Economic analysis of uneven-aged forest management in the southeastern United States

Abstract

We determine the economic revenues and optimal forest management of uneven-aged loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and slash pine forests considering timber and carbon benefits in the southeastern United States. Our results show that uneven-aged management of southern pines generates positive total revenues, with the exception of those stands managed with high residual basal areas and long cutting cycles. The uneven-aged management of pine forests is economically more attractive with loblolly pine stands than with longleaf pine or slash pine for all cutting cycles and residual basal areas; on average, loblolly pine returns $1389.60·ha−1 more than slash pine and $1500.70·ha−1 more than longleaf pine for all cutting cycles. For uneven-aged loblolly pine forests, our results suggest that landowners should experience highest profits with the shortest viable cutting cycle (10 years) and a medium-high residual basal area (11.5 m2·ha−1). For uneven-aged longleaf pine forests, landowners would be economically better off with a longer cutting cycle (20 years) and a lower residual basal area (6.9 m2·ha−1). Notably, uneven-aged management of longleaf pine and slash pine for timber production becomes unprofitable with low-medium or high residual basal areas (9.2–11.5 m2·ha−1).