Yields of Old-Field Loblolly Pine Plantations

Abstract

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is one of the most important commercial species to the forest industries in the South, with a range extending through the Piedmont and the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains from Maryland to eastern Texas. Although there is a great deal of published information on the growth and yield of loblolly pine, much of the data for these studies has been collected in the southeastern part of the natural loblolly pine range and published results have generally involved only volume units such as board feet, cubic feet, or cords. Consequently, a cooperative yield study between the Division of Forestry and Wildlife Resources at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and several industrial forestry organizations was initiated to gather yield information which would be primarily applicable to the Virginia area. The scope of this study included per-tree and peracre data for the various volume units as well as for green and dry weight. This paper presents per-acre yield information in volume and weight units for old-field loblolly pine plantations.