Sixty Years of Management on a Small Longleaf Pine Forest

摘要

In 1948, the US Forest Service set aside a 40-ac tract on the Escambia Experimental Forest in South Alabama to demonstrate longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) management for the small landowner. At that time, the management goal for this "Farm 40" was to produce high-quality poles and logs on a 60-year rotation. The goal was to be accomplished entirely through management of the existing natural forest, with little to no capital investment other than the cost for prescribed burning, marking trees for cut, and limited control of cull hardwoods. Management of the forest has continued making the Farm 40 an excellent demonstration of small-scale longleaf pine management. Frequent harvests and small capital outlay continues to make this type of management strategy especially appealing to today's landowners with limited resources.