A Forested Tract-Size Profile of Florida's NIPF Landowners

Abstract

Abstract:

Information gathered from 2,713 permanent Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) sample plots showed that over 1.0 million acres, or 15 percent of the nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) timberland in Florida is in forested tracts £ 10 acres. Forested tracts ranging from 11 to 100 acres accounted for the largest proportion of NIPF timberland. By NIPF-ownership group, over 23 percent of other privately owned land was in forested parcels < 11 acres, whereas the other corporate and farmer-owned categories each recorded 6 percent. There was a higher proportion of natural pine stands in small forested tracts than in planted stands. Average softwood and hardwood growing-stock volume varied significantly by forested tract-size category. There was significantly more softwood growing-stock removals in the largest tract-size category than in the smallest. Comparisons of harvest and regeneration rates by forested tract size indicate that harvest and regeneration rates are considerably lower in tracts < 11 acres.

Keywords

Forest ownership, forested tract size, timber growth, timber removals, timber volume, timberland.

Citation

Thompson, Michael T. 1999. A Forested Tract-Size Profile of Florida''s NIPF Landowners. Res. Pap. SRS-15.Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 10p.