Plantation Management

Plantation management is traditionally considered the management of a stand or a collection of stands that consist of trees that are a monoculture (single species) and that are the same age. These types of stands are commonly referred to as even-aged or single-aged stands. Stocking distribution and/or spacing during planting is varied depending on the intermediate and overall goals of the stand. 

Pine plantations in the southern part of the United States are some of the most intensively managed forests in the world. Foresters in the South use a combination of modern technology and integrated, site specific silvicultural regimes to produce wood at a rate that rivals the nonnative wood plantations in the Southern Hemisphere. As more plantations are planted with clonal seedlings, gains in productivity and quality of wood are expected to keep the South as one of the major wood producing regions of the world.

Plantation management allows for more intensive management regimes that maximize growth and yield. More intensive management does have a higher cost per acre, but the financial returns are much greater as a result of the increased growth rates and shorter rotation lengths. By working harder to decrease the cost per ton of wood production instead of just minimizing cost per acre to establish the plantation, Southern plantations are able to lower wood costs and remain competitive in global markets.

Current plantation management generally consists of site preparation, seedling planting, first thinning, second thinning, and final harvest. 

During site preparation a combination of chemical herbaceous control followed by burning is used to clear the land and reduce competition for replanting. Seedlings are then planted by hand or by machine. Hand planting may be easier for more difficult terrain, but machine planting is more efficient and economical. In machine planting crawler tractors with a v-blade are used to pull a planting plow through the area to be planted. The v-blade pushes any remaining debris out of the path of the plow and the plow provides enough soil preparation for the seedling to be planted and to become established. 

Between planting and first thinning there are many possible alternatives that are site specific for each stand. Some stands may require a woody release during this time to reduce hardwood competition within the plantation. Fertilization and prescribed fire are also options during this time.

First thinning usually occurs between 15 to 20 years following planting. This can vary based on stand characteristics and market conditions. Some sites can be thinned as early as 13 years and other sites are thinned after 20 years. During first thinning trees are harvested to generate revenue as well as to reduce intraspecies competition to improve production for subsequent harvests. 

Second thinning usually follows first thinning by 5-7 years. Lesser quality trees will be removed to leave only the best trees for final harvest.

Final harvest occurs 5-7 years after second thinning and should contain a majority of the highest value wood products such as sawtimber and poles. Final harvest completes the stand rotation and should ideally leave the land in a state that is ready for site preparation for the next rotation.