Contents

Page

Highlights .............................. _ . ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Timber trends .~~..~~~..~.....~..~.......................................................................................~ .............................................................. 5

Area of commercial forest decreasing ................................................................................................... 5

Sharp decline i n farm woodland .............................................................................................................. 6

Buildup in timber inventory accelerates ................................................................................................... 6

Timber shortage identified i n Southeast Georgia .......................................................................... 7

Growth rate u p 5’0 percent ....................................................................................... ..~ ............................... 7

Timber products output .................................................................................................................................................. 11

197 1 timber harvest valued at $122 million ........................................................ _ . ...................... 1 1

Pulpwood is the leading timber product ............................................................................................. 11

Softwood saw-log output up ........................................................................................................... ..~ ........... 13

Output of veneer logs doubles ..................................................................................................................... 14

Output of other roundwood products .................................................................................................. 14

Plant byproducts estimated at 119 million cubic feet .................................................................. 14

About half of the bark residue used ......................................................................................................... 14

Almost one-fourth of removals not used for products ............................................................... 14

Timber supply outlook ................................................................................................ ..~ ............................................... 17

Prospectively, cut can increase by 70 percent ......... .._ ................................................................... 17

Potential available cut is double the 1971 level ................................................................................ 18

More cut to come from plantations ................................................................. ..~ .................................. _ 18

Most plantations established in southern Georgia .................................................................... 19

Quality of timber limits utilization ........................................................................................................ 19

Several factors limit timber availability ............................................................................................. 20

Management opportunities ............................................................................. _ ....................... ..~ ................................... 22

Recent trends in forestry activities ................................................ ..~.......................~ ................................... 22

Half of the stands were undisturbed .................................................................. ..~ ................................... 22

One-third of stands in good condition ................................................................................................... 22

Harvest opportunity on 2.3 million acres ............................................................................................. 23

Intermediate treatment opportunity on 6.6 million acres ................................................... 24

Manageable stand absent on 6.1 million acres ................................................................................. 25

Opportunities limited on 1 .4 million acres ............................................................................................. 25

Appendix ........................................................................ ..~ ........................................................................................................ 28

Survey procedure ...................................................................................................................................................... 28

Accuracy of the survey ....................................................................................................................................... 28

Definitions of terms ............................................................................................................................................. 29

Conversion factors ................................................................................................................................................... 32

Index to detailed tables ....................................................................................................................................... 33
USDA Forest Service Resource Bulletin SE-27, “Georgia’s Timber,

1972,” by Herbert A. Knight and Joe P. McClure.

Please make the following changes in this Bulletin:

Page 19, QUALITY OF TIMBER LIMITS UTILIZATION, last

sentence in first paragraph should read: “Such residual

conditions also fostered wildfire, disease, insects, and other

damaging agents. ”

Page 39, Table 16. Table title should read: “Net annual

growth and removals of growing stock on commercial forest

land, by species, Georgia, 1971.”

Thank you.

Foreword

This report presents the principal findings of the

fourth Forest Survey of Georgia’s timber resource.

The survey was started in June 1970 and completed in

November 1972. Three previous surveys, completed in

1936, 1953, and 1961, provide statistics for measuring changes and trends over the past 36 years. In this

report, however, the primary emphasis is on the changes

and trends since 1961.

More detailed data, including many county tables,

are found in five Survey Unit reports issued as the

survey progressed through the State. Copies of these

reports can be obtained from the Southeastern Forest

Experiment Station. The Georgia Forestry Commission

at Macon, Georgia, has been provided with summary

data cards which enable the State to prepare special

compilations and reports of the basic statistics for groups

of counties. Finally, a Forest Information Retrieval

(FIR) service is available at the Southeastern Station for

compiling Forest Survey statistics for any geographic

area within the Station territory.

Forest Survey, authorized by the McSweeney-McNary

Forest Research Act of 1928, is a continuing nationwide

undertaking by the regional experiment stations of the

Forest Service, USDA. In Florida, Georgia, North

Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, Forest Survey

is a research activity of the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station, with headquarters at Asheville, North

Carolina. The objective is to periodically evaluate the

present and prospective timber resource situation. Basic

data are obtained from an inventory of the forest lands,

their extent, condition, volume of timber, and rates of

timber growth and depletion. This evaluation helps

provide a basis for the formulation of forest policies

and programs.

Georgia is one of the Nation’s leading forestry

states in forest area, timber supply, timber product

output, and other forest values. Present concern and

debate over timber supplies, timber demands, timber

prices, and the forestry resources in general make the

new Survey findings especially timely.

The combined efforts of many people have gone into

the Forest Survey in Georgia. Appreciation is expressed

to all project and Station personnel who participated

in the field and office work, Special appreciation is also

expressed for the excellent cooperation of the forest

industries, other private landowners, and public agencies

in providing information and access to the sample

locations. The Southeastern Station also gratefully

acknowledges the cooperation and substantial assistance

provided by the Georgia Forestry Commission and

Georgia Forest Research Council.

Finally, the discussion of other recognized forest

values in Georgia-water, fish and wildlife, naval stores,

and recreation-is beyond the scope of this report. The

purpose of this publication is to appraise the timber

situation.

Southeastern Forest Experiment Station

The authors wish to express their thanks to Mr. Ollie L. Knott, Jr.,

of the Georgia Forestry Commission for providing the cover photograph

and illustrations on pages 4, 10, 16, 21, and 27.
GEORGIA

NORTH

hlnRTl-4 PFhlTRAI

F

SOUTHE AST

Figure 1.- Forest Survey Units in Georgia.
GEORGIA’S TIMBER, 1972

bY

HERBERT A. KNIGHT, Resource Analyst

and

JOE P. MCCLURE, Principal Resource Analyst

Highlights

Since the third Forest Survey in Georgia was com1961-

-area of commercial forest land has decreased from

25.8 to 24.8 million acres, or by 3.7 percent. This net

decrease masks land-use changes which occurred on

more than 3 million acres. About 2 million acres of

commercial forest were diverted to nontimber uses, and

more than 1 million acres of new forest were added.

With 66 percent of its total land area in commercial

forest, Georgia still has more timberland than any other

state in the Nation except Oregon.

-area of commercial forest land classified as farmerowned has declined from 15.0 to 8.4 million acres, or

by 44 percent. Although a large share of the forest diversion occurred in this ownership class, most of the

decline is attributed to land transactions and changes in

owner occupations. Miscellaneous private holdings soared from 4.9 to 10.5 million acres, and forest industry

lands increased from 3.9 to 4.3 million acres. Except

for the withdrawal of 0.3 million acres of wetlands in

the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, there has been

little change within the public ownerships, which total

1.6 million acres.

-volume of growing-stock timber has increased from

19.6 to 25.3 billion cubic feet, or by 29 percent. Almost

80 percent of this increase occurred in the Piedmont and

mountains and is largely attributed to the high proportion of young sapling stands which grew to poletimber

size during the period. Two species, loblolly pine and

slash pine, accounted for more than half of the net

gain in volume across the State. The 1972 inventory

included 72.2 billion board feet of sawtimber.

-heavy timber harvesting coupled with extensive tree

planting, stand conversion, und other forestry activity

have created a rather delicate timber supply situation

in a group of counties south of the Altamaha River in

Southeast Georgia. This was the only extensive area

found where annual removals were exceeding growth.

Almost 40 percent of the softwood removals came out

of the Southeast Survey Unit in 1971. Some 1.6 million

acres, or about half of all the plantations, have been

established in this Unit; however, 70 percent of these

planted stands is less than 15 years old.

-the rate of net unnual growth has increased by 50

percent to an avera,qe of 63 cubic feet per acre of commercial fore.yr. This represents a record statewide average
for the Southeast and is attributed to high ingrowth, irnprovement in stocking, better protection, and more intensive timber cultural practices. In 1971, net growth

of growing stock totaled almost 1.6 billion cubic feet

and included more than 5.2 billion board feet of sawtimber. Annual growth loss to mortality has declined

from 15 to 9 percent.

have been harvested, thinned, creared, or otherwise cut

into annually. In 1971, removals of growing stock

totaled just over 1.0 billion cubic feet and included 3.7

billion board feet of sawtimber. About 75 percent of

this volume removed was converted into timber products,

12 percent was left in the woods in the form of logging

residue, and the remaining 13 percent was attr,ibuted

to cultural practices, land clearing, and other land-use

changes where the timber was not used. Pulpwood is

the leading timber product in terms of volume and accounted for 55 percent of the total roundwood output

in 1971.

-more than 1.7 million acres, or 7 percent of the

commercial forest land, have been planted or artificially

regenerated. This brings the total area planted or seeded

up to 3.2 million acres. With most pine plantations like11

to be harvested within 30 years of their establishment

conceivably, a third or more of the pine cut in Georgit

could be coming from plantations by 1985.

-about half of the land classified as commercial for.

est has been treated or significantly disturbed. Differ.

ences were observed, however, in the occurrence 01

treatment or disturbance among the broad management

and ownership classes. Only about 41 percent of the

stands occupied with pine forest types in 1972 had gone

untreated or undisturbed, compared to 58 percent for

the stands occupied with hardwood types. By broad

ownership class, the highest rate of treatment and disturbance was observed on forest industry lands and the

lowest rate on public lands.

-the overall outlook for future timber supplies ha

improved. For example, a projection based on the 1961

conditions estimated that the prospective available cu

could increase to 1.3 billion cubic feet annually b]

1990. A similar projection based on the 1972 condition!

suggests that the prospective available cut could in

crease to more than 1.7 billion cubic feet annually by

the end of this century.
Timber Trends

AREA OF COMMERCIAL FOREST

DECREASING

Georgia, with 24.8 million acres of commercial forest,

has more timberland than any other state except Oregon.

Georgia is also a major agricultural state and since the

early thirties the Forest Survey has monitored changes

in land use back and forth between forest and agriculture. For at least three decades, the natural reforesting

of idle and abandoned agricultural lands, along with

extensive tree planting on open areas, more than offset

all diversions ot forest to other land uses. These changes

eventually added some 4.5 to 5.0 million acres to the

area classified as commercial timberland.

As additions of new forest land di’minished and the

rate of forest diversion accelerated, the forest base began

to recede across the entire State. Between 1961 and

1972, the net loss of commercial forest land totaled

almost 1 million acres, or 3.7 percent. There was a net

decrease in each of the five Survey Units (fig. 1) .

This net decrease of slightly less than 1 million acres

in Georgia’s timber base over an 1 l-year period masks

land-use changes on more than 3 million acres of land.

About 2 million acres of commercial forest were diverted to nontimber uses, and more than 1 million acres

of new forest were added. A further description and

breakdown of these changes by Survey Unit adds

resolution to the overall land-use picture (table I).

Tree planting on open lands accounted for about

43 percent of the forest additions. Most of the remaining additions resulted from the natural reversion of idle

lands, and therefore did not represent any planned or

direct forestry investment on the part of the owners or

land managers. Because idle agricultural land is the

primary source of prospective forest additions, a downward trend in idle land suggests that there will be less

opportunity in the future for adding forest acres. For

example, the area of idle agricultural land in Georgia

has decreased from 2.1 to 0.7 million acres within the

past 20 years.

The withdrawal of more than 325,000 acres in the

wetlands’ portion of the Okefenokee National Wildlife

Refuge in Southeast Georgia from commercial forest

explains a significant part of the overall reduction in

the timber base. Commercial timber harvesting is no

longer permitted on these lands; therefore, they were

reclassified to productive-reserved forest in the 1972

Forest Survey. Similar withdrawals of this magnitude

are not anticipated.

Altogether, the clearing and diversion of commercial

forest to agricultural use removed some 956,000 acres

from the forest base. More than half of the diversion

to agricultural use was to pasture, a common land-use

change observed throughout the State. About 420,000

acres of the diversion was to cropland, largely concentrated in the coastal plain. Relatively little cropland

was added in the Piedmont and mountains. Additional

diversions of forest land to agricultural uses are probable.

The diversions to urban and other uses totaled almost

610,000 acres. This broad use class includes home sites

and residential development, roads and highways, utility

rights-of-way, and a host of other miscellaneous land

uses which are rather permanent in nature. More than

a third of these diversions occurred in the North Central

Unit, which includes the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.

Although Georgia’s population has been growing at

an average rate of 65,000 people annually in recent

years, how the population disperses is more important

than changes in the population itself from the standpoint of land-use impact. While most of the direct impact of the interstate highway system on the land-use

pattern has already been absorbed, there is a proposal

to extend the Blue Ridge Parkway into Georgia. If

this extension materializes, a significant number of forest

acres will be involved.

Although most of the large water impoundments

which exist in Georgia were created prior to 1961, construction of new lakes and ponds flooded an estimated

83,000 acres previously classified as forest.
Table I. - Changes in area of commercial forest land, by Survey Unit, Georgia, 1961-1972

Southeast 7,945.0 7.440.6

Southwest 3,064.S 2.884.8

Central 7,416.6 7,321.9

North Central 4,084.6 3,999.2

North 3v277.4 3,192,s

Chawesc

-----_ _-_______ Tholtso,*d (>Cl(JJ _ _ _ - - - _ _ - - - - - - - - - - _ - - - _ -

-504.4 201.5 201.5 - 705.9 335.8 221.3 129.7 19.1

-179.1 1 R6.4 186.4 - 366.1 12.8 294.4 45.8 13.1

- 94.1 250.0 249.0 I .o 344.7 3.9 203.1 110.4 27.3

- 85.4 287.9 287.9 - 373.3 1.9 140.8 215.8 14.8

- 84.9 130.7 128.2 2.5 215.6 1.7 97.0 107.8 9.1

State 25,788.l 24,839.0 -949.1 1,056.5 1,053.o 3.5 2,005.6 356.1 956.6 609.5 83.L

In summary, most of the land-use trends point to a

further reduction in commercial forest land in Georgia.

Similar trends prevail throughout much of the Nation.

SHARP DECLINE IN FARM WOODLAND

The area of commercial forest land classified as

farmer-owned has declined from about 15.0 to 8.4 million acres, or by 44 percent. Although a large share of

the forest diversion occurred in this ownership class,

most of the decline is attributed to land transactions

and changes in owner occupations. Undoubtedly, some

inconsistency between surveys in the classifications of

forest owners is also involved but not to the extent

that would greatly distort the measure of real change.

The fact remains that the greatest change in the forest

ownership pattern in Georgia between 1961 and 1972

occurred in a real shift from farmer to miscellaneous

private.

