PINE GROWTH AND PLANT COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO CHEMICAL vs. MECHANICAL SITE PREPARATION FOR ESTABLISHING LOBLOLLY AND SLASH PINE’

Abstraci-Chemi& and mechanical site preparation methods were studied for establishing loblolly (%WS tee& L) rind S&h (p. 8l&O16? Mf. 8&O&! fingelm.) pi118 f~hding both i&gmted fUehVOOdpulpwood harvesting and conventiil who&tree harvesting of pines and hardwoods In southem Alabama’s Middle Coastal Plain. Revegetation was assessed in year 1, planted pines were measured afler years 2 and 5, and soil bulk density was examined. Site preparation treatments generally shifted the herbaceous component from grasses to forbs and blackbeny (Rubus spp.). Afler integrated harvesting, mechanical and herbicide treatments perfomted equally well for loblolly pine, while disking treatments yielded greater fifth-year volumes than herbiie methods with slash pine. On conventional harvested sites, mechanical and chemical treatments perfc+med equally well. Pine volumes were lO-fooM greater within-windrows than that between windrows. A single disking treatment returned topsails to preharvest bulk densities.