Economics of Red Pine Management for Utility Pole Timber

Abstract

Including utility poles in red pine management regimes leads to distinctly different management recommendations. Where utility pole markets exist, managing for poles will maximize net returns. To do so, plantations should be maintained above 110 ft²/ac, higher than usually recommended. In Michigan's northern lower peninsula, approximately 195,000 ac of established stands were suitable for utility pole management in 1980. Landowners can increase the soil expectation value (4% discount rate) on their investment from $4.00/ac to $104/ac by managing for poles along with pulpwood and sawtimber on site index 75, well-stocked stands.

Citation

Grossman, Gerald H.; Potter-Witter, Karen. 1991. Economics of Red Pine Management for Utility Pole Timber. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 8(1):22-25.