OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASING TIMBER SUPPLIES 



115 



I\ble 93 — Net changes in inventories, growth, and removals with intensified management of oak-hickory 



stands in the Northeast (1970 product prices) 1 



Decade 



Change in 



inventory at 



beginning of decade 



lst. 

 2d.. 

 3d.. 

 4th. 

 5th. 

 6th. 



Million cords 



2. 5 



14.7 



31. 8 



-28. 4 



-36. 1 



Change in 

 decadal growth 



Million cords 



13. 3 



5. 1 



17. 6 



-62. 5 



46. 7 



Change in decadal removals 



Volume 



Million cords 



10. 8 



-7. 1 



0.5 



-2.3 



54. 4 



Value 



Million dollars 



52 

 -97 

 -28 

 -92 

 1156 



Increase in decadal 

 treatment cost 



Million dollars 



92. 2 

 72. 4 



• Including 9 intensified management opportunities on 6.0 million acres that would return more than 5 percent on 

 investments in intensified management. 



treatment would be economic on 8.8 million acres, 

 at a cost of $258 million, or $29 per acre (table 94). 

 Inventory volumes at the beginning of the sixth 

 decade would be reduced below the current 

 management level by 29 million cords, or slightly 

 less than the reduction under the 1970 price 

 assumption. The value of the inventory, however, 

 would be 40 percent greater. Growth under 

 intensified management would be slightly higher, 

 7.3 percent, than with current management. 



The total increase in available removals with 

 intensified management would be 95 million cords 

 over five decades, or a 17 percent increase. The 

 value of removals would exceed values with current 

 management by $2110 million, or 23 percent. This 

 would be slightly more than the 20 percent increase 

 in values with intensified management under the 

 1970 price assumptions. 



Maple-Beech-Birch Pilot Study 



The procedural steps involved in the Maine pilot 

 study of maple-beech-birch were essentially the 

 same as those for the oak-hickory case. Selection 

 of management classes for economic evaluation 



was based upon a comparison of current conditions 

 with a desirable stocking guide. This led to 

 identification of four opportunities covering 957 

 thousand acres, or 27 percent of the maple-beech- 

 birch type in Maine. The site index was above 55 

 for all four situations; the average diameter of all 

 four situations was from 3 to 5 inches. Basal areas 

 fell into two classes, 80-99 and 100-119 square 

 feet. Percentage stocking of yellow birch was 

 identified as either above or below 10 percent. 



The intensified management strategy for all 

 classes included an immediate stand improvement 

 cut, subsequent thinnings, and final harvest 80-87 

 years from initial treatment. All four opportunities 

 would return over 5 percent on treatment costs 

 under both price assumptions. The average in- 

 crease in present net worth per acre due to 

 intensification was estimated at $54 at 1970 

 prices, and $110 at the higher price level. 



Results from the Maine pilot area were ex- 

 panded to the entire Northeast region on the basis 

 of the maple-beech-birch acreages in the two 

 areas. Estimated impacts on regional inventories, 

 net growth, and removals were very similar to 



Table 94.- 



-Net changes in inventories, growth, and removals with intensified management of oak-hickory 

 stands in the Northeast (1970 prices plus 80 percent) 1 2 



Decade 



Change in 



inventory at 



beginning of decade 



Change in 

 decadal growth 



Change in decadal removals 



Increase in decadal 



Volume 



Value 



treatment cost 



1st . - - 



Million cords 



Million cords 



3.7 



17. 1 



35.0 



-49.6 



59.7 



Million cords 



14. 1 



-6.7 



4.0 



19.8 



63.8 



Million dollars 



66 



-177 



-25 



141 



2, 110 



Million dollars 



138.2 

 120.2 



2d 



-10.4 



13.4 



44. 4 



-25.0 



-29. 1 







3d . . _ 









4th . . 









5th ._.... 





6th 















1 Including 12 intensified management opportunities on 

 8.8 million acres that would return more than 5 percent on 

 investments in intensified management. 



2 Sawtimber prices raised 75 percent of a 30 percent 

 increase in lumber prices; and pulp wood prices raised $5 

 per cord over 1970 levels. 



