Managing Pines for Profit and Wildlife - Virginia Department of ...

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A loblolly pine rotation begins with site preparation — creating a seedbed for the new seedlings. Prescribed burning creates excellent habitatfor early-succession species like bobwhite quail by removing old loggingdebris, recycling nutrients for the new seedlings, opening up groundlevelcover and stimulating production of their favorite foods.(Photo David Coffman, DGIF)Some of the most pressing wildlife problems in Virginia,and throughout the Southeast, are declines in populationsof early-successional 1 wildlife species. For example,since the mid-1960’s, Virginia’s bobwhite quail populationdeclined an estimated 70%. Simultaneously, populationsof at least 18 species using similar habitats plummeted —brown thrashers, yellow-breasted chats, catbirds, field sparrows,loggerhead shrikes and cottontail rabbits to name a few. Whatbrought about these declines and what can be done to reversethem?Farming modernization, changes in types of farming, changesin timber management strategies, and suburbanization of oncerural areas all played a role. Ultimately, habitat loss was the governingfactor. Networks of small family and tenant farms oncecreated ideal environments for quail and their cohabitants. Doublecropping was unheard of. Small fields and tractors were the norm.Managing brushy fencelines, ditches and roadbanks was moredifficult as modern pesticides had not been perfected. Folks managedfewer cattle less intensively and relied on native foragespecies.Economics and human population growth have largely endedthese favorable conditions. In most cases today, active managementis required to maintain and increase early-successionalwildlife populations. Our world is far different from the world of1935, or even 1965. It is not likely that we will ever revert to thoseconditions. Wildlife managers must now develop solutions practicalin a modern, economically driven world.1Early-successional species are those inhabiting brush/scrub/grasslandcommunities that are in progression from bare ground to mature woodland.Two
% COVERAGE100806040OverstoryGround200 0 5 10 15 20 25STAND AGE% Vegetative Coverage of Overstoryand Ground Layers in Various AgedLoblolly Pine Plantations — As loblollypines grow older, their crowns(canopy) begin to intercept an increasingamount of sunlight. Eventually verylittle sunlight reaches the forest floor.Ground-level and understory plantsdecline with the decreasing sunlight.A pulpwood pine thinning at year 15to 20 will restore a better balance ofunderstory plants, greatly benefittingnumerous wildlife species.300250DRY WEIGHT (grams)20015010050ForbsGrasses▲In the first five to seven years of a new plantation,the young pines and herbaceous growth offer habitat fora host of early-successional wildlife species like pinewarblers, field sparrows, and bobwhites.(Photo Dwight Dyke)00 5 10 15 20STAND AGENon-Woody Biomass of UnderstoryPlants in Various Aged LoblollyPine Plantations — The herbaceousplants of a pine stand are valuable towildlife as food and cover. They alsoplay an important role in maintainingwater quality by reducing erosion andholding nutrients on the site. Grassesare most abundant early and decline asthe amount of sunlight reaching groundlevel declines. Forbs (broadleaf, nonwoodyplants) increase for 5-7 years, butalso decline as sunlight diminishes.Three
Page 1 and 2: Wildlife Information Publication No
Page 3: MANAGING PINES FORPROFIT AND WILDLI
Page 7 and 8: # Birds & Bird SpeciesInsect Biomas
Page 9 and 10: Overstocked stands can beprecommerc
Page 11 and 12: VOLUME(thousands of board feet)▲C
Page 13 and 14: The Effect of ThinningBACKGROUND -
Page 15 and 16: (Photo Steve Capel)(Photo Dwight Dy
Page 17 and 18: (Photo Jim Mehring)Best Management
Page 19 and 20: COST-SHARE PROGRAMS FOR MANAGING FO

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