toby Hanes, the hydrologist from Hydroscience, we developed the following assumptions and Buckeye Ranch Resource Plan (November, 1993) 170