Most of the loss in farmer-owned forest land does

show up as a gain in the miscellaneous private owner

class where area of commercial forest soared from 4.9

to 10.5 million acres. Miscellaneous private owners now

control more of Georgia’s timberland than any other

class of owner.

Other changes in forest ownership include a g-percent gain in forest industry lands, which increased from

3.9 to 4.3 million acres. In addition to these fee-simple

holdings, forest industries have almost a million acres

of commercial forest under long-term lease. In most of

the tables by ownership in this report, the statistics on

these leased lands are included with the actual owner

class. A compilation of the Statewide statistics is available, however, where the leased lands are treated as a

separate ownership class.

Except for the withdrawal of the wetlands’ portion o

the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, there ha

been little change within the public ownership pattern

Only about 1.6 million acres, or 6 percent, of the corn

mercial forest land is publicly owned. More than ha1

of these publicly owned timberlands are on the Chatta

hoochee and Oconee National Forests. Other large public

holdings of commercial forest land include the For

Stewart, Fort Benning, and Fort Gordon military res

ervations; Waycross State Forest, Piedmont Nationa

Wildlife Refuge, and lands around the major reservoir!

constructed by the Corps of Civil Engineers.

BUILDUP IN TIMBER INVENTORY

ACCELERATES

The inventory of growing-stock timber on commercia

forest land increased from 19.6 to 25.3 billion cubic

feet, or by 29 percent, between 1961 and 1972. Thh

means that the rate of increase in timber volume ac

celerated in spite of the reduction in forest area (fig. 2)

This sizable buildup in timber inventory is largely attrib.

uted to the high proportion of young stands whict

grew from sapling to poletimber size during the period.

In 1972, sapling and seedling stands occupied 2.5 percent of the commercial forest, as compared to 45 percent in 1961.

This buildup in timber inventory has not been uniformly distributed across the State. Almost 80 percent

of the volume increase since 1961 has occprred in the

Piedmont and mountains. By Forest Survey Unit, the

increase ranged from a low of 9 percent in Southeast

Georgia to a high of 58 percent in North Central

Georgia.

Two species, loblolly pine and slash pine, accounted

6
for more than half of the total net gain in volume.

Generally, forest managers have favored loblolly and

slash pine over all other species in timber cultural activities. This has been especially true in artificial reforestation. Substantial increases in volume were also

found in most of the oaks, sweetgum, and yellow-poplar.

Smaller increases in volume occurred in such major

species as shortleaf pine, blackgum, hickory, and red

maple. Volume in longleaf pine, cypress, and ash declined slightly.

Current volume equations and merchantability

standards were applied to stem counts made in the previous surveys to provide a basis for valid comparisons in

volume. This means that the volumes published previously have been adjusted, and changes between surveys

are based on changes in numbers of trees by size classes.

Although this analysis of volume trends is based on

cubic feet of all growing-stock trees 5.0 inches d.b.h.

and larger, changes in the volume of sawtimber trees

follow a similar pattern. The 1972 inventory included

72.2 billion board feet of sawtimber.

TI SHORTAGE !DEiNTlFlED IN

UTHEAST GEORGIA

The only extensive area within the State which experienced a reduction in timber volume was a group of counties south of the Altamaha River in Southeast Georgia.

1961

YEAR

7

1972

Figure 2. -Percent change in the volume of growingstock timber in Georgia since 1953.

Unusually heavy timber harvesting in this area, coupled

with extensive tree planting, stand conversion, and other

forestry activity, have created a rather delicate timber

supply situation in which removals are exceeding growth.

One of the heaviest concentrations of wood-using industry in the South is found in and around this area.

Almost 40 percent of the softwood timber removals

from Georgia’s commercial forests came out of the

Southeast Unit in 1971 (fig. 3). Stumpage prices are

higher in this area than in any other part of the State,

reflecting the higher demand.

The Survey findings suggest that forest industries

drawing timber from this area will need to search out

other sources of supply while awaiting young stands

to reach merchantable size. Some 1.6 million acres,

or about half of all the plantations in the State, have

been established in Southeast Georgia. Seventy percent

of these planted stands, however, is less than 15 years

old.

G R H RATE UP 50 PERCE

Net annual growth has responded to an improvement

in stocking, better protection, and more intensive timber cultural practices to a point where growth exceeds

annual removals by 55 percent (fig. 4). In 1971, net

growth of growing stock totaled almost 1.6 billion cubic

feet and included more than 5.2 billion board feet of

sawtimber. This means that net growth averaged about

63 cubic feet per acre of commercial forest, or roughly

50 percent better than the growth rate determined in

the 1961 Survey.

As in the case of inventor volume discussed earlier

in this report, the growth rate and other components of

change varied considerably by species and Forest Survey

Unit (table II). For example, the margin of growth over

removals ranged from a low of 12 percent in Southeast

Georgia, to a high of 108 percent in North Central

Georgia. When expressed as a percent of inventory, net

growth of softwoods averaged 7.8 percent in 1971 for

the State as a whole, compared to only 4.0 percent for

hardwoods.

The remeasurement of permanent sample plots provided data for a detailed breakdown of gross growth

into its various components. Survivor growth, the

volume increment of growing-stock trees 5.0 inches

d.b.h. and larger in the inventory at the beginning of

the year and still in the inventory at the end of the

year, accounted for 78 percent of the gross growth. Ingrowth, the net volume of growing-stock trees reaching
FOREST SURVEY UNIT

NORTH

SOUTHEAST SOUTHWEST CENTRAL CENTRAL

C()MME,QClAL FOREST AREA . ...*:.:

VOLUME: P

. .. . . . . . . . :*

P

SOFTWOOD SAWTIMBER

HARDWOOD SAWTIMBER

SOFTWOODGROWING STOCK

HARDWOODGROWING STOCK

SOFTWOOD GROWTH

SOFTWOOD REMOVALS

HARDWOOD GROWTH

HARDWOOD REMOVALS

0 IO 20 3 0 40 50 0 IO 2 0 30 0 IO 2 0 3 0 40 50

PERCENT OF STATE TOTAL

NORTH

Figure 3. - Relative importance of forest resource by Survey Unit, Georgia, 1972.

5.0 inches d.b.h. during the year, accounted for another In 1971, mortality of growing stock totaled almost

19 percent. Growth on ingrowth, growth on removals 1.56 million cubic feet and reduced gross growth by 9

before cutting, and growth on mortality before death percent. Suppression, weather, and disease were the

made up the remaining 3 percent. leading identifiable causes of death across the State.

Table II. - Annual components of change in the volume of growinq stock on commercial forest land.

by

Survey Unit

and

species group

Survey Unit and by s&wood and hardwood, &orgia, 1971

I

Southwest:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Southwest:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Central:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

North Central:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

North:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

State:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Gross

Components of growth

Net Net

growth Survivor Inyrowth Growth on Growth on Growth on Mortality

growth

growth Removals change

ingrowth removals mortality

--- __------- ---_---__ Million crtbicf~er - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

355.0 281.6 59.0 5.1 8.7 0.6 20.2 334.x 311.4

94.1 17.5 14.9 0.7 0.8 0.2 14.6 79.5 57.0 --. ~.-

449.1 359.1

.~.~.~ -.-.. ------ ~. _.... ___ ______ ..____.......__

73.9 5.8 9.5 0.X 34.8 414.3 368.4 1-45.9 __-__--.

..- -... ___- ---~~ --.....----.- .~~~

143.4 114.4 23.9 2.1 2.1 0.3 10.6 132.R 91.9

46.6 37.0 8.2 0.5 0.7 0.2

f40.9

9.0 37.6 26.6 +11.0

190.0 151.4 32.1 2.6

~. -

3.4 0.5 19.6 170.4 118.5 +51.9

~--.-_--.-~~ __._ -~__-___--~------ .-

380.6 297.3 173.9 139.0 6X.3 7.1 31.3 2.0 6.9 1.1 1 .o 28.8 351.8 220.9

0.5 25.4 148.5 68.9

+130.9

---- -.-.- ~-.---.- ---

+79.6

---__

554.5 436.3 - - 99.6 9.1 X.0 1.5 54.2 500.3 289.X - ___.---.~-.-. ~.-$210.5

~-

244.9 175.4 100.3 80.8 59.7 5.9 16.X 1.5 0.9 3.3 0.6 18.4 226.5 105.9

0.3 10.0 90.3 46.4

$120.6

______-.-.-~ ~~

f43.9

345.2 256.2 76.5 7.4 4.2 0.9 2x.4 316.X 152.3 ~-.. ____----. ~--- __-. ___--____ -__~~~~t164.5

-___--.

.--~.-

~--

~.~

113.4 87.0 80.6 65.1 23.0 13.7 1.0 1.8 0.6 0.2 1.4 0.2 6.2 107.2 53.7

12.4 68.2 35.1

f53.5

.-~--______-._

194.0 152.1

__

f33.1 -....

36.7 2.8

___-..

2.0 0.4 18.6 175.4 88.8 -. - ..~--.__ -.~

+86.6

-~--~-

1,237.3 495.5 955.7 399.4 233.9 84.9 22.0 5.7 23.0 4.1 2.7 84.2 1.153.1 783.8

1.4 71.4 424.1 234.0

t369.3

1,732.8 t190.1 1.355.1 318.8 27.7 27.1 4.1 155.6 .~.

1,571.2 1,017.8 t559.4
Insect losses ranked fourth and were largely attributed

to pine bark beetle infestations. Losses to wildfire ranked

fifth and were down substantially when compared with

losses in previous surveys. The number of wildlfires

each year has remained high, but because of the excellent fire control program in the State, individual burns

have generally been confined to small areas (table III).

Finally, this latest Survey measured a significant volume

of hardwood mortality caused by beaver activity along

many of the streams. These losses occurred mostly in

the southeastern and central sections of the State. More

Figure 4. -Trend in net growth and timber removals in

Georgia since 1952.

than half of the total mortality was southern yellow

pine, which is plagued with two of the forest’s worst

enemies-fusiform rust and bark beetles.

Overall, there has been a decline in the growth loss

attributed to mortality, and this explains part of the

increase in the rate of net growth. For example, the

1961 survey indicated that mortality losses were reducing gross growth by 15 percent annually. The g-percent

reduction determined fdr 1971, therefore, indi&tes a

marked improvement.

Table IR - Forest area under ffre protection, protected area burned, number of fires, and average

size of fires, Georgia, 1961-1971”

YCCU

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

F;;;;;,s 1 1 I’rotbe;~~ares 1

Thousand Thousand

acres Percent acres Percent

22,930 98.55 0.29

22,931 98.55 t: 0.25

24,528 98.43 63 0.25

24,842 98.45 0.12

25,083 99.22 :(: 0.12

25,110 99.50 0.26

25,240 100.00 t: 0.20

25,284 100.00

25,304 100.00 z!:

0.35

0.19

32,278 100.00 60 0.19

28,785 100.00 43 0.15

Fires

Average

size

of fires

Number Acres

8,900

8,654 :

10,577 6

6,474 5

6,895 4

8,222

9,804 5”

11,602 8,799 5”

13,835 10,071 :

‘Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,

Forest Fire Statistics, 1961-1971.

Timber Products Output

1971 TIMBER HsARVEST VALUED AT

$122 MILLION

The volume of roundwood timber products harvested

from Georgia’s forests in 1971 totaled 813 million cubic

feet. The stumpage value of the timber which provided

these products was estimated at $122 million. A canvass

of the primary wood-using industries conducted by the

Georgia Forestry Commission showed that more than

3.50 mills operated in the State during 1971 (fig. 5).

These mills received logs, bolts, and other forms of

roundwood from which they manufactured lumber,

veneer, plywood, pulp, paper, and other products. In

addition, an undetermined number of secondary manufacturing plants located in the State were involved in

the remanufacture of lumber, plywood, paper, and

other products into finished goods such as furniture,

fixtures, and containers. Altogether, the timber-based

industries employed some 53,000 people and generated

an annual payroll exceeding $3 15 million. These figures

are presented to provide some measure of the economic

importance of timber in the State.

their wood requirements from byproducts. In recent

years, a substantial number of chip-n-saw mills have

been established.

The pulp industry, dependent primarily upon wood

fiber, is able to utilize most species and a wide range

of tree sizes and quality classes. Nevertheless, the industry’s current procurement system reflects a strong

preference for softwood, and is often in competition

with the lumber industry for the sawtimber-quality

trees. For example, 89 percent of the round pulpwood

produced in 1971 was softwood, and included almost

1 billion board feet of sawtimber, based upon Forest

Survey’s merchantability standards. This finding suggests

a further opportunity for alleviating some of the pressure on the supply of softwood sawtimber. For example,

more integrated product processing could channel more

of larger trees into meeting the lumber and plywood

demands.

PULPWOOD IS THE LEADING

TIMBER PROQUCT

In terms of volume, pulpwood is the leading timber

product harvested from Georgia’s forests and accounted

for 5.5 percent of the total roundwood product output

in 1971. In fact, the State leads the Nation in pulpwood production.

In addition to the 44.5 million cubic feet of roundwood output, sawmills and other wood-using plants

provided the pulpmills with almost 97 million cubic

feet of wood fiber in the form of plant byproducts.

These byproducts are credited to improved timber

utilization and did not involve additional cut of standing

timber. With the current rate of expansion in the lumber and plywood industries, it is conceivable that the

pulpmills will be obtaining an even greater share of

Since 1961, pulpwood production has increased by

almost 50 percent; however, production has leveled off

in the past two years (fig. 6). Some soft spots have

developed in the pulp markets, and the rate at which

new capacity was being added has slowed markedly.

The pulp industry has expended larger sums of money

on modernization and on air and water pollution abatement, which undoubtedly has affected the allocation of

available capital. As long as population and economic

activity continue to grow, however, the demand for

pulp and paper products will likely be strong. Ultimate

scarcities and rising prices of raw materials such as petroleum, together with environmental factors relating to

manufacturing pollution and problems of disposal of

nonbiodegradable products, will tend to limit inroads of

competitive materials into the pulp, paper, and board

markets.

In 1971, pulpmills with a combined capacity of

13,888 tons per day operated at 1.5 locations in Georgia.

1 1
/ I -

fi PULPMILLS

+ PINE PLYWOOD PLANTS

0 HARDWOOD PLYWOOD PLANTS

0 VENEER PLANTS

1, SAWMILLS

0 TREATING PLANTS

w OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PLANTS

GEORGIA -

I,// * j** 1 g

--_-J --d-w

------"i \ -71

\ i

L!

