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Impact of Sustainable Forest Management on Harvest, Growth, and Regeneration of Southern Pine in the Piedmont After 5 Years of Monitoring

Informally Refereed

Abstract

This paper describes a study established to monitor the implications of ecosystem management choices on natural loblolly and shortleaf pine stands on the Oconee National Forests in the Piedmont of Georgia. The impact of partial harvests, group selection cuts, seed tree cuts and no human disturbance on growth, mortality, species composition, and regeneration were monitored from 1994-95 to 1999. In mature stands with no human disturbance growth average 4.7 percent per acre per year and mortality averaged 2.9 percent per acre per year. In stands with partial cuts growth averaged 6.1 percent and mortality averaged 2.4 percent per acre per year. Sweetgum and red maple were the predominant regeneration seedling species in stands with partial cuts and group selection cuts. Loblolly pine was the predominant seedling species in the seed tree cuts. Seed tree cuts appear to be the most successful forest management method for regenerating loblolly pine stands in the Piedmont.

Parent Publication

Citation

Clark, Alexander, III; McMinn, James W. 2002. Impact of Sustainable Forest Management on Harvest, Growth, and Regeneration of Southern Pine in the Piedmont After 5 Years of Monitoring. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS–48. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. pp 291-295
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/3120