...can be increased 
2 to 3 million acres 
of potential pine land 
covered mainly with 
worthless shrubs and trees 
642,000 acres 
of plantable 
abandoned farmland 
328,000 acres 
of plantable 
poorly stocked forest land 
North Carolina has about a million acres 
of land considered plantable by hand 
machine without prior removal of inhibit- 
ing shrubs or cull trees. Over 600,00 
acres is now nonforest land, mainly aban- 
doned farmland. The remainder is poorly 
stocked forest land left without an adequate 
seed source. Under current plans to pro- 
duce and plant 100 million seedlings per 
year, 10 years or more will be required to 
restock this much acreage. 
In addition to this plantable land, there 
is a considerable area that could be planted 
following the removal of shrubs and low- 
quality timber. North Carolina has over 
5 million acres of upland hardwood type 
including 200,000 acres of scrub_ oak. 
Most, if not all, of this land grew pine at 
one time in the past, but it has been con- 
verted to hardwood type by repeatedly 
removing the pine and leaving the hard- 
woods. A considerable part of this land 
is growing predominantly low-quality tim- 
ber with little or no present market value. 
Reestablishment of pine stands on these 
areas Can provide an important potential 
source of timber for the future. 
