Natural Loblolly and Shortleaf Pine Productivity Through 53 Years of Management under Four Reproduction Cutting Methods

A study was ini t ia ted in 1943 to evaluate the longterm product iv i ty of loblol ly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pines (P. echinata Mill.) when managed under four reproduction cutting methods-clearcut, heavy seedtree, diameterl imit , and select ion-on the Upper Coastal Plain of southeastern Arkansas. Early volume production ref lected retent ion residual pines , and the clearcut was the least product ive method through the f irs t 36yr . Af ter 53 yr , there were no s tat is t ical ly s igni f icant (P = 0.07) di f ferences among cut t ing methods in sawlog volume production, which averaged 3,8OO@/ac. In terms of sawlog volume (bdft/ac, Doyle scale), total production on clearcut, seedtree, and selection plots exceeded (P < 0.01) that on diameterl imit plots by 37%, but there were no di f ferences in sawlog volume product ion among the other cut t ing methods. Resul ts suggest that fores t landowners should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each cutt ing method when planning their long-temz objectives. South. J. Appl. For. 25(1):7-16.