Short Rotation Management Options for Slash and Loblolly Pine Plantations including fertilization, t

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Short Rotation Management Options for Slash and
Loblolly Pine Plantationsincluding
fertilization,thinning and pinestraw

• E.D. Dickens
• C.W. Dangerfield
• D.J. Moorhead
• Daniel B. Warnell
• School of Forest Resources
• The University of Georgia

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Timber in Perspective Acres of Tree Planting in
Georgia, 1975 - 2000
(GFC, 2001)
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ACRES OF TREE HARVESTING in Georgia, 1983 - 2000
(GFC, 2001)
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TOTAL ROUNDWOOD PRODUCT Production by Species
Group in Georgia, 1974 - 1997
(Johnson Wells, 1999)
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Total Roundwood SAW-LOG Production by Species
Group in Georgia, 1974 - 1997
(Johnson Wells, 1999)
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Total Roundwood PULPWOOD Production by Species
Group in Georgia, 1974 - 1997
(Johnson Wells, 1999)
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Georgia Roundwood Production by Product Type,
1997.Total 1.3 Billion Cubic Feet.
Veneer Logs 6
Saw Logs 41
Pulpwood 48
(Johnson and Wells, 1999)
Other 1 Composite Panels 4
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120/cd.
83/cd.
34/cd.
(Timber Mart-South, 2002)
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South Georgia, Pine Stumpage Prices, /Cord, 1976
2001.
(TMS, 2001)
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Georgia Timber Value Harvested, 1993-98
(DOR, 2001)
(http//www2.state.ga.us/departments/dor/ptd/cas/a
nrep/index.html)
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Georgia Timber in Perspective

• Total acres harvested decreased from 1983 to
  2000
• Hardwood harvest acres down slightly since 1997
• Softwood harvest acres relatively constant since
  1992.
• Harvested acres 65 pine, 10 oak-pine, 25
  hardwood
• Softwood Reforestation and Afforestation
  Acres-to-Harvested Acres Ratio, 1.641

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Georgia Timber Perspective, cont.

• Total roundwood volume harvested up slightly
  since 1987, softwood relatively constant,
  hardwood up .
• Softwood pulpwood harvest volume relatively
  constant since 1987
• Hardwood pulpwood harvest volume steadily
  increasing since 1980
• Softwood saw-log harvest volume general increase
  since 1974
• Hardwood saw-log harvest volume relatively
  constant since 1974

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Georgia Timber Perspective, cont.

• Prices at all-time high during mid-to-late 1990s
• NIPF landowners adopted expectation of continued
  high prices
• Current pulpwood price at relatively lower level
  of late-1980s
• C-N-S and ST prices currently above mid-1990s
  levels
• C-N-S ST are 52 of volume harvested
• Total value of timber harvested up since 1990
• More value harvested on fewer acres

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Intensive Forest Management IFM

• Using Georgia Timber Perspective as a background
• Low-to-High site preparation costs
• None-to-Many Residual hardwoods
• Fertilize or not
• Thin or not
• Rake pine straw or not
• So, depends on your situation.

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Some Assumptions to work withusing TM-S 2000
4th Quarter prices
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Assumptions continued

• Base MAI .2.0, Average site
• 500 tpa _at_ yr. 5
• Med. Site prep. _at_ 250
• Fert. _at_ yr. 6
• Begin pinestraw raking _at_ yr. 8
• Select Thin at year 15
• Clear-cut _at_ yr. 24

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Shifting SLASH Dia. Dist. with Mgt., year 24.
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Total woodflow by cords of pulpwood and
cord-equivalents of Chip-N-Saw and Sawtimber for
average site productivity for 24-year SLASH
plantations.
21-year 25-year
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24-yr. SLASH Wood-flows Financial
Results.Average Site Index, Med. Prices Med.
Site Prep.
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Shifting LOBLOLLY Dia. Dist. with Mgt., year 24.
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Total woodflow by cords of pulpwood and
cord-equivalents of Chip-N-Saw and Sawtimber for
average site productivity for 24-year LOBLOLLY
plantations.
21-year 25-year
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24-yr. LOBLOLLY Wood-flows Financial
Results.Average Site Index, Med. Prices Med.
Site Prep.
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Summary Implications

• Intensive Forest Management (IFM)
• Oldfield gt Cut-over gt Natural
• Weed control, thinning, fert.
  Are the 1, 2, 3s of IFM
• Higher per acre returns w/IFM
• Higher return on investment w/IFM

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Summary/Implications, cont.

• Scenarios with relatively low current PW prices
• Maintain live crown ratio
• Fertilize and rake or no-rake pine straw
• Aggressively market tree crops
• Accept current PW price as a timber improvement
  cut and thin now if
  needed if possible !!
• Grow PW to higher value C-N-S ST add
  alternative crops
• LAND - Irrigate the best and grow trees on the
  rest !!