Improving the Value of Loblolly Pine Forests through Fertilization

Loblolly pine is the most commercially important of the pine trees grown in the southern U.S. Unmanaged forests can take up to 50 years to mature, while managed stands can mature in as little as 20 years. Loblolly pine is very responsive to cultural treatments such as fertilization, thinning, and eliminating woody vegetation, yet little is known about how much extra wood and economic value can be gained from fertilization late in a rotation after thinning.