Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-2008

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Forestry

Major Professor

Wayne K. Clatterbuck

Committee Members

Henri D. Grissino-Mayer, Donald G. Hodges, Thomas A. Waldrop

Abstract

Table Mountain pine (Pinus pungens Lamb.)(TMP) is a threatened species, endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains. The status of TMP following the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman) outbreak of 1999–2001 is unknown. This study focuses on stands of the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) in eastern Tennessee that had a TMP component in the 1994 Continuous Inventory of Stand Condition (CISC) data. This project has two parts: an inventory of the 1994 stands as well as a case study of cost comparison of release treatments for a young overstocked stand. The objective of the inventory was to visit the TMP stands designated in the 1994 CISC data on the CNF to determine whether these stands still contain a significant component of TMP and to document the present stand condition and successional status. The objective of the case study was to produce a cost analysis/comparison of releasing young TMP that are in the stem exclusion stage of stand development by several silvicultural methods: strip thinning, crop tree release, and prescribed burning. TMP is declining across the CNF with less that 900 acres dominated by the species. TMP was a major component on more than 7400 acres from the 1994 data, but many have also succeeded to hardwoods because of the absence of fire and SPB infestations. Management actions should be taken to maintain the health of remaining TMP stands on the CNF. Reintroduction of a controlled burning regime to create seedbed conditions favorable to TMP regeneration and to control hardwoods in existing stands is suggested. If TMP is to remain in Southern Appalachian ecosystems, more direct, cost-effective, and positive management approaches are necessary. Initial cost effectiveness of release treatments were analyzed. Regardless of treatment, costs ranged from $18 to $45 per acre. In this study, prescribed burning, generally considered more cost effective than mechanical treatments, was most expensive because of the small tract size and the labor involved to monitor the burn. The crop tree release treatment had the least cost because small trees were cut and cost of equipment is minimal

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