84’ 83’ 820 ---k---

Figure 5. -Location of primary wood-using industries in Georgia, 1971.

1 2
Figure 6. - Pulpwood production in Georgia, including

byproducts, 1950 to 1971.

In addition, 23 pulpmills located outside the State drew

wood from Georgia’s forests. Based on the southern

pulpwood production study, 7.5 percent of the 1971

production was processed at mills within the State. The

remaining 25 percent was shipped to mills outside the

State. In the total interstate flow of pulpwood, imports

exceeded exports by about 8 percent.

SOFTWOOD SAW-LOG OUTPUT UP

Saw logs are the second leading timber product and

accounted for 36 percent of the total roundwcwd output in 1971. Although annual estimates of saw-log

output are not available, lumber production figures reflect the trends sufficiently for this analysis (fig. 7).

Over the years, the lumber industry in Georgia has

experienced several traumatic fluctuations in the demand for its products. In recent decades, the strongest

Figure 7. - Lumber production in Georgia, 1950 to 1971.

Sources: Bureau of the Census and 1971 industry

canvass.

demands developed during the early forties and again

in the early fifties. War economies, of course, stimulated

both of these booms. During each of these periods, production rose to levels near or exceeding 2 billion board

feet annually. Short and modest lumber recessions OCcurred in between. The big decline, however, started in

1953 and extended to 1960. Over this 7-year period,

annual lumber production dropped off by 55 percent

and reached a low of 1,007 million board feet. Changes

in types of construction and strong competition from

West Coast species were two of the major factors which

contributed to the decline. Literally hundreds of small,

inefficient sawmills, many of them the portable type,

closed down and vanished from the scene during this

period. For the first time, pulpwood surpassed saw

logs and became the State’s leading timber product. During the sixties, the lumber industry experienced some

firming in its markets, and there was a modest upward

trend in production.

Then, beginning in 1970, a boom in new home building of unprecedented proportion started to sweep the

Nation. Within a 2-year period, the number of housing starts soared from an annual rate of less than 1.5

million to an all-time record of almost 2.4 million starts

in 1972. At the time this report is being written, the

housing boom is continuing with little abatement, and

the demand for softwood lumber is threatening to overtake supplies. Sawmills in Georgia and elsewhere are

operating at near full capacity, and new mills are under

construction or on the drawing boards.

Timing of the fourth Forest Survey in Georgia has

been such that only the beginning of the upsurge in

softwood saw-log output shows up in the statistics. The

1971 estimate of more than 1.2 billion board feet is

about 21 percent greater than the 1961 figure. All

indications are, however, that the 1972 output was

substantially higher.

Softwoods, primarily southern yellow pine, provided

about 80 percent of the 1971 output; however, slightly

over 300 million board feet of hardwood saw logs was

harvested. The year 197 1 might best be described as

rather sluggish for the hardwood lumber market but,

here again, the tempo has picked up on the heels of the

Forest Survey. The furniture market is a major factor

in the demand for hardwood lumber, and this market

lags slightly behind that for housing.

About 300 sawmills operated in Georgia in 1971,

and these mills received over 95 percent of the State’s

saw-log harvest. Industry canvasses indicate that the

13
interstate flow of saw logs was small but that Georgia

imported 75 percent more than was shipped outside

the State.

OUTPUT OF VENEER LOGS DOUBLElS

Veneer logs are now the third leading timber product

in terms of volume, and accounted for 5 percent of the

total roundwood output in 1971. Production totaled

40 million cubic feet compared to only 18 million

cubic feet in 1961. All of this increase is attributed

to the introduction and development of a new industry

in Georgia-pine plywood.

The first major pine plywood operation in Georgia

was started at Savannah in 1966. By 1971, plants had

been added at Cedar Springs, Waycross, and Monticello. Pine plywood production in Georgia has now

climbed to more than 500 million square feet, 3/8-inch

basis, annually. As in the case of softwood lumber, the

surge in new home building has created a strong demand

for plywood. If such a strong demand continues, further

expansion of the pine plywood industry in Georgia can

be expected.

In contrast to the rapid increase in the output of

softwood veneer logs, the output of hardwood has

declined. The annual harvest of hardwood veneer logs

has dropped by about one-fourth since the early sixties.

An estimated 186 million square feet, as reported, of

hardwood plywood was produced in Georgia in 1972.

The hardwood veneer and plywood industries face strong

competition from foreign imports. The continuing displacement of wooden containers by fiber, plastic, and

other substitutes has also been a factor in the hardwood

veneer market.

OUTPUT OF OTHER ROUNDWOOD

PRODUCTS

Other timber products harvested in 1971 included

fuelwood, poles, piling, posts, cooperage, and excelsior

bolts. Collectively, the volume of all these products

totaled an estimated 31 million cubic feet. When compared with the 1961 estimates, one of the largest increases was in the production of fenceposts, up from

3 to 10 million posts. Use of fuelwood has continued to

decline; however, substantial markets have developed

in some of the larger urban areas for fireplace wood.

Almost three-fourths of all these miscellaneous products

were cut from softwood species.

PLANT BYPRODUCTS ESTIMATED AT

119 MILLION CUBIC FEET

Primary wood-using plants in Georgia generated an

estimated 169 million cubic feet of wood residues in

1971, excluding bark. Approximately 119 million cubic

feet, or 70 percent, of these residues was converted into

byproducts, such as pulp chips, particleboard, litter, and

domestic fuelwood. The figure also includes a small

amount of lumber produced from veneer cores. In

North Georgia there is a very substantial demand for

shavings and sawdust for litter associated with poultry

production in the area. The byproduct figure excludes

another 9 million cubic feet of wood residues used for

industrial fuel. Approximately 41 million cubic feet

of the wood residues generated were not used. Most

of this unused material was in the form of sawdust and

shavings.

ABOUT HALF OF THE BARK RESIDUE USED

In addition to the wood residues generated, more

than 2.6 million tons of bark residue were generated

in 1971. About half of this bark was used for industrial

fuel with relatively small quantities used for mulch and

fiber products. An estimated 48 percent of the bark

residue was either burned as waste or left in the woods,

piled or dumped, More than 80 percent of the bark

residue generated in Georgia is from softwood species,

primarily southern yellow pines. Although there is growing interest in the development of uses of bark, its value

as an industrial fuel will likely be enhanced by the

shortages and higher prices of conventional energy

sources.

ALMOST ONE-FOURTH OF REMOVALS

NOT USED FOR PRODUCTS

Of the 8 13 million cubic feet of roundwood products

harvested from Georgia’s forests during 1971, more than

765 million cubic feet, or 94 percent, came from growing-stock trees 5.0 inches d.b.h. and larger cut from

commercial forest land. An additional 252 million cubic

feet of growing stock was removed from the inventory

but was not used for products. The removals of all

growing stock, therefore, totaled 1,018 million cubic

feet. This means that almost 25 percent of the merchantable volume removed from the inventory was either

left in the woods as logging residue or was removed

by land clearing, urban development, and other landuse changes where the timber was not used.

14
Logging residues totaled 118 million cubic feet and

included the unused, merchantable portions of trees cut

or destroyed in the process of harvesting timber. As

might be expected, the level of utilization was somewhat

better in the harvesting of softwood products than in the

harvesting of hardwood products. For exampIe, 84 percent of the total product harvest from growing-stock

trees came from softwood species, but less than 62

percent of the logging residue was softwood.

Other removals totaled 134 million cubic feet and included growing-stock trees cut or destroyed in land

clearing or development activities; girdled, poisoned, or

removed in cultural activities; as well as trees left standing but removed from the commercial forest base. Here

again, the proportionate toll was somewhat greater for

hardwood than for softwood. For example, hardwoods

comprise less than 42 percent of the growing-stock inventory, but 51 percent of these other removals was

hardwood.

Timber Supply Outlook

With a 29-percent increase in inventory volume between 1961 and 1972 and annual growth exceeding

removals by 55 percent, the timber supply outlook is

relatively bright in Georgia when compared with that

in many other parts of the country. The State, other

public agencies, forest industries, and other private landowners have invested substantial sums of money and

energies in tree planting, better forest protection, improved timber culture and utilization, and other forestry

endeavors to bring this situation about. The task of

maintaining an ample supply of timber to meet demands

is a continuous job, however, requiring long-range planning that involves a host of factors. Deficiencies persist

within the favorable overall supply picture and are

evidenced by the present concern and debate over timber

supplies, demands, and prices. Statistics showing a buildup in timber inventory probably provide little consolation to the consumers of forest products who have experienced the shortages and price instability of recent

months.

This appraisal of the timber supply outlook focuses

on the amount of timber prospectively available from

Georgia’s forests over the next three decades based on

specified assumptions. Timber is a renewable and expandable resource.

Over time, the supply can be increased within the

limitations established by the growth capacities of those

lands available for production. Response to timber production efforts, however, is slow relative to other crops.

For example, the prospectively available supply of timber for the next decade or longer is fairly well determined by actions already taken.

With more than 90 percent of Georgia’s timberland

in private ownerships, the amount of timber harvested

each year is largely determined by the unregulated forces

of supply and demand. Only a small part of the annual

harvest comes from publicly owned forests where the

allowable cut is regulated through policy. Nevertheless,

the basic concept of sustained yield, accepted and practiced in sound forest management, suggests that the net

annual growth should establish allowable cut over the

long run. Any prolonged breach of this concept will

ultimately reduce timber supplies. Current and prospective growth, therefore, can serve as a guide for wood

procurement activities.

In 197 1, net annual growth totaled 1,577 million

cubic feet and included 5,243 million board feet of

sawtimber. For the same year, removals totaled 1,018

million cubic feet and included 3,706 million board

feet of sawtimber. With the recent upsurge in the demand for softwood lumber and plywood and the prospective increases anticipated in the demands for other

timber products, the question arises as to the extent

that annual cut could be raised and sustained over time.

Two separate projections were made in an attempt to

answer this question.

PROSPECTIVELY, CUT CAN INCREASE

BY 70 PERCENT

The first projection was for 30 years and was intended to establish a realistic measure of available cut based

on a continuation of recent trends in forest area and

the current level of timber cultural activity. The results

of this projection are shown in table 28 and indicate a prospective available cut of 1,733 million cubic

feet annually by year 2001. This is 70 percent greater

than the volume of removals determined for 1971. The

projection also allows for a further buildup in the inventory from 25.3 to 32.5 billion cubic feet. The prospective available cut of sawtimber increases from 3,706

to 6,370 million board feet over the same period.

Several basic assumptions were involved in this projection. The primary control was an assumption that

the current margin between growth and removals will

gradually diminish until growth and removals are in

balance by year 2001. Area of commercial forest land

was assumed to continue to decline at the rate of 50,000

acres each year. This is very near the average rate of

real change which occurred between 1961 and 1972.

17
The 1971 growth rates were gradually reduced by 10

percent in anticipation of overstocked conditions developing in many of the unmanaged stands, and to

compensate somewhat for the fact that the 1972 survey

reflects a rate of ingrowth not likely to be sustained.

The 1971 mortality rates were applied throughout the

projection.

Separate projections were made for softwoods and

hardwoods (fig. 8). Under the assumptions used, the

results indicate that softwoods will provide two-thirds

of the prospective increase in available cut of total growing stock and 80 percent of the prospective increase

in available sawtimber. Considerably more effort has

gone into the regeneration and management of pine

than has gone into hardwood management.

, I1

Figure 8. - Prospective and potential available cut

Georgia, 1971-2001.

POTENTIAL AVAILABLE CUT IS

DOUBLE THE 1971 LEVEL

The second projection was also for 30 years and was

intended to establish a realistic measure of the maximum

level of available cut which might be reached and sustained through accelerated timber management. Results from this projection indicate a potential available

cut of 2,045 million cubic feet by year 2001, or about

double the amount of removals in 197 1. In this projection, the potential available cut of sawtimber climbed to

7,586 million board feet (fig. 8).

These estimates of potential available cut reflect the

inherent capacity of those forest lands expected to be

available for timber production when fully stocked. The

same assumption was made with regard to the decline in

commercial forest area as was made in the prospective

projection. Management goals were expressed in terms

of basal area per acre and a stand-structure quotient

for both softwoods and hardwoods. The goals selected

for projection control would allow average stand densities of trees 5.0 inches d.b.h. and larger to increase to

85 square feet per acre, and inventory volume to increase to 1,480 cubic feet per acre. The stand-structure

quotient is the quotient of the number of trees in any

2-inch diameter class divided by the number in the next

larger class. This value is useful in describing the diameter distributions of trees within the stand. The quotients developed for Georgia’s potential stand were 1.7

for softwoods and 1.8 for hardwoods, both of which

call for more trees in the larger diameter classes. Finally,

it was assumed that 1971 mortality rates could gradually

be reduced by one-half over the next 30 years through

improved protection and management.

Opportunities do exist for expanding the inherent

growth capacity described for Georgia’s forest lands.

Some of the more promising opportunities center around

site improvement, forest fertilization, and the further

development of genetically superior trees. Some progress

has already been made in each of these areas; however,

no estimate of the potential gains which might develop

from these activities is included in this analysis.

MORE CUT TO COME FROM

PLANTATIONS

Over the 30-year period covered by this projection,

an increasing share of the cut will come from the thinning and harvesting of pine plantations. Conceivably, a

third or more of the pine cut in Georgia could be coming from plantations by 1985. About 3 million acres

had been planted or artificially seeded in the State as

of June 30, 1971, according to reports published by

the Forest Service, USDA (table IV). During the late

fifties, almost 700,000 acres were planted in Georgia

under the Conservation Reserve Soil-Bank Program. Although the rate of tree planting dropped off sharply

after the expiration of this program, planting has continued at an average annual rate of 110,000 acres. Since

the end of the Soil-Bank Program, about two-thirds of

the tree planting has occurred on lands owned by forest

industry, mainly pulp and paper firms.

