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"We have described a part of the potential economic benefit to a landowner who chooses to use single-tree selection as a forest management tool. Additional values remain within the forest itself. Using single-tree selection leaves a productive and healthy forest in place year after year. Remembering Guldin and Baker's (1998, Journal of Forestry) simple guideline of cutting the worst and leaving the best, a managed forest can continue to return ever greater economic and social benefits in the future."

Greg F. Iffrig, Clinton E. Trammel, and Terry Cunningham. 2004. Pioneer Forest: A Case Study in Sustainable Forest Management. Pages 193-204 in S.L. Flader, editor, Toward Sustainability for Missouri Forests. General Technical Report NC-239, USDA Forest Service, North Central Research Station, St. Paul, MN. 251 p.

 

Pioneer Forest publishes sustainable forest management paper in 2004 publication.

As a follow-up to the conference held in Columbia, Missouri in March, 1999, this compilation includes 12 papers covering the nature of Missouri forests, elements of sustainability, silviculture, and the human factor in resource sustainability. The work is edited by Susan L. Flader, a Vice President of the L-A-D Foundation and a Professor of History at the University of Missouri, Columbia.

The recently published Pioneer Forest paper details the design and description of single-tree selection forest management as used on Pioneer Forest. Data for the period 1957-1997 are presented. In addition, the economic advantages of this system of forest management are demonstrated by looking at market price increases from Pioneer Forest for the period 1950-1999. Using this information, an economic model is applied to an average acre of Ozark forestland managed using clearcutting versus single-tree selection harvest.  The actual period of time was 24 years (1975-1999). From the two management scenarios, including management costs for conducting each sale, the authors showed a nearly doubled rate of return by using single-tree selection harvests.

 The paper appears on pages 194-203 in the USDA Forest Service publication. Copies of the entire publication can be downloaded by visiting the website: (http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/websites/www.ncrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_nc239.pdf). Copies may also be ordered from the North Central Research Station.