VARDAMAN VIRTUAL FORESTRY COMPANY

The Most Direct Link to Knowledge Workers in the Southeast Forest Economy

The JMV&CO seminar in Atlanta on May 23-24 was the most exciting technology-transfer event in our 45-year history. The 62 participants (ten outstanding scientists, 33 experienced investors, and 19 JMV&CO managers) heard presentations on the current state of timber-growing technology from the following professors:

Harold E. Burkhart, Virginia Tech, on growth-and-yield models
Robert J. Weir, NC State University, on genetics
David B. South, Auburn University, on seedling morphology and planting
Shepard M. Zedaker, Virginia Tech, on competition control
H. Lee Allen, NC State University, on forest nutrition
Lawrence A. Morris, University of Georgia, on soils and cultivation

After Jim Vardaman described how to use PTAEDA2V+ECONVR to calculate real rate of return on the total investment in a forest, the six scientists went over each technique in what amounted to a peer-reviewed discussion of the adjustments needed to make outputs of the basic PTAEDA2 model reflect the use of each modern technique. As you might expect, there was spirited discussion and some disagreement. Jim Vardaman was umpire for the discussion; he selected the exact adjustment for each technique, so the responsibility for all of them is his alone.

We hypothesize that the proper adjustments are as follows:

1. Use of first-generation, genetically-improved seedlings will increase site index 7%; second-generation seedlings will increase it 12%. Additional but unquantifiable benefits may be obtained by selecting families of seedlings recommended for each tract by most nurseries.

2. Use of genetically-improved seedlings will reduce pulpwood-quality trees to 16%.

3. Use of seedlings grown at a lower density in the nursery bed to a groundline diameter of 6mm will produce an Establishment Quality Boost (EQB) of one year; seedlings grown to 9mm and planted in the fall will produce an EQB of two years. (An EQB of one year means that we can grow a stand in eight years that normally requires nine years to produce.)

4. Use of herbicides in the first spring following planting to control herbaceous vegetation will produce an EQB of two years in the Lower Coastal Plain and one year elsewhere.

5. Use of herbicides following the second growing season to control woody vegetation will reduce hardwood competition in the canopy to 2.4%. Broadcast application of herbicides to control woody vegetation may be needed BEFORE planting on areas with very heavy cover of hardwood brush, such as might develop two to three years after clearcutting.

6. On typical cutovers, subsoiling with very slight moving of slash will increase site index by two feet, mark planting rows on the ground, allow deep planting of seedlings with guaranteed initial survival of 95%, and provide easy access for control of herbaceous vegetation. Additional but unquantifiable benefits are elimination or reduction of compacting resulting from logging and, when done on the contour, capture of some water moving laterally on or below the surface.

Bedding according to individual prescriptions may be necessary on some tracts. Extensive removal of slash may cause great harm.

7. Because of the impossibility of strictly controlling alignment of crew members, especially on typical cutovers, hand-planting without subsoiling will result in the actual planting of 10% more trees than planned and prevent planting to desired depth. Since undetected carelessness may increase initial mortality, such hand-planting usually requires budgeting of slightly-more-than-required seedlings per acre for safety.

More details may help to illustrate several ways in which subsoiling will increase RRR. Measurements of the Leland Speed Plantation for 15 years have convinced us that, to avoid degrade because of big limbs, we must have 300 living trees per acre at the end of the first growing season. Since first-year mortality in plantations established in the usual way is 13.5%, we therefore prescribe planting of 347 per acre. Because of the uncontrollable errors with hand-planting crews, we usually wind up planting 347 times 1.10 = 382 per acre. The combined effects of subsoiling would allow us to plant only 300 divided by .95 = 316 per acre. So the saving in investment alone = 382 minus 316 = 66 times $0.13 for seedling plus planting = $8.58. Elimination of some overcrowding at 382 by reducing the trees to 316 will also raise the value of the thinning and harvest by small amounts.

8. If soil tests reveal that the site is deficient in phosphorus, the proper amount to be added and the expected increase in site index from it shall be determined by the chart presented by Dr. H. Lee Allen. Addition of nitrogen and other minerals about five years prior to both the proposed thinning and the proposed harvest may increase RRR; proper use of PTAEDA2V+ECONVR will show this.

The 1996 adjustments cover a wider area of practices than those of 1993 and will cause changes in most regeneration plans. In general they increase RRR and decrease risk. For example, the benefits of subsoiling can still be captured even if planting must be delayed a year, herbaceous control need not be applied until adequate survival is nearly certain, and woody control need not be applied until survival of the pines and need for the control are certain. In most cases use of all of them will increase RRR; Jim Vardaman's procedure for calculating RRR will tell the tale on each for each tract.

Unless you have a prodigious mind for figuring, you won't be able to analyze them without PTAEDA2V+ECONVR. But don't expect to become proficient with this program overnight. Analysis of a forestry investment is a very complicated job and requires hard thinking and careful data entry. We'll be glad to give you a free demonstration if you'll come by one of our offices, or you can buy the program and the accompanying literature as shown on our WWW site (see back page).