Slash pine and loblolly pine have been the preferred

species for planting, and in terms of acres planted, the

proportions have been about 3 to 1 in favor of slash

pine. In fact, the Survey found that about two out of

every five slash pine trees 1.0 inch d.b.h. and larger

in the inventory have been planted.
Table Iv. - Acres of forest plantirpg.’ by ownership class, Georgia, 1961-1971

Fiscal

Ownership class

All Accumuyear National Other Forest Other owner- lative

Forest public industry private ships total

___-___-__ ‘.&-,es - - - - - - - - - - - - .

*1,698,911

1961 3,990 2,382 96,568 100,527 203.467 1,902,378

1962 5,411 1,638 20,649 41,998 69,696 1,912,014

1963 4,476 2,761 18,411 43,340 129,054 2,101.128

1964 3,202 2,443 74,691 34,192 114.534 2,215,662

1965 2,932 3,703 70,085 29,888 106,608 2,322,270

1966 2,011 4.614 78,628 29,147 114,460 2,436,730

1961 1,595 2,709 86,647 44,298 135,249 2,511,919

1968 2,288 4,236 88,567 31,247 126,338 2,698,317

1969 1,785 4,113 73,622 26,539 106,119 2.804.436

1970 2,302 4,123 63,344 16,129 85,898 2.890,334

1971 3,228 4,412 73,757 21,420 102,817 2,993.151

‘Includes acres of planting by direct seeding. Source: U. S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Foresl and Windbarrier Pkznting and Seeditlg in the United States.

*Accumulative total prior to FY 1961.

Some of the advantages of plantation management

over natural stands are obvious and certainly outweigh

the few subtle shortcomings associated with man-made

forests. Plantations enable the land manager to exercise

greater control over species composition and spacing

and promise greater yields over shorter periods of time.

The trees are more uniform in size and merchantable

length, which can be a real advantage at time of harvest. Plantations also open up the opportunities afforded

by genetic improvement, site preparation, and fertilization. Generally, however, the high initial costs of tree

plantations dictate the use of short rotations. As a

result, most of the pine plantations in Georgia will

probably be harvested within 30 years of their establishment. As greater reliance is placed on these plantations as a source for timber, the wood industries will

be manufacturing their products from a somewhat different kind of tree than they have been accustomed

to using. The average tree will probably be younger

and faster grown.

MOST PLANTATIONS ESTABLISHED IN

SOUTHERN GEORGIA

The origin of each stand was recorded for each forest

sample location to provide another estimate of number of acres planted, as well as information on the

distribution of the plantations (table V). These classifications indicated that tree planting or seeding has OCcurred on about 3.2 million acres, which is reasonably

consistent with the estimates in table IV, compiled from

estimates of numbers of trees shipped from the nurseries. The findings also show that more than 62 percent of the plantations have been established in the

two coastal Survey Units.

Whether the planting occurred prior to or since the

previous Forest Survey was also determined. Here,

the findings show that almost 2 million acres, or 61

percent, of the planting occurred since 1960. A substantial number of the older plantations are in the piedmont sections and were planted under the Conservation

Reserve Soil-Bank Program.

QUALITY OF TIMBER LIMITS UTILIZATION

It is important in this analysis of the timber supply

outlook that some assessment be made of the quality

of the current and prospective timber supplies. In the

past, many practices and factors contributed to a rather

general deterioration in timber quality. Harvesting practices commonly resulted in repeated high grading of

stands, and boundary sales to some specified minimum

tree size provided little control over the residual conditions. In reality, the harvesting practice was often a

detriment to, rather than a part of, the regeneration

process. Rough and rotten trees and certain species were

left in quantities which seriously impeded regeneration.

Such residual conditions also fostered \vildlife, disease,

insects, and other damaging agents.

Improper harvesting practices still persist but to a

lesser extent. More of the forest lands have been brought

under sound management, protection and utilization

have been improved, and professional silvicultural advice

is readily available to most forest owners when they are

ready to harvest and regenerate their stands. Further

progress in each of these areas will lead to substantial

improvement in the overall quality of timber available

for the wide range of products produced from the forests.

The quality of the current inventory still reflects much

of this past mismanagement, and one of the most

pressing tasks confronting forestry today is that of carrecting the conditions created by past mistakes. Small

size and inferior quality limit utilization and reduce the

supply of timber usable for saw logs, veneer logs, poles,

and piling. A relative!y small portion of the 1972 timber

inventory in Georgia meets the size and quality requirements for these valuable products. First of all, of

the 28.0 billion cubic feet in all live trees 5.0 inches

d.b.h. and larger< almost 2.7 billion cubic feet, or 9

percent, is in trees which do not qualify as growing

stock because of species, roughness, poor form, or in.

ternal rot. Another 9.5 billion cubic feet, or 34 per.

cent, is in trees not yet large enough for sawtimber,

When another 6 percent is deducted for volume in the

upper-stem portion of sawtimber trees, only 14.1 billion

cubic feet, or about half of the original total remains

Of this amount, only 5.6 billion cubic feet are in pine

19
Table V. - Area of commercial forest land, by stand origin and Survey Unit. Georgia, 1972

Stand origin State

Southeast

Survey Unit

-.-.~

Southwest Central North Central North

Natural stands with no evidence

M acres Percent M acres Percent M acres Percent M acres Percent M acres Percent M acres Percent

Stands originating wholly or of artificial regeneration in 21 J90.6 86.9 5,826.8 18.3 2,411.2 85.9 6,453,s 88.1 3,741.7 93.6 3,091.4 96.8

part from artificial regeneraStands originating wholly or tion since 1960 in 1,914.l 8.0 1,11 1.8 14.9 251.3 8.7 416.3 5.1 125.0 3.1 70.3 2.2

part from artificial regeneration prior to 1960 1.273.7 5.1 502.0 6.8 156.3 5.4 452.1 6.2 132.5 3.3 30.8 1.0

All stands 24,839.0 100 n 7,440 0 100.0 2.884.8 100.0 7,321.9 100.0 3,999.2 100.0 3J92.5 100.0

trees of grade I and 2 quality, or in other species that

contain gr.uk I and :! logs.

SEVERAL FACTORS LIMIT TIMBER

AVAILABILITY

How much of the timber inventory that is available to

prospective buyers at a particular point in time is a

critical question. Undoubtedly, at some price level forest

industries could purchase more timber than it would

be wise to cut or the resource could sustain. The objective, however, is to achieve and maintain a balance

between timber supplies and demand which will yield

a flow of products at reasonable prices that the consumers can afford.

Over the long run. it is probably reasonable to assume

that all timber produced on commercial forest land will

eventually be harvested. At any time, however, an undetermined quantity of the inventory is not available

for several reasons. Many stands and forest conditions

do not offer any logging chance because of low volume

per acre, small size, inferior quality, poor accessibility,

captive holdings, or the owners’ unwillingness to sell.

For example, the Forest Survey statistics for Georgia

indicate that volume per acre on 11.2 million acres

averaged less than 1,500 board feet in 1972. Another

4.5 million acres, with 1,500 board feet or more per

,acre, are located in deep swamps, bays, along stream

margins, and in rugged mountainous terrain where accessibility and logging conditions are seasonal or difficult. Still another 1.2 million acres are owned by forest

industry, and their timber would normally not be available to competing industry moving into the State. Finally, in the absence of any information on the number of

acres held by private, nonindustrial owners who are

unwilling to sell, one might assume that the Forest

Survey estimate of 0.8 million acres in mature pine and

oak-pine stands provides a crude measure. This deductive

process, therefore, suggests that only 7.1 million acres,

or less than 30 percent of the commercial forest land,

offered an unencumbered logging chance to new lumber

and plywood industry as of 1972. If the same deductive

process is used with a minimum volume of 500 cubic

feet per acre, the results indicate that 9.6 million acres,

or almost 40 percent of the commercial forest, offered

an unencumbered logging chance to new pulp or fiber

industry.

Management Opportunities

In recent years more and more attention has been

focused on studies of opportunities for increasing future

timber supplies. As the demand for timber products continues to increase in the face of a diminishing forest

base, efforts to augment future timber supplies will need

to be concentrated in those areas and on those opportunities which promise the greatest return from the

limited funds and resources available. As the Georgia

statistics clearly indicate, some further gains are possible

through improved protection and closer utilization of

the existing supplies. Over the long run, however, the

greatest opportunities appear to be in the area of

acceleration and intensification of timber cultural practices. As discussed in the previous chapter, the growth

potential of Georgia’s forests is at least 30 percent

greater than that achieved up to now, excluding possible

gains from site improvement, fertilization, and the

further development of genetically superior trees.

RECENT TRENDS IN FORESTRY ACTIVITIES

Before goals or program objectives can be formulated

for accelerating and intensifying timber cultural practices, information is needed which will describe and

quantify what is already being done. After all, the existing forest conditions were created largely by past forestry

practices and natural disturbances. In conjunction with

the Georgia survey, a classification was recorded at

each sample location identifying the primary treatment

or disturbance which had occurred during the 11-year

remeasurement period. A summary of this treatment and

disturbance information by broad management and

ownership classes provides insight of recent trends in

forestry activities (table VI).

About half of the 24.8 million acres classified as

commercial forest land were treated or disturbed between 196 1 and 1972. More than 4.4 million acres were

harvested, and thinning or other intermediate cutting occurred on another 4.6 million acres. When the acres

of land clearing and other forest diversions are added,

the figures indicate that approximately 1 million acres

were cut into annually over the period. An estimated

2.4 million acres which were harvested had been regenerated, along with another 0.8 million acres where

harvesting was not involved. In addition to the stands

which experienced some form of cutting or were artificially regenerated, 2.8 million acres experienced other

kinds of treatment or disturbance. These other treatments included prescribed burning, grazing, turpentining,

draining, and site preparation. The natural disturbances

recognized included wildfire, insect infestations, disease

and animal damage, and wind and ice storms. The

relatively large percentage of the pine plantations in the

natural disturbance category is attributed to their apparently high susceptibility to fusiform rust.

HALF OF THE STANDS WERE

UNDISTURBED

Some 12.2 million acres, or almost half of the land

classified as commercial forest, did not show any evidence of treatment or major disturbance over the 1 l-year

remeasurement period. Significant differences were observed, however, in the occurrence of treatment or disturbance among the broad management and ownership

classes and, therefore, among the different parts of the

State. For example, only about 41 percent of the stands

occupied with pine forest types in 1972 had gone untreated or undisturbed, compared to 58 percent for the

stands occupied with h-ardwood types. An estimated 62

percent of the bottomland hardwood stands was untreated or undisturbed. By broad ownership class, the highest rate of treatment and disturbance was observed on

forest industry lands and the lowest rate on public lands.

By Forest Survey Unit, the highest rate of treatment and

disturbance was found in Southeast Georgia and the

lowest rate in North Georgia.

ONE-THIRD OF STANDS IN GOOD

CONDITION

Another classification was recorded at each sample

location to break the commercial forest into condition

22
Table VI. - Area of commercial forest land, by broad management, ownership, and past treatment c

disturbance classes, Georgia, 1972

I Primarv treatment or disturbance between 1961 and 1972

Broad management

and

ownership classes’

Total Harvesting Harvesting

area with with Other Intermediate Artificial Other Natural

artificial natural harvesting cutting planting treatment’ disturbance None

regeneration regeneration

Nonstocked forest:

Public

Forest industry

Other private

Total

Pine plantations:

Public

Forestry industry

Other private

Total

Natural pine stands:

Public

Forestry industry

Other private

Total

Oak-pine stands:

Public

Forest industry

Other private

Total

Upland hardwood stands:

Public

Forestry industry

Other private

Total

Bottomland hardwood stand:

Public

Forest industry

Other private

Total

All classes:

Public

Forest industry

Other private

Total

33.4 - - 7.8 - - 1.8 3.2 2c

163.5 - 109.3 3.9 - 20.5 10.7

461.9 - 130.2 32.1 - 32.1 24.7 2::

658.X - - 241.3 36.6 - 55.0 38.6 281

50.4 21.1 - 7.3 1.8 0.9 7.2 1:

1.660.7 745.7 1 - 5R.2 362.0 70.7 1209 ?n’

I---. 1’5 I I .2 206.0 - - 200.2 402.4 67.9 251.0 38:: --.

3.222.3 972.x - 265.7 766.2 139.5 379.1 6%

600.6 - 31.4 7.5 189.2 - 36.6 26.4 305

I ,625.4 140.3 66.5 387.4 - 197.0 96.6 73’

7.149.4 - 560.5 297.7 I ,907.5 - 710.1 258.8 3,411

9.375.4 - 732.2 371.7 2,484. I - 943.7 381.8 4.46 :

252.6 - 26.0 12.6 66.5 - 1.4 5.5 14t

571.6 - 56.6 60.0 63.8 - 17.1 10.6 36:

3,025.T - 212.6 355.3 588.5 - 145.6 89.2 1,631

3.849.7 295.2 427.9 71x.x - 164.1 105.3 2,131

5527 - 10.4 25.2 43.3 - 21.5 10.8 4 4

567.5 - 49.9 78.5 66.7 - 34.5 11.8 32t 1 C,? , ?A? c A”, n L.IQ P ,*I. 7 ,,A * *,.A81 8 - 13.6 10.1 6.7 - - 8 4 A

678.2

2,320.T

3.080.5

-

-

-

2R.1

126.3

168.0

71.2

335.a,

417.2

74.7

262.2

343.6

-

-

-

8.1

79.6

87.7

17:; 4;’

130.0 1,381

155 . 5 I_(,“. snr

1,571,s 21.1 81.4 63.2 313.0 1.8 62.2 61.5 ’ 5.266.‘) 745.1 274.9 385.5 654.7 362.0 347.9 267.7 2,;::

18,000.6 206.0 1,102.9 1 J60.5 3,629.9 402.4 I ,22x 868.2 9,001

24,839.O 972.x I.4592 2.009 2 4.597.6 766.2 I .632.3 1,197.4 12,204

‘Forest industry includes lands under long-term lease.

‘Includes prescribed burning, grazing, turpentining, dr:lining, and site prepamtion.

classes. A summary of this information, again by broad

management and ownership classes, provides a measure

of some of the various treatment opportunities in terms

of relative number of acres (table VII).

Based on this classification, one out of every three

acres of commercial forest in Georgia appeared to be

occupied by immature stands, adequately stocked with

trees of desirable quality, relatively free from competition, and located on manageable sites. In other words,

conditions found on 8.5 million acres seemed favorable

for the achievement of a sufficient growth rate without

any major treatment over the next several years. Although many of these stands were still in the seedling

and sapling stages of development, volume per acrl

averaged about 800 cubic feet and the rate of ne

annual growth averaged 7.5 percent. About 72 percen

of these stands judged to be in good condition was pine

and the remaining 28 percent hardwood. By broac

ownership class, 5 percent was public, 27 percent fores

industry, and 68 percent other private.

