Abstract
Pine (
Pinus spp.) plantations in the Southeastern United States are managed intensively following even-aged silviculture. Trees are harvested at young ages resulting in inferior wood quality. We modeled two fast-growing southern pines using the Forest Vegetation Simulator to determine the price premium that forest landowners need to grow higher quality pines on longer rotation ages. Different management regimes were optimized using a land expectation value maximization approach. Results suggested that delaying final harvest by 10 years is financially obtainable, while a 20-year rotation extension depends on demand of higher quality sawtimber. In addition, rotation extension more than 30 years is financially undesirable. This study serves as a basic resource for primary forest product industries interested in purchasing higher quality pine sawtimber.
Parent Publication
Keywords
Pine,
Pinus,
economics
Citation
Regmi, Arun; Grebner, Donald L.; Grala, Robert K.; Willis, John L. 2020. Preliminary evaluation of price premium required for growing higher quality loblolly and slash pines on extended rotation ages. In: Bragg, Don C.; Koerth, Nancy E.; Holley, A. Gordon, eds. 2020. Proceedings of the 20th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS 253. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: 54-59.
