Growth predictions for tree species planted on marginal soybean lands in the Lower Mississippi

~:onvCrsiOn Of fOreSr hd LO ~grklJhrid IJSCS occurred rhrougboul Ltlc region over the past 200 years. IJresendy. Forc\rv cnvcr less rhnn one-quarrcr of Abe area of +&srI:md prior to European se&mrnr. Most recmrly, widcscalc loss of foresr cnver occurd during rhc early in response ro increnscs in soybean priceb (Srrrnirlk.kc: 1976). ln many casts, these 1asL Iim3rs ro IJ~ clrnrcd occupied sites which were roo Frrqurnrly flooded ro support row-crop ~riculturc on a susrainable h&s Thor. TO poor inrernnl drainage, bacltwarer tlnoding, or borh. Changes in borh soybean snd fnrcsr products markers have rendrred some of rhcsc lands ecorromicnlly m;lrgin:d Ci,r soybean production. Ch;lngir~g economics, in combination wirh an incre:lsing recognirion of the cnvironrt~rr~d brnefhs uf forested wrrl~nds, h:ivc kirdlrd widespred inrrresr in cl~nvrrring mqin:Jl sl~yban land b:lck ro hotrrrmland hardwood torrsr.s (Amnchrr er al. 199H). Accordingly, mnny OF rhese lnntls tire bring enrolled in the Consrrvnrion Reserve Progr:lm (CRT’), Werl:lnds Reserve Progmm :Inti other cost-sh:Ire progr~rns involving t&sr esr:ihlishmrnr. CRT’ Isndowners who rlccr rn plrnt Lrrrh cl11 so for Z I nnmhrr of re:asons, including rnh:tncrmrnt OF recrr:tirinn, arsth&s. :ind wiltllit’e v&es, BS wrll as the rventull hale of Forrbr protlucrs (Olmstead ad McCurdy 1989). These brnrfirs are rr4irrd soonesr, and tn rhe grrnrrsr extcnr, when the conversion from open cropkind rn cl~~~cd forest canopy occurs r:lpidly (Huhhrrtl end T.owrencr 1997; Twrtlr :md Porrunod 1997). On-and o#site rnvironmenr~l benefits, such 1s nirr:lte and pcsricidc removal, srrcnmbrnk srahilixarion, nnci wnrtr tcmperzrure m&r&n also arc accelcratcd rhrough rapid reforesmtion. Mnwimizing rree and srsnd growrh rares wirhour increasing mrnngsmenr cosrs gcncrarcs srronger financial inccnrives to planr Trees and may morivarc landowners ro keep cropland or riporian buffers in forcsr cover beyond rhc cxpimrion dare of current cost @002/006