Clear cutting half arsed, why?

[Torvy]

Thanks. The trunks are 10-12" diameter. I went back and reviewed the TAMU report. The stand was planted 16-18 years ago, not 14.

It doesn't specify use. My understanding is that the quality trees are used for lumber and the rest for pulp. The pines are all loblolly, but some volunteer mixed hardwoods exist in spots.

I'd like to plant longleaf pine in their place when that time comes.

 

[jyoutz]

Thanks. The trunks are 10-12" diameter. I went back and reviewed the TAMU report. The stand was planted 16-18 years ago, not 14.

It doesn't specify use. My understanding is that the quality trees are used for lumber and the rest for pulp. The pines are all loblolly, but some volunteer mixed hardwoods exist in spots.

I'd like to plant longleaf pine in their place when that time comes.

I love longleaf pine. A much tougher and long lived pine. Loblolly is planted most often because it grows faster for timber production, but longleaf used to historically occupy much of the southeast US. My agency has a longleaf restoration program on much of the SE National Forests. At 10-12” diameter I would think these would be small sawtimber with tops for pulpwood. And you have a nearby sawmill in Tyler.

 

[Torvy]

Lots of sawmills around. West Fraser has two that I know of closer than Tyler. We're an hour from Tyler. A little closer to Longview.

 

[jyoutz]

Lots of sawmills around. West Fraser has two that I know of closer than Tyler. We're an hour from Tyler. A little closer to Longview.

Texarkana area?

 

[Torvy]

Texarkana area?

Between the two.

 

[jyoutz]

Between the two.

Nice pine country.

 

[Torvy]

100% why we moved out here. I also like the conifers in the Black Hills up between Deadwood and Keystone. She didn't want to be that cold again.

 

[jyoutz]

100% why we moved out here. I also like the conifers in the Black Hills up between Deadwood and Keystone. She didn't want to be that cold again.

The Black Hills are similar to the forest areas in my Region.

 

[Torvy]

The Black Hills are similar to the forest areas in my Region.

Yours are nice, too. Like the song goes.."I've been everywhere man..." (except AK and HI)

 

[old and tired]

If you have a pile in my area you can hear the pine bark beetles crunching away on dead pines from 15ft way on a quiet afternoon.

Just trying to educate... Pine bark beetles attack live / stressed trees, needing moisture for the young larvae to survive to adulthood (they live just under the bark). When you hear crunching on dead pines, those are wood borers and their young feed in rotting dead wood.

As for why people clear cut like the OP saw... it's the cheapest, most cost effective way. The owners most likely don't even see the property! Once the under story begins to grow, it great habitat for so many animals and it provides cover for them too.

My degree is in forest management (Stephen F. Austin, '85) where you learn a half dozen ways to manage a forest.... with clear cutting being used 98% of the time.

Hopefully, they will replant it (but I doubt it...)