HARVEST OPPORTUNITY ON 2.3

MILLION ACRES

Almost 2.3 million acres were classified as maturi

stands with a harvest opportunity or merchantable stand

damaged to the extent that salvage would be considered

23
Table WI. -Area of idle cropland and commercial forest land, by broad management, ownership, and

treatment opportunity classes, Georgia, 1972

Broad treatment opportunity classes

Broad management Total

and ownership classes’ area Thinning or

Stands in good Harvest or other stand Conversion or Adverse sites

condition salvage improvement regeneration or conditions

-__----_____________ acres - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Idle cropland:

Public - - - - - -

Forest industry

74G

- - -

- 14G

-

Other private -

- -

--- .~.

Total 142.1 - - - 142.1 -

___. ----

.~--...

Nonstocked forest:

Public 33.4 - - - 30.2 3.2

Forest industry 163.5 - - - 149.4 14.1

Other private 461.9 - - - 403.3 58.6 -- ---_____.

Total ~..

658.8 - -

~-

- 582.9 15.9

-.__

Pine plantations:

Public 50.4 47.0 3.4 -

Forest industry 1,660.7 1,268.9 2G 268.8 835 11.9

Other private 1,511.2 774.0 61.2 548.5 113.5 14.0

--~.~..-

Total 3,222.3 2,089.9

..~.

88.8 820.7 197.0 25.9 -.--.___ ~-.

Natural pine stands:

--

Public 600.6 229.8 162.1 115.5 86.6 6.0

Forest industry 1,625.4 743.1 156.4 490.1 218.0 17.8

Other private ~.7,149.4 3,100.4 617.2 2,235.3 1.099.9 96.6

Total

-..~-

~.~.-.-

9,375.4 4,073.3 936.3 2‘840.9 1.404.5 120.4 -.__-.---~

Oak-pine stands:

Public 252.6 71.4 53.9 42.5 62.8 22.0

Forest industry 571.6 99.6 61.6 122.7 242.4 45.3

Other private 3,025.T 895.9 212.5 769.3 1,034.o 113.8

Total 3.849.7 1,066.9 328.0 934.5 1,339.2 181.1

- .

Upland hardwood stands:

Public 552.1 85.4 54.3 167.9 61.3

Forest industry

183.8

567.5 130.3 21.3 153.1 249.7

Other private

7.1

~--~~--

3532.1 786.2 314.5 829.9 1,451.9 149.6

Total 4,652.3 1,001.9

~..- -

396.1

~.~-.

1J50.9 1,162.9 340.5

Bottomland hardwood

stands:

Public 81.8 8.3 6.1 17.5 36.1

Forest industry

13.8

678.2 61.8 135.3 175.0 125.6

Other private

180.5

2,320.5 230.4 364.2 626.7 639.7 459.5 Total 3,080.5 300.5 505.6 -819.2 ~-....-

801.4 653.8

All classes:

Public 1,571.5 441.9 277.0 346.8 277.0

Forest industry

228.8

5,266.9 2,303.7 408.2

Other private 18,743.3 5,786.9

1,209.7 1.068.6 276.7

~-

lJ69.6 5,009.7 5,485.0 892.1 Total 25J81.7 8.5325 2,254.g ___. ---

6J66.2 6,830.6 1,397.6

‘Forest industry includes lands under long-term lease.

Across this emire classification, volume per acre averaged about 2,000 cubic feet, but the rate of net annual

growth averaged only 4.1 percent. Mortality was high

in these stands and was reducing the gross growth by

almost 13 percent. About 45 percent of these stands was

pine and 55 percent hardwood. By broad ownership

class, 12 percent was public, 18 percent forest industry,

and 70 percent other private. Although some of these

acres might not be available because of public policy

and owner attitude, the statistics suggest that harvesting

and prompt regeneration of these stands over the next

several years are the most promising opportunities for

increasing future timber supplies.

INTERMEDIATE TREATMENT OPPORTUNITY

ON 6.6 MILLION ACRES

Almost 6.6 million acres were classified as immature

stands either overstocked or receiving competition to

the extent that growth would likely be impaired unless

thinning, cleaning, or other stand improvement action

is taken. Admittedly, a wide range of conditions is included in this classification and the land marragers are

2 4
confronted with a number of alternative treatment possibilities. In some of these stands, it might be more

desirable to go ahead and convert or regenerate. In

other cases, the potential growth response might not

justify the cost of additional intermediate investment

in timber stand improvement and the decision might

be to carry the existing stands on to harvest. In other

words, from the biological or silvicultural standpoint,

the figure of 6.6 million acres i s probably a realistic

measure of the intermediate treatment opportunity; however, when the economic aspect is added, this measure

might be substantially reduced. Across this entire classification, volume per acre averaged about 1,400 cubic

feet, and the rate of net annual growth averaged about

6.4 percent. Some 56 percent of these stands was pine

and 44 percent hardwood. By broad ownership class,

5 percent was public, 19 percent forest industry, and

76 percent other private.

MANAGEABLE STAND ABSENT ON

6.1 MILLION ACRES

Some 6.1 million acres of commercial forest land

were found to be so poorly stocked that manageable

stands did not exist. Many of these areas had been

recently cutover without regeneration, and others were

dominated by scrub oaks, brush, damaged or poor

quality trees, and the remnants of former stands. In

all instances, it appeared that the existing conditions

were unlikely to improve unless actions were taken to

convert or regenerate these acres into productive stands.

Although volume per acre averaged about 500 cubic

feet and the rate of net annual growth averaged 5.8

percent, the conditions on most of these areas ruled

out any logging chance. Almost 10 percent of the area

in this category was classified as nonstocked, another

26 percent was poorly stocked with pine, and the remaining 64 percent was poorly stocked with hardwoods.

By broad ownership class, about 4 percent was public,

18 percent forest industry, and 78 percent other private.

For the purpose of this analysis, another 0.7 million

acres of idle cropland were added in table VII. Some

of these acres will return to agricultural use and others

will be developed for other uses; however, their conversion to forest represents about the only opportunity

for expanding the timber base in Georgia. When all of

these acres are added to the poorly stocked conditions

already described, the conversion and regeneration opportunities exceed 6.8 million acres.

Although the task of treating this many acres and

bringing them into full production would require tremendous investments, the potential gains in timber supplies

which could be expected dwarf all the other opportunities available. Costs and prospective returns per acre

would vary, depending upon condition, site, and response to treatment: however, it is possible to estimate

the overall costs and returns which would be involved.

For example, if one assumed that the 6.1 million acres

of poorly stocked forest land could be regenerated at

an average cost of $45 per acre and that the 0.7 million

acres of idle land could be planted at an average cost

of $20 per acre, the overall costs would total $289

million. It would be reasonable to assume that the

prospective annual growth rates on the forest acres

could be increased from 30 to 85 cubic feet per acre,

and from zero to 85 cubic feet on the idle lands. By

the end of ; L 30-year rotation, timber supplies from these

6.X million acres could be increased by 11.9 billion

cubic feet. If we assume an average stumpage value of

only 15 cents per cubic foot, the added timber supplies

would be worth at least $1,790 million.

With the cost and conservative return estimates used

in these examples, the investments made on the poorly

stocked forest lands would return about 5.8 percent

annually on the average with the compound interest

formula. On the idle lands, the investments would

promise a 10.3-percent rate of return. Although these

prospective rates of return might seem exceedingly low

to the speculator, they are probably competitive with

the alternative investment opportunities available to the

average landowner. Of course, to the extent that consumers are willing to pay higher prices for timber-based

products, the forestry investments become more attractive. For example, if we assumed an average stumpage

value of 25 cents per cubic foot in light of recent increases in stumpage prices, the prospective rates of return on the investments described jump to 7.7 and 12.2

percent, respectively. Naturally, the more desirable approaches to improving forestry investment opportunities

point toward reducing treatment costs, increasing yields

per acre, and shortening rotations. This is the reason

for the expanding emphasis on tree improvement, forest

fertilization, and the development of better forestry

equipment and technology through research.

OPPORTUNITIES LIMITED ON 1.4

MILLION ACRES

Finally, the management oppo,rtunity classifications

applied in the Georgia survey indicated that adverse

physical features severely limit the opportunities for

intensifying timber cultural practices on at least 1.4

million acres of commercial forest land. Factors taken

into consideration in making this determination included

25
topography and slope, water conditions and trafficability, accessibility, tract size, and site productivity, among

others. With these factors classified at each sample

location, a relative scale ranging from 1 to 9, from the

best to the poorest opportunities, was used as the criteria

for this screen. The 1.4 million acres screened out in

table VII fell in a zone between 7 and 9 on the

scale and, in addition, had received no treatment during

the remeasurement period. The logic applied was that

the limited funds and resources available for the acceleration and intensification of timber culture would

not be expended on these adverse or marginal sites so

long as more promising opportunities were available.

By broad ownership class, 16 percent of these lands

was public, 20 percent forest industry, and 64 percent

other private.

Undoubtedly, the figure of 1.4 million acres is a very

conservative estimate of the forest area in Georgia

which does not lend itself to intensive forestry practices.

Although this figure includes most of the deep swamps,

bays, mountain tops, and steep slopes, access to another 4 million acres along the stream margins is seasonal, to say the least. Still, these are some of the

most productive sites, based upon their inherent capacity

to grow timber. Many of the poorer sites do have the

advantage of being highly accessible. Each landowner

or manager who is willing to invest in intensive forestry

practices must develop his own criteria for ranking

the opportunities and alternative courses of action available to him. Overall estimates of the various forest

conditions and management opportunities as presented

in this analysis are provided as guidelines and input

for the broader program and policy decisions.

26

Appendix

SURVEY PROCEDURE

The basic steps of the procedure used in the fourth Forest

Survey of Georgia were as follows:

I. Initial estimates of forest and nonforest areas were based

On the classification of 126,222 sample clusters systematically

spaced on the latest aerial photographs available. A subsample

of 9,443 of these 16-point clusters was checked on the ground,

and a linear regression was fitted to the data to develop the

relationship between the photo and ground classification oi the

subsample. This procedure provided a means for adjusting the

initiai estimates of area for change in land use since date of

photography and for photo misclassifications.

2. Estimates of timbel volume and forest classifications were

based on measurements recorded at 6,086 ground sample locations systematically distributed within the commercial forest

land. A IO-point cluster of plots, measured with a basal area

factor of 37.5 square feet per acre, was systematically spaced

on an acre at each of these sample locations. Trees less than

5.0 inches d.b.h. were tallied on fixed-radius plots around the

point centers.

3. Equations prepared from detailed measurements collected

on trees tallied at 281 sample locations were used to compute

the volumes of individual tally trees of the major species. Similar

measurements taken throughout the Southeast were used to

supplement the Georgia data in the computation of volumes of

the minor species. A mirror caliper and sectional aluminum

poles were used to obtain the additional measurements on

standing trees required to construct the volume equalions.

The same subsample of plots used for the tree-volume study

also served as a quality control of field measurements. Felled

trees were measured at 99 active cutting operations to provide

utilization factors for product and species groups, and to

supplement the standing tree-volume study.

4. Estimates of growth, removals, and mortality were determined from the remeasurement of 6,202 permanent sample

plots which were established in the third survey. 4 1971 survey

of timber products output, conducted by the Ge~>rgin Forestry

Commission, along with the annual pulpwood production study

in the South, provided additional information for bre:lkdouns

of removals by product.

5. Ownership information was collected from local contacts,

correspondence, and public records. In those counties where

the sample missed a particular ownership class, temporary

samples were added and measured to describe the forest conditions within the ownership class.

6. A test study of procedures for measuring past treatments and disturbances, better describing existing forest conditions, and determining future silvicultural opportunities for

increasing timber growth was conducted in conjunction with

the Georgia survey. Special classifications were recorded at

each of the 6,086 ground sample locations which fell within

the commercial forest. Those sample locations which straddled

two or more conditions were identified to facilitate the analysis.

7. Throughout the State, an attempt was made to improve

the breakdowns of land and water area provided by the Bureau

of the Census. It is believed that this effort strengtherted the

individual county statistics generated by the Forest Survey.

8. All field data were sent to Asheville for editing and

were punched in cards and stored on magnetic tape for computer processing, sorting, and tabulation. Final estimates were

based on statistical summaries of the data.

9. As each of the five Forest Survey Units in Georgia was

completed, special summaries of the information were added

to a master data bank of Forest Survey statistics maintained

for the entire Southeast in Asheville. A Forest Information Retrieval (FIR) program is available for compiling the information for any area of interest as a customized service.

ACCURACY OF THE SURVEY

Statistical analysis of the data indicates a sampling error of

ir 0.21 percent for the estimate of total commercial forest area,

1.04 percent for total cubic volume, 1.09 percent for total

cubic-volume growth, and 2.69 percent for total cubic-foot removals. As the totals are broken down by forest type, species,

tree diameter, and other subdivisions, the sampling error increases. The order of this increase is suggested in the following

tabulation, which shows the sampling error to which the

estimates are liable, in terms of one standard error, or two

chances out of three.

Percenf

:

3

4

Thousand

acres

1,095.4

273.8

121.7

68.5

43.8

11 .o

4.9

2.7

1.8 43.8 3.0 11.8

-~~

‘By random-sampling formula.

----..-___

Volume of growing stock

Inventory Net growth Removals

_-.-.

- - - Million cubic feer - - -

6,849; 468.5 - -

3,044.4 208.2 818:

1.712.5 117.1 460.3

1,096.O 75.0 294.6

274.0 18.7 73.6

121.8 8.3 32.7

68.5 4.7 18.4
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

rreer.-Growing-stock trees of commercial species that meet specified standards of size and quality, but not

qualifying as desirable trees.

Au&able cut.-The volume of timber that would be available for cutting on commercial forest land during a given period under specified assumptions concerning growth, cut, mortality, and forest management practices.

Basal area.-The area in square feet of the cross section at

breast height of a single tree or of all the trees in a stand,

usually expressed as square feet of basal area per acre.

Commercial forest &rd.-Forest land producing or capable

of producing crops of industrial wood and not withdrawn from

timber utilization.

Commercial species. -Tree species suitable for industrial

wood products.

Crop&rd.-Land under cultivation within the past 24

months, including orchards and land in soil-improving crops,

but excluding land cultivated in developing improved pasture.

Also includes idle farmland.

Desirable tters.--Growing-stock trees of commercial species

having no serious defects in quality that limit present or prospective use for timber products, of relatively high vigor, and

containing no pathogens that may result in death or serious deterioration before rotation age.

