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Productivity of nonindustrial private forests in western Washington: alternative futures.

Informally Refereed

Abstract

Nonindustrial private timberlands in western Washington have high productive potential and contribute harvest amounts somewhat more than proportional to their area. Of all private ownerships they are influenced the most by land use shifts and are affected in important ways by forest practice regulations. About 1 million acres of nonindustrial private timberland contain opportunities for timber management intensification that would increase net growth, in many cases offering attractive financial returns. Significant increases in timber growing investments could double softwood harvest levels in the long term. A combination of forest practice regulations to lengthen rotations by 10 yr and a 15% setaside of other timberland with older timber could reduce short-term softwood harvest levels by one-third.

Citation

Alig, Ralph J.; Adams, Darius M. 1995. Productivity of nonindustrial private forests in western Washington: alternative futures. Western Journal of Applied Forestry. 10(1): 29-35
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/24398