Does Prescribed Burning Have a Place in Regenerating Uneven-Aged Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands?

Before the 1981 growing season, a s tudy was instal led in southeastern Arkansas to examine the eflects of three dormant-season burn intervals ( low, moderate, and highfrequency) and an unburned treatment on natural regeneration in uneven-aged stands of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda and P. echinata, respectively) . Merchantable pine basal areas were maintained by harvest ing on a 5 or 6yr cutting cycle. When the s tudy began, hardwoods greater than I in . dbh were injected with herbicide on al l plots . During the next 19 yr, there were eight high frequency, four moderate frequency, and three low frequency prescribed burns. In 1991, the unburned plots received a s ingle, broadcast-herbicide treatment . Single-tree select ion harvests were conducted in 1982,1987,1992, and 1997. Through I999 (I 9yr), herbicides appl ied at IO yr intervals were more eflective than dormant-season burns for enhancing the growth of submerchantable pines . Al though recurring winter burns tended to s top the progress ion of both p ines and hardwoods from seedl ing to sapl ing s ize c lasses , the data suggest that properly t imed dormant-season burns might be used to secure natural pine regenerat ion in selection management. South. J. Appl. For. 26(3): 117-123.