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Continuous Cover Forestry in the United States--Experience With Southern Pines

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Continuous cover forestry (CCF) has not been common in the southern United States, but if does exist. The best record of reseurch and practice exists for mixed loblolly-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda L.-P. echinata Mill.) stands in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain west of the Mississippi River. After 60 years, the Good and Poor Farm Forestry Forties had annual yields of merchantuhle volume (trees 10 cm dbh and larger) of 60 und 7.4 m3/ha. and annual yields of sawtimber volume (trees 30 cm and larger) of 5.0 and 5.5 m3/ha. respectively. Acceptable regeneration development und volume growth can both be maintained at basal area levels between 14 and 17 m2/ha. If harvests are not maintained regularity over time, regeneration development will become suppressed and the stand will quickly develop an even-aged character. Competing vegetation is a problem on these good sites, and the use of herbicides hus been an important element of success. Over time, long-term success with CCF methods in pine stands in the southern United States requires attention to regeneration establishment and development, basal areu of the residuul stand, control of competing vegetation. and regular cutting-cycle hurvests.

Keywords

uneven-aged, loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, regeneration, volume

Citation

Guldin, James M. 2002. Continuous Cover Forestry in the United States--Experience With Southern Pines. In: K. von Gadow et al. (eds.) Continuous Cover Forestry. 295-307. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Citations
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/7051