Hardwood Resources on Southern Pine Sites

Almost 138 million acres or over 70 percent of the commercial forest land in the South, qualify as southern pine site–that is, forested uplands, excluding those growing cove-type hardwoods, that are supporting pine or show evidence of its former occurrence. However, more than half these sites are dominated by hardwoods. Pine forest types occupy only 65 million acres; pine also accounts for a significant portion of the stocking on the 31 million acres occupied by the pine-hardwood type. On the remaining 42 million acres suitable for pine, oak-hickory is the prevailing forest type. About 54 billion cubic feet, or half the South’s hardwood inventory, occurs on pine sites. By the year 2000, the South will provide half the nation’s softwood roundwood. Existing pine forests cannot supply such an amount, but the South has 73 million acres of pines sites dominated by hardwoods. Conversion of these lands has been hindered by the high cost of hardwood disposal. New techniques for utilizing the hardwoods could give impetus to conversion.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member