Project Number: 6227-21660-003-24
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 08, 2004
End Date: Jun 30, 2009

Objective:
Develop and evaluate a silvopasture system that may allow producers to simultaneously grow pine timber as a long-term investment, graze livestock on cool-season forages, and harvest pine straw annually for short-term profits, while providing a grass cover to minimize soil and water losses during the interval between pine straw harvests.

Approach:
An 18-year-old loblolly pine stand was thinned by harvesting approximately 60% of the trees, including complete removal of alternating tree rows to increase alley widths to 20 feet. Stumps were removed by grinding them to a depth of 6 inches below the soil surface, and a grader was used to windrow remaining tree residue in the center of each alley for burning. The 20-foot alley width provides ample room for conventional farm machinery to plant, fertilize, and harvest forages. Alley treatments will include planting, fertilizing, and mechanically harvesting both annual and perennial cool-season grasses. Various forage and pine-straw harvesting schedules will be evaluated to determine effects of forage production on pine straw harvest and timber production.