Diameter clasr.-A classification of trees based on diameter

outside bark (d.0.b.) , measured at breast height (41/2 feet above

the ground). D.b.h. is the common abbreviation for “diameter

at breast height.” Two-inch diameter classes are commonly used

in Forest Survey, with the even inch the approximate midpoint

for a class. For exemple. the h-inch class includes trees 3.00

through 6.99 inches d.b.h., inclusive.

Farm.-Either a place operated as a unit of 10 or more acres

from which the sale of agriculturdl products totaled $30 or

more annually, or a place operated as a unit of less than 10

acres from which the sale ot agricultural products for the year

amounted to at least $250.

Farm operator.-A person who operates a farm, either doing the work himself or directly supervising the work.

Farmer-owned lands.-Lands owned by farm operators.

Forerr irtdwtry lands.--Lands owned by companies or individuals operating wood-using plants.

Fores! land.---Land at least 16.7 percent stocked by forest

trees of any size, or formerly having had such tree cover, and

not currently developed for nonforest use.

Forefr rype.---A classification of forest land based upon the

species forming a plurality of live-tree stocking.

Longleaf-slash pine. - Forests in which longleaf or slash

pine, singly or in combination, comprises a plurality of the

stocking. (Common associates include oak, hickory, and gum.)

Loblolly-shorrleaf pine. - Forests in which loblolly pine,

shortleaf pine, or other southern yellow pines, except longleaf

or slash pine, singly or in combination, comprise a pluraIity

of the stocking. (Common associates include oak, hickory, and

gum.)

Oak-pine. - Forests in which hardwoods (usually upland

oaks) comprise a plurality of the stocking but in which pines

comprise 25 to 50 percent of the stocking. (Common associates

include gum, hickory, and yellow-poplar.)

Onk-hickory.- Forests in which upland oaks or hickory,

singly or in combination, comprises a plurality of the stocking,

except where pines comprise 25 to 50 percent, in which case

the stand would be classified oak-pine. (Common associates

include yellow-poplar, elm, maple, and black walnut.)

Oak-gum-cypress. - Bottomland forests in which tupelo,

btackgum, sweetgum, oaks, or southern cypress, singly or in

combination, comprises a plurality of the stocking, except where

pines comprise 25 to 50 percent, in which case the stand would

be classified oak-pine. (Common associates include cottonwood,

willow, ash, elm, hackberry, and maple.)

Elm-ash-cottonwood. - Forests in which elm, ash, or cottonwood, singly or in combination, comprises a plurality of the

stocking. (Common associates include willow, sycamore, beech,

and maple.)

Gross growth.-Annual increase in net vohime of trees in

the absence of cutting and mortality.

Grou,in,f-stock trees.--Live trees of commercial species qualifying as desirable or acceptable trees.

Groudng-Jtock z,oltlme.-Net volume in cubic feet of growing-stock trees 5.0 inches d.b.h. and over from a l-foot stump

to a minimum 4.0.inch top diameter outside bark of the central

stem, or to the point where the central stem breaks into limbs.

(Net volume in primary forks is included.)

Hardwo0d.r. - Dicotyledonous trees, usually broad-leaved

and deciduous.

Soft hrwdwoods. - Soft-textured hardwoods such as boxelder, red and silver maple, hackberry, loblolly-bay, sweetgum,

yellow-poplar, magnolia, sweetbay, water tupelo, blackgum,

sycamore, cottonwood, black cherry, willow, basswood, and elm.

Hard hardwoods. - Hard-textured hardwoods such as Florida maple, birch, hickory, dogwood, persimmon (forest grown),

beech, ash, honeylocust, holly, black walnut, mulberry, and all

commercial oaks.

Idle farm/and.-Includes former croplands, orchards, improved pastures and farm sites not tended within the past 2

years, and presently less than 16.7 percent stocked with trees.

29
Improved pasture.-Land currently improved for grazing by

cultivation, seeding, irrigation, or clearing of trees or brush.

Zndrrrrrirrl wood.-All roundwood products except fuelwood.

Ingrow&-The number or net volume of trees that grow

large enough during a specified year to qualify as saplings,

poletimber, or sawtimber.

Znbibking vegetation.- Cover sufficiently dense to prevent

the establishment of tree seedlings.

Land area.-The area of dry land and land temporarily or

partly covered by water such as marshes, swamps, and river

flood plains (omitting tidal flats below mean high tide);

streams, sloughs, estuaries, and canals less than $‘a of a statute

mile in width; and lakes, reservoirs, and ponds less than 40

acres in area.

Log grade.-A classification of logs based on external characteristics as indicators of quality or value.

Logging residueJ. -The unused portions of trees cut or

killed by logging.

MiJceZZuneous Federal lands.-Federal lands other than National Forests, lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, and Indian lands.

MiJceZZaneouJ private lands-corporate. - Lands owned by

private corporations other than forest industry.

Miscellaneous private lands-individual. - Privately owned

lands other than forest industry, farmer-owned, or corporate

lands.

A~ortaZi~y.-Number or sound-wood volume of live trees

dying from natural causes during a specified period.

National Fored land.-Federal lands which have been legally designated as National Forests or purchase units, and other

lands under the administration of the Forest Service, including

experimental areas and Bankhead-Jones Title III lands.

Net annual grou&.-The increase in volume for a specific

year.

Net volume.--(;ross volume of wood less deductions for

rot, sweep, or other defect affecting use for timber products.

Noncommercial forest land.-(a) Unproductive forest land

incapable of yielding crops of industrial wood because of adverse site conditions, and (b) productive-reserved forest land.

NontommercMZ species. - Tree species of typically small

size, poor form, or inferior quality which normally do not develop into trees suitable for industrial wood products.

Nonfoserr land.--Land that has never supported forests and

land formerly forested where timber production is precluded

by development for other uses.

Nowtocked Zand.--Commercial forest land less than 16.7

percent stocked with growing-stock trees.

Other PederuZ lands. -Federal lands other than National

Forests, including lands administered by the Bureau of Land

Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and other Federal

agencies.

Other public lands.-Publicly owned lands other than National Forests.

Other remov&.-The net volume of growing-stock trees removed from the inventory by cultural operations, such as timber stand improvement, land clearing, and other changes in land

use that result in the removal of the trees from the commercial

forest.

Overstocked areaJ.-Areas where growth of trees is significantly reduced by excessive numbers of trees.

Plant byproducts.-Wood products, such as pulp chips, obtained incidental to production of other manufactured products.

P/ant residues.-Wood materials from manufacturing plants

not utilized for some product.

Poletimber trees.-Growing-stock trees of commercial speties at leasr 5.0 inches in d.b.h. but smaller than sawtimber size.

ProdzLcrive-reJerved forert land. - Forest land sufficiently

productive to qualify as commercial forest land, ‘but withdrawn

from timber utilization through statute or administrative designation.

Quality CLCZJJ.--A classification of sawtimber volumes by

log or tree grades.

Rangelund.--Land on which the natural plant cover is composed principally of native grasses, forbs, or shrubs valuable fbr

forage.

Rotten trees.-Live trees of commercial species that do not

contain at least one 12-foot saw log, or two noncontiguous saw

logs, each 8 feet or longer, now or prospectively, primarily because of rot or missing sections, and with less than one-third of

the gross tree volume in sound material.

Rough treeJ.- (a) Live trees of commercial species that do

not contain at least one 12-foot saw log, or two noncontiguous

saw logs, each 8 feet or longer, now or prospectively, primarily

because of roughness, poor form, splits, and cracks, and with

less than one-third of the gross tree volume in sound material;

and (b) all live trees of noncommercial species.

Roundwood prOd.UctJ.-Logs, bolts, or other round sections

cut from trees for industrial or consumer uses.

S&&e dead trees.-Standing or down dead trees that are

considered merchantable by Forest Survey standards.

Sap&J.-Live frees 1.0 inch to 5.0 inches in diameter at

breast height.

Saw log.-A log meeting minimum standards of diameter,

length, and defect, including logs at least 8 feet long, sound

and straight, and with a minimum d&meter inside bark for

softwoods of 6 inches (8 inches for hardwoods).

3 0
Saw-log portion.--That part of the bole of sawtimber trees

between the stump and the saw-log top.

Saw-log top.--The point on the bole of sawtimber trees

above which a saw log cannot be produced. The minimum

saw-log top is 7.0 inches d.o.b. for softwoods and 9.0 inches

d.o.b. for hardwoods.

Sawtimber tree+--Live trees of commercial species containing at least a 12-foot saw log, or two noncontiguous saw logs,

each’ 8 feet or longer, and with at least one-third of the gross

board-foot volume between the l-foot stump and minimum

saw-log top being sound. Softwoods must be at least 9.0 inches

and hardwoods at least 11.0 inches in diameter at breast height.

Suwrimber t&me.-Net volume of the saw-log portion of

live sawtimber in board-foot International */‘-inch rule.

Seedlingr. -Live trees less than 1.0 inch in diameter at

breast height that are expected to survive and develop.

Site c&sr.-A classification of forest land in terms of inherent capacity to grow crops of industrial wood based on fully

stocked natural stands.

C&J I.-Sites capable of producing I65 or more cubic feet

per acre annually.

Clasr 2.--Sites capabIe of producing 120 to 165 cubic feet

per acre annually.

Class 3.-Sites capable of producing 85 to 120 cubic feet

per acre annually.

Ckzs~ 4.-Sites capable of producing 50 to 85 cubic feet

per acre annually.

Class S.--Sites incapable of producing 50 cubic feet per

acre annually, but excluding unproductive sites.

Softwoods. -Coniferous trees, usually evergreen, having

dteedles or scale-like leaves.

PineJ.-Yellow pine species which include loblolly, longleaf, slash, pond, shortleaf, sand, and spruce pine.

Other JoftwOOdJ. -Cypress, eastern redcedar, and whitecedar.

Stund-size &sJ.---A classification of forest land based on

the diameter class of growing-stock trees on the area.

Sawtimber stands. - Stands at lea.? 16.7 percent stocked

with growing-stock trees, with half or more of total stocking

in sawtimber and poletimber trees, and with sawtimber stocking at least equal to poletimber stocking.

Poletimber stands. - Stands at least 16.7 percent stocked

with growing-stock trees of which half or more of this stocking

is in poletimber and sawtimber trees, and with poletimber stocking exceeding that of sawtimber.

Sapling-seedling stands. - Stands at least 16.7 percent stocked with growing-stock trees of which more than half of the

stocking is saplings and seedlings.

State, county, and municipal lands.-Lands owned by States,

counties, and local public agencies or municipalities, or lands

leased to these governmental units for 50 years or more.

Stocking.-The degree of occupancy of land by trees, measured by basal area or the number of trees in a stand and spacing in the stand, compared to a minimum standard, depending

on tree size, to fully utilize the growth potential of the land.

(See table at end of definitions.)

Fully stocked.-100 percent or more stocking

Mediwm stocked.--60 to 100 percent stocking

Poorly docked.--Less than 60 percent stocking

Survivor growth.-The increase in volume of growing-stock

trees that survive cutting and mortality for a specified year.

Timber products.-Roundwood products and plant byproducts.

Timber removals.-The net volume of growing-stock trees

removed from the inventory by harvesting; CdNrd operations,

such as stand improvement; land clearing, or changes in land

use.

Unp~odwctive forest land.--Forest land incapable of producing 20 cubic feet per acre of industrial wood under natural

conditions, because of adverse site conditions.

Upper-stem portion.-That part of the main stem or fork

of sawtimber trees above the saw-log top to a minimum top

diameter of 4.0 inches outside bark or to the point where the

main stem or fork breaks into limbs.

Urban and other areas.--Areas within the legal boundaries

of cities and towns; suburban areas developed for residential,

industrial, or recreational purposes; school yards; cemeteries;

roads; railroads; airports; beaches; powerlines and other rightsof-way; or other nonforest land not included in any orher specified land use class.

91
D.b.h.

class

Stocking Standard CONVERSION FACTORS

Cubic feet of wood per average cord

Seedlings 600 - 5.0

2 560 - 5.4

4 460 - 6.5

6 340 6 7 5.8

8 240 8 4 4.8

1 0 155 8 5 4.3

1 2 115 90 4.0

1 4 9 0 9 6 3.8

1 6 7 2 101 3.7

1 8 6 0 106 3.5

2 0 5 1 111 3.5

‘Trees less than 5.0 inches d.b.h. were tallied on a IO-point

cluster of circular, i/300-acre plots at each sample location.

Trees 5.0 inches d.b.h. and larger were tallied on a IO-point

cluster of variable plots with a basal area factor of 37.5 at

each sample location.

Overstocked-Over 130 percent

Fully stocked-100-130 percent

Medium stocked-6099 percent

Poorly stocked-16.7-59 percent

Nonstocked-Less than l6.7 percent

1:

1 2

:t

:::

22

24f

Average

68.1

73.1

76.7

79.4

81.6

83.3

84.8

86.0

87.1

12.4

16.0

81.3

85.2

88.2

90.4

92.3

94.0

95.0

98.1

83.2

68.4

73.4

16.4

78.4

79.8

80.8

81.5

82.1

83.1

73.6

Rough cords per M cubic feet (without bark) =

2

Where Pine Other sojrwoods Hardwood

b” =z1 34.42135 10.01850 28.75793 9.15960 11.684 3.74431 10

c =1: 22.73994 25.54418 157.39417
Index to Detailed Tables

1.

2 .

3 .

4 .

5 .

6 .

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Area 21.

Area by land classes

Area of commercial forest land, by ownership classes

Area of commercial forest land, by stand-size and ownership classes

Area of commercial forest land, by stand-volume and ownership classes

Area of commercial forest land, by stocking classes based

on selected stand components

Area of commercial forest land, by ownership and stocking classes, with percent occupancy by selected stand components

Area of commercial forest land, by site and ownership

classes

22.

23.

24.

Area of commercial forest land, by forest types and ownership classes

Area of noncommercial forest land, by forest types

25.

26.

27.

Volume

Number of growing-stock trees on commercial forest land,

by species and diameter classes

Volume of timber on commercial forest land, by class of

ttmber and by softwood and hardwood

Volume of growing stock and sawtimber on commercial

forest land, by ownership classes and by softwood and

hardwood

28.

Volume of growing stock on commercial forest land, by

species and diameter classes

Volume of sawtimber on commercial forest land, by species and diameter classes

29.

