Management of Loblolly PineBy Don Handley, Handley Forestry Associates

Slideshow of loblolly management in North and South Carolina as practiced by Handley Forestry Associates

Typical starting condition of loblolly pine. Note remnant pine in upper left corner.

Unmanaged Managed

Loblolly stand after initial entry. Removal of hardwood competition followed by a timber sale.

Removing hardwood competition in loblolly stand

Hardwood competition removal yields fuel chips at 50 cents/ton.

Untreated stand conditions

Post initial treatment

Regeneration

After initial hardwood competition removal and harvest, additional hardwood removal is needed.

Herbicide application to suppress hardwoods

Desired conditions

Mast producing oak retained

Mast use by wildlife

Aerial view of loblolly tract. Red stand with “x” shows skidding technique to minimize harvesting impacts. Taken after first thinning.

Mixed size wood from uneven aged management yields ~$45/ton for quality timber

Both tree wafers are from pine plantations. Wafer on left shows benefits of longer rotation uneven aged management, minimal cracking.

Desired conditions

Desired conditions

COWARD TRACT

STAND 1

85 ACRES

1989 POLE SALE $23,453.50

1989 CHIPPED HARDWOOD $2,500.00

1998 HERBACIDE APPLICATION (-$4,845.00) net after cost share

2000 TIMBER SALE THINNED PINE $88,530.00

2005 TIMBER SALE THINNED PINE $55,251.38

TOTAL $166,979.88

TODAY CARRYING INVENTORY OF ABOUT 7,000 BD FT/AC

595 M @ 300 = $178,500.00

Economic benefits of uneven aged management of loblolly pine over an even aged approach.Uneven aged example.

Even Aged Management ScenarioWith this system the stand would have been thinned in 1993 and clearcut and reforested approximately five years later at age 30. The following projected income and cost are

based on the 1993 thinning and a timber cruise conducted on this stand in 1995.

INCOME:

1988 Est. yield of 1st pulp thinning $10,000.00

1993 Timber sale $35,367.00

1998 Clearcut $98,900.00TOTAL GROSS INCOME $144,267.00

LESS MANAGEMENT COST $21,000.00$93,267.00

LESS REFORESTATION COST $8,000.00

TOTAL NET OVER ROTATION $85,267.00

NET INCOME/AC/YR $85,267.00= $63.1630 X 45

NOTE: The next expected income is a pulp thinning in 2015

Economic benefits of uneven aged management of loblolly pine over an even aged approach.

Loblolly management at the Joe Lee Tract Model Forest