ANALYSIS OF THE TIMBER RESOURCE 



In this section, maximizing timber production was used as a basis for 

 analyzing the forest inventory data. The analysis reviews the biological 

 condition of the commercial timberland, and assesses timber availability and 

 the quality of the forest land for timber production. Some specific areas 

 examined were: silvicultural treatment opportunities, stand age distribution, 

 timberland quality classes, current growth and mortality, stocking, and the 

 forest's biological potential for growing wood. 



Forest Condition 



An average acre of commercial timberland in the working circle was 

 estimated to have the potential to produce 54 cubic, feet of wood per acre per 

 year. The average net growth per acre for softwood forest types was estimated 

 to be 32 cubic feet per year. The mortality rate was moderate to low and was 

 calculated to be equal to 13 percent of the total cubic foot gross growth at 

 the time of measurement. Gross growth was estimated to be 36 cubic feet per 

 acre per year. 



State and private timberlands were dominated by low- to medium- volume 

 sawtimber stands that had less than 10,000 board feet per acre. Sixty-three 

 percent of the commercial timberland area contained stands ranging in age from 

 61 to 120 years old. It was also discovered that much of state and private 

 timberland was not stocked properly for optimum board foot production. One 

 analysis estimated 35 percent of the commercial timberland acreage was improp- 

 erly stocked for realizing full board foot growth potential. Another analysis 

 indicated the average acre of timberland was generally understocked, particu- 

 larly with trees 9.0 inches in diameter and larger. 



Growth and Mortality 



Gross Growth At the time of measurement, gross growth in cubic feet 

 per year for all growing stock softwood species was about 2.4 percent of the 

 working circle's total cubic foot volume (see Table 18). Lodgepole pine 

 exhibited the highest rate of growth with an annual increase in total cubic 

 foot volume of 3.0 percent. 



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