Four site-preparation techniques for regenerating pine-hardwood mixtures in the Piedmont

Abstract

Four variations of the fell-and-burn technique, a system developed to produce mixed pine-hardwood stands in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, were compared in the Piedmont region. All variations of this technique successfully improved the commercial value of low-quality hardwood stands by introducing a pine component. After six growing seasons, loblolly pine (Pinus taedaL.) occupied the dominant crown position and oaks the codominant position infell-and-bwn treated stands on poor to medium quality sites. The precise timing of felling residual stems, as prescribed by the fell-and-burn technique, may be flexible because winter and spring felling produced similar results. Although summer site preparation burns reduced hardwood height growth by reducing the length of'thefirst growing season, they did not improve pine survival or growth. Pines were as tall as hardwoods within four growing seasons in burned plots and within six growing seasons in wiburned plots. Additional research is needed to determine the level or intensity of site preparation needed to establish pine-hardwood mixtures over a range of site conditions.