Economic analysis of uneven-aged forest management in the southeastern United States

We determine the economic revenues and optimal forest management of uneven-aged loblolly pine, longleaf pine, and slash pine forests considering timber and carbon benefits in the southeastern United States. Our results show that uneven aged management of southern pines generates positive total revenues, with the exception of those stands managed with high residual basal areas and long cutting cycles. The uneven-aged management of pine forests is economically more attractive with loblolly pine stands than with longleaf pine or slash pine for all cutting cycles and residual basal areas; on average, loblolly pine returns $1389.60middotha-1 more than slash pine and $1500.70middotha-1 more than longleaf pine for all cutting cycles. For uneven-aged loblolly pine forests, our results suggest that landowners should experience highest profits with the shortest viable cutting cycle (10 years) and a medium-high residual basal area (11.5 m2middotha-1). For uneven-aged longleaf pine forests, landowners would be economically better off with a longer cutting cycle (20 years) and a lower residual basal area (6.9 m2middotha-1). Notably, uneven aged management of longleaf pine and slash pine for timber production becomes unprofitable with low-medium or high residual basal areas (9.2-11.5 m2middotha-1).