An assessment of the extent of basal sweep in south coastal lodgepole pine.

Abstract

Lodgepole pine is a species which causes great difficulties for the forest manager. The most extensively planted provenances, the coastal varieties (LPC), are affected by problems of stability and poor stem form, though impressive growth rates can be achieved even on very poor sites. Originally LPC was planted on infertile sites as a pioneer crop, the idea being to pay for itself and to improve the site for the second rotation which would be spruce. However the quality of log produced in crops of LPC from older plantations led to an expectation of similar material being produced on the peat sites where most LPC has been planted. Recently, managers have become less optimistic about the prospects of saw log from such stands of LPC and there has been a movement in favour of planting spruce, despite the nutritional problems. The economics of a 'pioneer' rotation are not yet known, so the move to spruce (or mixtures) would be reasonable if no sawlog of at least structural quality can be produced from crops of LPC...