Volume of sawtimber on commercial forest land, by species and quality classes

Growth, Removals, and Mortality

Net annual growth and removals of growing stock on

commercial forest land, by species

Net annual growth and removals of growing stock on

commercial forest land, by ownership classes and by softwood and hardwood

30.

31.

32.

33.

Net annual growth and removals of sawtimber on commercial forest land, by species

Net annual growth and removals of sawtimber on commercial forest land, by ownership classes and by softwood

and hardwood

Mortality of growing stock and sawtimber on commercial

forest .land, by species

34.

35.

on commercial forest land, by species group, diameter

class, and survey completion date,\ 1953.1961 and 1972.

36. Volume of all live timber, by species group and Survey

Unit,1 1953.1961 and 1972.

Mortality of growing stock and sawtimber on commercial

forest land, by ownership classes and by softwood and

hardwood

Mortality of growing stock and sawtimber on commercial

forest land, by causes and by softwood and hardwood

Utilization

Output of timber products, by product, by source of material, and by softwood and hardwood

Output of roundwood products, by product, by source, and

by softwood and hardwood

Annual timber removals from growing stock on commercial forest land, by items and by softwood and hardwood

Annual timber removals from live sawtimber on commercial forest land, by items and by softwood and hardWOOd

Volume of unused residues at primary manufacturing

plants, by industry and type of residue, and by softwood

and hardwood

Projections

Projections of net annual growth, available cut and inventory of sawtimber and growing stock on commercial forest

land, by softwood and hardwood

Supplemental Tables

Basal area per acre of growing stock and rough and rotten

trees 5.0 inches d.b.h. and larger, by forest type and Survey Unit

Number of growing stock and rough and rotten trees l.O4.9 inches d.b.h. per acre, by forest type and Survey Unit

Area of commercial forest land, by stand volume (board

feet) and ownership classes, by physiographic classes

Area of commercial forest land, by stand-volume (cubic

feet) and ownership classes, by physiographic classes

Average net volume and growth per acre on commercial

forest land, by physiographic class, tree class, and species

group

Land area, by class, major forest type, and survey completion date, 1953.1961 and 1972.

Volume of sawtimber, growing stock, and all live timber
Table 1. - Area by land classes,

Georgia, 1972

Land class 1 Area

Forest land:

Commercial

Productive-reserved

Unproductive

Total

Nonforest land:

Cropland

Pasture and range

Other’

Total

Thousand

Acres

24,839.0

383.7

30.2

25.252.9

f&279.7

2,825.7

3,021.4

12.1268

__I__.

All land% 37,379.7

lIncludes swampland, industrial and urban

areas, other nonforest land, and 350,500 acres

classed as water by Forest Survey standards

but defined by Bureau of Census as land.

%From U. S. Bureau of the Census, Land

and Water Area of the United States, 1960.

Table 2. - Area of commercial forest

land, by ownership classes, Georgia.

1972

Ownership class 1 Area

Thousand

acres

National Forest 839.3

Other Federal:

Bureau of Land Management -

Indian

Miscellaneous Federal 604;

Total other Federal 604.4

State 93.7

County and municipal

’ Forest industry’

Farmer-owned 8,410.l

Miscellaneous private:

Individual 9,088.l

Corporate 1,451.l

Total miscellaneous private 10,539.2

---

All ownerships 24,839.0

‘Not including 948,700 acres of farmerowned and miscellaneous ,private lands leased

to forest industry.

Table 3. -Area of commercial forest land. by stand-size and

ownersbin classes, Georafa, 1972

Stand-size class

Farmer

All National Other Forest and misc.

ownerships Forest public industry private

_---_-- Thousand acres - - - - - - -

Sawtimber 8,791.4 560.2 347.3 1,304.2 6S79.7

Poletimber 9,038.2 235.4 192.2 1,276.7 7,333.g

Sapling and seedling 6,350.6 43.7 159.3 1,598.g 4,548.7

Nonstocked 658.8 - 33.4 138.4 487.0

All classes 24,839.0 839.3 732.2 4,318.2 18,949.3

Table 4. - Area of commercial forest land, by sttid-volume

and ownership classes, Georgia, 1972

Farmer

Stand volume All National Other Forest and misc.

per acre’ ownerships Forest public industry private

----e-w Thousand acres - - - - - - -

Less than 1,500

board feet llJ76.7 116.9 291.1 2,347.5 8,421.2

1,500 to 5,000

board feet 8,639.2 340.7 231.0 lJ11.8 6,955.7

More than 5,000

board feet 5,023.l 381.7 210.1 858.9 3,572.4

All classes 24,839.0 839.3 732.2 4,318.2 l&949.3

‘International l/4-inch rule.

Table 5. - Area of commercial forest land, by stocking

classes based on selected stand components, Georgfa, 1972

Stocking classified in terms of:

Stocking All live Growing-stock trees

percentage trees - Rough and Inhibiting

Total Desirable Acceptable rotten trees vegetation

-_______--_-- Thousand acres - - - - - - - - -

160 4.8 -

150-159 14:.; 45.1

346:8 137.4 16.5

13;

- -

- -

140-149 36.9 -

130-I 39 lJ87.3 431.1 17.0 84.0 - -

120-129 3,005.8 1,037.O 43.2 289.9 -

110-119 4,362.9 1,949.3 86.4 464.9 2; -

100-109 4442.3 2,844.0 229.9 838.1 27:4 -

90-99 88 3,642.2 2,471.S 3,585.3 3,521.6 442.2 7641 1,035.6 1,335.6 100.5 5 3:*:

70-79 1,767.l 3J81.8 1,298.6 1,709.o 159.8 49:1

60-69 1,220.l 2,642.2 1,920.6 2,ooo.s 335.6 74.0

50-59 881.8 2,014.3 2,371.2 2,379.l 711.3 112.2

al-49 514.6 1,234.2 2,716.6 2,688.4 1,371.8 265.4

30-39 352.3 909.5 3J24.7 3,008.g 2,204.O 505.2

20-29 211.8 553.6 2,880.9 3,073.4

10-19

3,746.7 816.0

137.6 373.3 2,920.o 2,797.I

Less than

5,811.g 1,825.2

1 0 138.8 374.5 6,007.i 3,083.7 10,299.6 21 J54.3

Total 24,839.0 24,839.0 24,839.0 24,839.0 24,839.0 24,839.0
Table 6. - Area of commercial forest land, by ownership and stocking classes,’

with percent occupancy by selected stand components, Georgia, 1972

.--.-- . ..- __-..

I Stand components

Ownership and

stocking class

Growing-stock trees

 Rough and Inhibiting Nonstocked

Total Desirable Acceptable rotten trees vegetation

-

M acres _ _ _ _ - - - - _ _ _ - percentofa,ea - - - _ - - - - - _ _ _

National Forest:

Fully stocked Medium stockedstands \tands 465.1 150.7 92.1 13 33.2 20x 51.5 SR9 2::: 0.5 - 9.:

Poorlv stocked stands

-

223.5 46.5 8.5 38.0 45.7 1 .4 6:4

--..-- --- -.-

All \tand\ 839.3 70.2 -2().4-- -49.i--- 26.4 0.6 2.8

__~~_ ~~~~ -__--.-.-

Other public:

Fully \rocked stands 202.2 94.0 32.7 61.3 5.6 0.1 0.3

Medium stocked stands 305.3 75.6 36.9 38.7 12.1 4.4 1.9

Poorlv \tocketl stands 22 I .I 38.9 21.8 17.1 26.4 10.6 24.1 -~ -______.-.- ---

All stands 132.2 74.1 32.1 42.6 12.7 4.1 8.5

___-.---~--.-

I:ore\t intlu\try:

