Table 3.21—Annual mortality of hardwood growing stock on While the net annual growth of hardwood has been 
timberland in the South, by region and ownership, 1952-84 exceeding annual removals and there has been a large 
Million cubic feet buildup in hardwood inventories, there is also a growing 
accumulation of older hardwood stands in the region. 
Almost half of the hardwood stands in the Southeast are over 
pers — 50 years old, and about 10 percent are over 80 years old. 
an ee ee 7 a 
iimershin 1952 1962 1970 1976 1984 Many of these older hardwood stands are either in the 
rugged southern Appalachian Mountains or in swamps in 
Southeast the Coastal Plain. These adverse sites limit both the 
Public 25 29 32 38 50 reer 
management and availability for harvest of these stands. 
Forest industry 44 41 37 40 49 E ‘adhe Pied d b : he ab £ 
Other private! 15 131 192 209 57 ven in the Piedmont and on better sites, the a sence 0 
Total 284 301 61 387 356 strong hardwood markets and low harvests have contributed 
to the buildup of older stands. Many of these older stands 
South Central show evidence of periodic high-grading in the past. 
Public 19 30 26 29 44 
Forest industry 50 82 55 61 94 Many of the young hardwood stands in the region have 
Other private' 268 336 210 232 356 developed from hardwood encroachment on upland sites 
Total 337 448 291 322 494 following the harvesting of pine. Some of these upland sites 
are not well suited for growing quality hardwood saw- 
South timber. A further accumulation of older hardwood stands 
pueue = 2 7 a a will likely cause an increase in mortality and a decrease in 
Forest industry 94 123 92 101 143 y y 
Other private! 483 567 402 441 ~ 613 eroweD: 
Total 621 749 552 609 850 
In 1984, about 76 percent of the 2.2 billion cubic feet of 
' Includes mortality on timberland leased to forest industry. hardwood growth in the Southeast occurred on other private 
Percentage change 
20 
: = c F 
“10 
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 164 
Diameter class 
(diameter-breast-height in inches) 
Figure 3.42—Percentage change in the number of live hardwood trees on timberland in the South between the most 
recent forest surveys, by diameter class 
182 
