Regenerating the Natural Longleaf Pine Forest

Abstract

Natural regeneration by the shldterwood system is a reliable, low-cost alternative for existing longleaf pine (Pine palustris Mill.) forests. The system is well suited to the nautral attributes and requirements of the species. It may be attractive to landownders wishing to retain a natural forest and aboid high costs of site preparation and planting. Seven sucessive regeneration steps are: (1) thin overstocked stands to about 70 square feet of basal area per acre: (2) about 5 years before the scheduled harvest reduce the stand to a basal area of 30 square feet per acre of best crop tress: (3) monitor seed crops through annual checks of flowers and conelets on sample trees: (4) prepare a seedbed when a good crop is forecast: (5) check regeneration aresa for seedling stocking: (6) after an adequate seedling stand is established remove the overstory: (7) control hardwood competition and brown-spot as needed.

Citation

Boyer, William D. 1979. Regenerating the Natural Longleaf Pine Forest. Journal of Forestry, Vol. 77, No. 9 September 1979