Effects of site preparation on timber and non-timber values of loblolly pine plantations

This study evaluated the timber and non-timber values of the forest stands generated by four site preparation methods tested in the Tuskegee National Forest 15 yr earlier. The timber values of the forest stands were assessed with the timber yields predicted by the SE TWIGS model. Non-timber benefits were evaluated through the Contingent Valuation Method. Two hundred residents randomly selected from three counties surrounding or near the National Forest were interviewed. The survey results indicate that the majority (62%) of the respondents felt that the National Forest should be managed for both timber and non-timber products. Of the four site preparation methods, the soil-active herbicide method was projected to produce the highest timber value. For non-timber benefits, the respondents preferred the forest stand without site preparation to those generated using chainsaw felling, soil-active herbicide, and tree injection methods. When both timber and non-timber values are considered, no site preparation is in general the best alternative that seems to meet the desires of the various groups of citizens with different or even conflicting preferences over timber and non-timber products. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.