Title: Timber harvest levels and pressure on shortleaf pine in Missouri

Author: Treiman, Thomas B.; Piva, Ron J.; Moser, W. Keith

Year: 2007

Publication: In: Kabrick, John M.; Dey, Daniel C.; Gwaze, David, eds. Shortleaf pine restoration and ecology in the Ozarks: proceedings of a symposium; 2006 November 7-9; Springfield, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-15. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 179-185.

Abstract: Data from two sources are used to estimate the harvest pressure on Missouri's shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) resource. By overlapping Timber Product Output (TPO) and Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) inventory data, we examine utilization pressure on shortleaf pine and the residual inventory. Conducted every three years in Missouri, the TPO survey consists of a complete census of all primary mills and is a snapshot in time of timber use. TPO data from 1969 to 2003 show that annual shortleaf pine harvest has varied between 4.0 and 8.9 million cubic feet. Most of the shortleaf pine harvested in the State was processed in Missouri. FIA fi eld plots offer another method of estimating both shortleaf pine growth and removals on an annual basis using plot and tree measurements over time. In 1989, FIA data estimated annual removals of shortleaf pine growing stock at 6.8 million cubic feet (including both harvest and land use changes); in 2004, annual removals of shortleaf pine growing stock were 5.0 million cubic feet. In both 1989 and 1999-2003, most of the removals came from the medium- and small-size classes. FIA data also show overall sustainable utilization pressure, with annual net growth of shortleaf pine growing stock that has increased from 18.5 million cubic feet in 1989 to 25.1 million cubic feet in 2003. Questions of long-term ecological and economic sustainability and impacts are also addressed using these data sets.