Opportunities To Increase Net Annual Growth on 
Marginal Cropland and Pasture 
Opportunities on Marginal Cropland and Pasture 
In addition to the opportunities on timberland described 
above, there are large potential timber production opportu- 
nities on marginal cropland and pasture, including highly 
erodible cropland, throughout the South. For this analysis, 
marginal lands were defined as cropland and pasture that 
could produce a higher financial return in pine plantations 
than in their best crop or pasture use. 
All highly erodible croplands were considered marginal 
for crop production. In general on these lands the cost of 
conservation practices and/or reduced yields makes sustained 
cultivation uneconomic. Records of plots taken for the 1982 
National Resources Inventory by the Soil Conservation Ser- 
vice were examined to determine the number of acres that 
were not prime agricultural lands and that might be consid- 
ered marginal in potential earnings. These plot records were 
screened to include only lands in Land Capability Classes 
3e, 4e, 6, and 7. Excessively wet lands (class 5) and lands 
not suitable for planting of trees were excluded from the 
initial acreage screening. ! 
Benchmark soils were assigned for each Land Capabil- 
ity Class in each Major Land Resource Area in the South. 
Soil-site associations were used for these benchmark soils 
to assign potential pine site indexes. Net crop returns per 
acre were derived from information provided by the Soil 
Conservation Service for each Major Land Resource Area 
on normalized costs, yields, and market prices for six ma- 
jor crops (corn, wheat, cotton, soybeans, sorghum, and 
peanuts). These crop returns excluded land costs and were 
net of any public price-support programs. Net crop returns 
were screened to identify the best returning crop for each 
land class. Acres and crop returns were mapped to each for- 
est survey unit based on the distribution of Major Land Re- 
source Areas falling within each survey unit. 
' Land Capability Classes are designations used by the Soil Conserva- 
tion Service to rate the suitability of soils for agricultural production from 
ahigh of | to a low of 8. The letter “‘e’’ subclass designation indicates soils 
where excessive erosion is a major limitation to use of the land for crop 
production. Under the Soil Conservation Service definitions, class 4 soils 
have very severe limitations for agricultural use that restrict the choice of 
plants, require very careful management, or both. When these soils are 
cultivated, careful management is required, and conservation practices are 
more difficult to apply and maintain. Class 3e lands have less-severe ero- 
sion limitations than 4e. Class 6 soils have limitations that make them 
generally unsuited to cultivation. Some soils in class 6 can be safely used 
for crops provided unusually intensive management is utilized. Class 7 soils 
have very severe limitations that make them unsuited to cultivation. 
250 
There are nearly 22 million acres of 
marginal cropland and pasture in the South 
that would yield higher rates of return to 
the owners if planted to pine. These lands, 
if planted, would add to the forest wealth 
of the South and greatly benefit the economy 
of the region by increasing timber-based 
employment and wages and salaries. 
Timber returns for planting marginal lands to.pine were 
computed for each timber production region. These returns, 
like the crop returns, excluded land costs and were ex- 
pressed on an annual basis by converting capitalized timber 
earnings to an annual timber rent. 
Finally, all acres that could produce higher returns in tim- 
ber production were considered marginal lands for this por- 
tion of the study. With few exceptions, all acres in classes 
3e through 7 appear likely to be more profitable for tree 
planting than for crops, given rising stumpage prices. 
