Families that have retained their land and planted pine seedlings have found that they are blessed with wealth and a sense of pride. Building timber value through simple conservation practices such as reforesting cutover land and fallow fields can allow children and grandchildren to attend college or can create the funds for purchase of additional land. Dan Edwards supervises the planting of loblolly and longleaf pines, thinning operations to improve growth, and harvest of mature pine timber. All planting is conducted by experienced crews using genetically improved seedlings. The knowledge of pine silviculture, years of N.C. State University tree improvement research, and practical experience across the varied geography of North Carolina assures landowners that their pine forests will be productive and profitable.
Pine Forestry Facts:
- In most areas of North Carolina, loblolly pine is the preferred commercial softwood timber tree to grow.
- Longleaf pine is better suited to deep sands in eastern N.C. and in the sandhill region.
- Loblolly pine 1-year-old seedlings are planted following timber harvests, approximately 10 ft. apart.
- The cost of planting loblolly pine ranges from $105 to $195 per acre depending on acreage and spacing, as well as method of planting and seedling quality. Genetics are important to optimum growth.
- Longleaf pine is more expensive to plant and requires greater care, but can produce pine needles for the local sandhill market.
- Pines will grow faster and produce greater timber value when site preparation with fire or herbicide is used before or, with herbicide, soon after planting.
- Pines are often thinned at age 16-20 with the material sold as pulpwood or small logs.
- Pines are fully grown or "economically mature" at age 27-35 depending on tree size and local markets, and sawmills increasingly can accept smaller, younger trees for lumber.
- Pine markets, overall, have remained flat since the recession, but high yield pine forests still produce a favorable rate of return on investment.