Fully \tocked st:tnds 1,212. I 92.9 40.9 52.0 6.2 0.2 0.7

Medium \tocked \tands 2,1YY.7 7c.7 43.0 32.7 12.6 3.6 8.1

Poorly stocked stands X46.4 36.6 22.1 14.5 19.6 13.3 30.5

4Tl8.2

~~~ --..-.---

All \tands 74.4 38.6 35.8 11.7 4.2 9.7

I::lrmer & mix. private:

Fully s1ocked .\t:rnds 4,820.4 92.4 37.0 55.4 6.7 0.3 0.6

Medium stocked stands 9.960.9 75 .I 33.5 42.2 16.5 2.5 5.3

Poorly stocked stands 4.168.0 38.9 19.2 19.7 26.8 10.8 23.5

- - - -~ ___----~~

All stands 18.949.3 72.1 31.5 41.2 15.9 3.6 7.8

Ail ownerships:

Fully stocked stands 6,448.4 92.6 37.4

Medium stocked stands 12,931 .O 75.6 35.1

Poorly stocked stands 5.459.6 38.8 19.6

All stands 24,839.0 73.1 32.6

‘Based on degree of growing-stock stocki;LT55.2 6.6 0.2 0.6

40.5 15.7 2.8 5.9

19.2 26.2 10.9 24.1

__-..-.- ~-______--

40.5 15.2 3.1 8.0

-

Table 7. - Area of commercial forest land, by site and

165 cu. ft.

or more 146.1 54.7 - is.3 76.1

120 to 165

cu. ft. 550.1 43.0 22.9 74.0 410.2

85 to 120

cu. ft. 5.8922 186.8 145.4 944.1 4,615.9

so to 85

cu. ft. 16,686.9 414.4 520.5 3,108.7 12.583.3

Less than SO

cu. ft. 1.563.1 80.4 43.4 176.1 1,263.8

All classes 24,839.0 839.3 132.2 4,318.2 18,949.3 _-.___--._~--I_.~.-~- ___

Table 8. - Area of commercial forest Iant

by forest types and ownership classe

Georgia, 1972

,i-~i2!s&L&~

- - Thousand acres - -

Softwood types:

White pine-hemlock 31.4 26.5

Longleaf pine 820.6 49.5 771

Slash pine 4J21.6 142.8 4,381

Loblolly pine 5,014.9 276.5 4,731

Shortleaf pine 1 J80.9 78.0 1,20:

Pond pine 222.3 13.6 20(

Virginia pine 377.1 49.5 321

Spruce pine 5.9 - :

Pitch pine 13.0 13.0

Sand oine 3.5 - :

Redcebar

Total

27.3 - 2’

.-.- - .___.-. -~.-

12,325.l 649.4 11,67:

.-

Hardwood types:

Oak-pine 4,142.9 254.3 3,88;

Oak-hickory 4.705.1 552.2 4,151

Southern scrub oak 465.7 28.6 43’

Oak-gum-cypress 2,615.g 70.5 2,54

Elm-ash-cottonwood 584.4 16.5 56

----.

Total 12.513.9 922.1 11.59 ~- ----

All types

___~_ ..- --. .__-

24.839.0 lJ71.5 23926

35
Table 9. - Area of noncommercial forest

land. by forest types, Georgia, 1972

Productive- UnproSpe All reserved ductive

areas areas areas

- - Thdusand acres - -

Longleaf-slash pine 45.5 45.5 -

Loblolly-shortleaf pine 8.6 8.6 -

Oak-pine 35.1 35.1 -

Oak-hickory 13.1 13.1

Oak-gum-cypress 311.6 281.4 30;

Elm-ash-cottonwood

All types

- - -

413.9 383.7 30.2

Table 10. - Number of growing-stock trees on commercial forest land. by species and diameter classes,

Georgia, 1972

Diameter class (inches at breast height)

Species

Au _ Classes 5.0- 7.0- 9.0- ll.O- 13.0- 15.0- ll.O- 19.0- 21.0-

6.9

29.0 and

8.9 10.9 12.9 14.9 16.9 18.9 20.9 28.9 larger

-______--__ -----------Thousund,rees _----- __.______________

Softwood :

Longleaf pine 105,528 3 1,924 25,080 21,291 15,785 7,838 2,558 704 236 112 -

Slash pine 541,112 299,411 133,762 57,075 29,022 13,466 5,399 1,786 741

Loblolly pine

435 1s

Shortleaf pine 729,603 304,474 335,106 153,449 179,206 78,573 40,692 96,390 20,793 57,47 1 33,989 15,888 7,024 2,704 1,714 51

7,554 2,325 785 209

Other yellow pines 107,077 50,051 28,427 15,370 7,631 3,192 1,539 573 142 1::

Eastern white pine

:

8,985 3,080 1,480 1,308 997 536 680 302 283 303

Eastern hemlock

1 6

857 227 185 265 24 1 9 2 5

Baldcypress 8,818 2,549 2,048 1,160 9:: 9:: 6:: 278 141 135

Pondcypress

::

54,665 22,926 13,486 8,533 5,470 2,499 1,124 366 124

Other eastern softwoods

129 8

3,956 2,412 836 382 207 62 4 9 - 5 - 7

Total softwoods 1,865,075 901,135 463,083 242,466 138,357 70,072 30,233 11,842 4,604 3,149 134

Hardwood:

Select white oaks1 72,899

Select red oaks2 22,957

Other white oaks 68,573

Other red oaks 238,508

Hickory 72,684

Hard maple 1,178

Soft maple 55,849

Beech 1,563

Sweetgum 206,8 14

Tupelo and blackgum 182,640

Ash 22,657

Cottonwood 381

Basswood 930

Yellow-poplar 76,906

Black walnut 815

Black cherry 5,853

Bay and magnolia 30,411

Elm 19,269

Sycamore 2,070

Other eastern hardwoods 21,483

29,274

9,369

26,010

102,730

31,421

666

22,776

200

99,020

69,604

8,136

182

393

28,068

453

2,926

14,385

8,296

506

10,728

17,024

4,274

16,485

55,719

16,720

188

14,116

141

49,492

45,226

6,135

111

15,826

174

1,742

7,162

4,765

480

4,100

11,347

3,580

10,534

33,026

10,294

170

8,781

193

28,748

30,629

3,515

159

11,146

26

845

4,020

2,482

367

2,662

6,632

2,095

6,235

19,902

6,459

4,6;:

216

14,863

18,264

2,285

8 6

134

9,527

104

203

2,429

1,665

231

1,960

4,264

1,282

4,098

11,846

3,787

2,5;‘:

325

8,229

10,438

1,265

::

5,242

2 8

1,4!:,

1,168

177

1,967

887

2,284

6,822

2,004

2 8

1,360

123

3,598

4,976

590

5 8

3,4::

12

54460

501

147

502

915 662 696

685 370 356

1,209 820 739

3,603 2,144 2,402

1,065 436 478

8:: 31 31,”

174

1,408 8::

111

640

2,064 719 674

342 159 159

2 7 - 15

1,5:: 734 - 71:

1 0 8 -

5 8

1:;

314

20

-

24

9

2

11

-

62

2:: 1;;

5

51

221 107 61

3::

2 1

112 ::

13

3

5

11

Total hardwoods 1>04,440 465,143 259,880 163,184 98,027 57,355 29,913 14,971 1,607 7,551 809

Al1 species 2,969,515 1,366,278 722,963 405,650 236,384 127,427 60,146 26,813 12,211 10,700 943

‘Includes white and swamp chestnut oaks.

*Includes cherrybark, northern red, and Shumard oaks.

3 6
Table 11. - Volume of timber on commercial forest land, by class of timber and

by softwood and hardwood, Georgia, 1972

-

Class of timber 1 ,~~~T~~T~~

- - Million- &&feet - -

Sawtimber trees:

Saw-log portion 14126.2 8,868,s s,251.1

Upper-stem portion 1 ,I263 850.1 876.2

Total -15,852.S 9,718.6 6J33.9

Poletimber trees 9,479.7 - 5.050.3 -- 4,429.4

All growing-stock trees -25,332.2 14,768.9 -1OJ63.3

- ~- ..-.---~~~--_. --_ -

Rough trees:

Sawtimber-size trees 127.2 73.5 653.7

Poletimber-size trees I ,260.2 122.9 I ,I 37.3

Total 1.987.4 196.4 1,791.o

- -

-___ --._

Rotten trees:

Sawtimber-sile trees 557.7 24.9 532.8

Poletimber-size trees 114.2 2.5 II 1.7

Total 671.9 27.4 644.5

---

Salvable dead trees:

Sawtimber-si7e trees 28.4 18.3 10.1

Poletimber-size trees 11.9 7.8 4.1

Total 40.3 26.1 14.2

Table 12. - Volume of growing stock and sawtimber on con:

mercial forest land, by ownership classes and by softwoo

and hardwood, Georuia, 1972

Growing stock Sawtimber

Ownership class All Soft- Hard- All Soft- Han

species wood wood species wood woo ~~~ ---__--.- _. - -

Million cubic feet Million board jeep

National Forest 1,178.2 485.0 693.2 3,939.9 1‘935.3 2,004

Other public 1 ,oos.x 709.7 296.1 3,498.4 2,712.7 785

Forest industry 4,273.7 2,605.7 1,668.0 12,278.6 7,660.7 4,617

Farmer and misc. private 18,874,s 10,968.S 7,906.O 52,481.8 33.346.2 19,135

All ownerships %,332.2 14,768.g lOJ63.3 72J98.7 45,654.g 26,543

‘Internauonal 1 /4-inch”?ulr--

Total, all timber 28.031.8 15,018.X 13,01370

Table 13. - Volume

-

of growing stock on commercial forest land, by species and diameter classes,

Georgia, 1972

--Tl---- Diameter cIass (inches at breast height)

Species All

l-1

classes s .o- I 7.0- 9.0- 11.0- 13.0- 15.0- 17.0- 19.0- 21.0- 29.0 and

-

6.9 8.9 10.9 12.9 14.9 16.9 18.9 20.9 28.9 larger

-__-_-___-__________-- Million cubic feet _ _ _ _ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ i _ _ - _ _ _ _ -

Softwood:

Longleaf pine

Slash pine

Loblolly pine

Shortleaf pine

Other yellow pines

Eastern white pine

Eastern hemlock

Baldcypress

Pondcypress

Other eastern softw

Total softwoods

Hardwood:

Select white oaks’

Select red oaks2

Other white oaks

Other red oaks

Hickory

Hard maple

Soft maple

Beech

Sweetgum

Tupelo and blackgum

Ash

Cottonwood

Basswood

Yellow-poplar

Black walnut

Black cherry

Bay and magnolia

Elm

1,250.l 3,779.2 777.3 92.9 175.8 843.2 285.0 7486 324.1 615.4 217.1 393.2 217.4 963 95.4 3.0 50.0 13.9 3E ii

6JO9.9 806.4 1,013.g 1,042.S 1,067.O 908.1 585.3 348.9 174.1 l&l 8.i

2,014.7 354.5 466.7 455.9 387.7 202.4 86.3 39.3 14.0 7.5 0.4

804.2 137.2 173.4 170.0 136.0 82.0 55.7 27.2 9.0 12.4 1.3

152.9 15.3 0.4 8.8 0.9 84 13.8 3.3 17.3 1 .o 13.5 24.1 14.8 18.3 31.5

140.9

7:::

12.7 14.3 17.9 2:.:

1.2 1.4 1.3 3.2 2

484.7 89.7 94.5 96.8 62:l

24.6 12.9 11.5 4:4

36.8 16.0 if 8.9 1.2

,oods 17.0 4.7 3.9 3.0 2.1 1.2 0.9 - 0’1 - 0.3

---. 14,768.9 2,261.7

- -

2,788.6 2,830.9 2,666.5 1.906.2 lJ28.6 590.9 296.6 275.4 2*

-____--

746.3 76.5 98.5

297.9 27.7 26.9

711.3 60.9 88.6

2,329.0 264.5 319.1

678.2 70.4 91.8

8.7 2.3 0.9

513.9 65.4 83.5

42.1 0.S 1 .o

1,6S2.5 212.1 282.7

1,721.6 184.4 274.2

237.6 22.0 38.8

7.6 0.5

12.0 1.4

921.8 74.8

5.5 1.1

35.0 1.5

251.4 41.8

174.9 18.1

-

0.5

97.2

1 .o

10.7

46.5

26.2

3.9

43.7

25.5

4.3

44.1

30.3

Sycamore 32.9 1.7 4.2

Other eastern hardwoods 182.S 26.1 24.2 27.3 33.9

Total hardwoods lO,S63.3 1,160.3 lSl6.2 1,752.9 1,708.l

124.0

38.6

102.9

342.5

104.3

1.8

94.7

2.0

324.6

332.2

40.1

-

2.3

133.1

0.2

8.8

113.3

37.3

98.9

323.3

111.3

0.5

78.7

3.8

285.1

320.9

41.4

1.7

2.4

172.4

:::

108.4

33.9

94.6

219.6

96.7

1.2

63.1

8.7

226.5

261.5

32.5

0.4

1.7

138.7

0.6

3:::

31.2

4.5

24.4

1,445.8

68.1 43.6

31.7 31.8

72.5 48.7

220.2 154.6

72.0 50.8

0.9 0.6

43.1 37.0

4.5 7.6

136.6 68.0

160.5 86.3

21.3 14.4

2.0 1.3

2.0

120.0 7:::

0.3 0.4

1.3 1.1

17.3 10.0

18.8 10.2

4.8 4.0

17.4 14.1

38.9

23 .O z.:

43.3 67:2

119.5 239.8

28.6 47.9

15.4 2;::

4.4

52.1 6;‘:

34.8 s9:7

9.0 15.2

- 1.7

- 0.6

43.1 60.6

0.4 -

0.7 0.3

5.5 4.5

6.9 7.2

1.1 3.8

6.7 6.3

10.9

11.7

33.7

65.9

4.4

3:

:::

2’::

11;

-

1.9

82

1:s

1,015.3 655.9 434.0 714.3 160.5

All species 2SJ32.2 3,422.0 4,304.8 -~--_____ 4S83.8 4J74.6 3,352.O 2,143.9 1,246.g 730.6 989.7 184.0

‘Includes whrte and swamp chestnut oaks.

%cludes cherrybark, northern red, and Shumard oaks.

3 7
Table 14. - Volume of sawtimber on commercial forest land, by species and diameter classes. Georgia,

1972

Diameter class (inches at breast heipht)

Species

All

classes 9.0- 11.0- 13.0- 1.5.0- 17.0- 19.0- 21.0- 29.0 and

10.9 12.9 14.9 16.9 18.9 20.9 28.9 larger

Softwood:

Longleaf pine

Slash pine

Lobloliy pine

Shortleaf pine

Other yellow pines

Eastern white pine

Eastern hemlock

Baldcypress

Pondcypress

Other eastern softwoods

Total softwoods

4,776.l 1J73.4 1,.564.9 1.156.7 550.4 196.6 76.1 58.0 -

9,940.4 2,859.S 2,852.T 2,030.6 1,182.l 526.1 279.2 194.9 15.5

20.782.7 3,803.9 4,961.3 4,730.4 3,326.T 1.976.2 1,017.5 914.0 52.9

5,294.S 1.670.6 1,767.0 1,028.4 474.2 222.7 82.8 45.9 2.9

2.146.0 589.2 587.5 402.2 293.4 144.1 52.0 70.1 7.5

-,704.5 47.1 72.8 63.5 124.9 81.6 105.6 193-6 lj.4

72.3 11.1 2.4 7.3 7.7 19.4 14.2

560.6 33.5 6::: 126.0 13;: 66.8 46.2 62.8 24.5

1.343.8 300.4 393.7 291.2 187:s 84.0 36.4 44.7 5.9

34.0 11.3 10.3 5.0 4.2 - 1.9 - 1.3

45,654.9 10‘500.0 12,282.l 9,836.4 6,282.l 3,305.4 1,705.4 1,603.4 140.1

Hardwood:

Select white oaks’

Select red oaks2

Other white oaks

Other red oaks

Hickory

Hard maple

Soft maple

Beech

Sweetgum

Tupelo and blackgum

Ash

Cottonwood

Basswood

Yellow-poplar

Black walnut

Black cherry

Bay and magnolia

Elm

Sycamore

Other eastern hardwoods

1,955.4 -

898.4 -

1,904.3 -

6,174.6 -

1,822.4 -

17.3 -

1,089.3 -

180.0 -

3,695.8 -

3,722.S -

555.3 -

35.6 -

31.7 -

2,974.8 -

12.2 -

27.5 -

487.8 -

429.1 -

106.3 -

423.5 -

378.7

122.7

327.5

1,099.2

374.4

2.1

244.9

12.4

1,032.7

1,002.9

123.4

6.6

7.8

634.8

;:i

149.0

99.6

13.2

113.8

441.4

132.9

362.5

1,140.l

399.4

24:‘:

36:9

999.3

1.035.1

‘127.0

2.3

62::;

3.2

5.3

146.0

119.7

18.1

95.8

313.3

137.7

310.6

1,023.5

351.0

4.7

183.3

22.2

693.8

730.1

98.3

9.3

8.1

633.0

:::

78.5

87.6

22.5

78.5

212.3

150.4

222.3

767.0

259.2

2.1

177.3

36.4

354.0

441.0

69.4

7.5

39:::

i.6”

so:0

48.3

21.1

65.0

200.7

113.0

215.5

617.8

151.4

-

77.8

22.8

282.2

182.3

48.7

-

-

251.4

:.:

29:2

34.9

7.0

32.2

344.5 64.5

177.9 63.8

324.7 141.2

1,200.6 326.4

261.4 25.6

2.6 -

142.8 20.3

42.4 6.9

316.9 16.9

297.8 33.3

79.3 9.2

;:; 1

366.6 72.4

- -

2x

35:8

127;

3.2

20.1 3.7

31.0 7.2

Total hardwoods 26J43.8 - 5,758.0 5,945.q 4,793.2 3,286.4 2,271.5 3,681.g 806.9

All species 72,198.7 l&500.0 18,040.l 15,782.3 11.075.3 6,591.8 3,976.q 5,28X3 947.0

‘Includes white and swamp chestnut oaks.

%cludes cherrybark, northern red, and Shumard oaks.

38
Table 15. - Volume of sawtimber on commercial forest Icmd, by

species and quality classes, Georgia, 1972

I--

Log or tree grade

Species All

grades 1 2 3 4

_ _ - - - - - Million-board feet - - - - - - - -

Softwood:

Yellow pines’ 42,939.1 11,571.4 4,754.4 26,613.9 PI

Eastern white pine’l 704.5 42.3 202.2 460.0 -

~‘vored .I.1.904.4 625.5 714.3 564.6 -

Other eastern softwood<’ 106.3 - 1.2 105.1 -

____._ ~~~~-.-.-.- -~~~~.~ -.-. ~--.-.

Total 45,654.9 12.239.2 5,612.l 27,143.6 - --- .-__-.-. - -

Il;lrtlwootl:’

Select white and red oaks 2.X53.8 941.2 529.2 1,205.2 178.2

Other white ;rnd red oaks 8,07X.9 1,798.7 1,541.7 4,275.4 463.1

Hickory lJ22.4 283.5 348.6 1,097.9 92.4

Hard maple 17.3 1.5 5.2 10.6 -

Sweetgum 3,695.X 668.0 657.1 2,201.7 169.0

Ash, walnut, and black cherry 595.0 194.5 205.9 192.0 2.6

Yellow-poplar 2,974.8 619.1 635.5 iJ76.9 143.3

Other hardwoods 6JO5.8 1,126.8 1.358.9 3,864.5 155.6 ___-...-

Total 26,543.8----5,633.3-,182.i 14,424.2 1,204.2

~~.___ --_____.-.

All species 72,198.7 17.872.5 10,954.2 42,167.8 1,204.2-

- __.. 1 Baseti- on ~-S~lherNPineC;~~~~-~o~d arxl Structural Lumber, Research

Paper SE-40, published by the Southeastern Forest Experiment Station in 1968.

“Not applicable.

:‘Based on Trial Log Grades for Eastern Whire Pine prepared by the Northeastern

Forest Experiment Station in 1960.

“Graded according to Hardwood Log Grades for Standard Lumber published by the

U. S. Forest Products Laboratory in 1953. Specifications for the grade 4 tie and timber

logs are based chiefly on knot size and log soundness.

Table 16. - Net annual growth and

removals of growing stock on commercial forest land, by species, Georgia,

1972

Net ANlUal

Species annual timber

growth removals

Million cubic feet

Softwood:

Yellow Dines 1.128.0 778.5

Eastern white pine 9.5 1.1

Cvoress -.* 12.7 3.9

Other eastern softwoods

Total softwoods

Hardwood:

2.9 0.3 _._~~- .-.. -~~.-

1,153.l 783.8

Select white and red oaks 44.3 24.2

Other white and red oaks 134.4 60.4

Hickory 19.9 13.7

Hard maple 0.4 -

Sweetgum 15.4 44.0

Ash, walnut, and black cherry 10.5 5.2

Yellow-poplar 59.0 21.4

Tupelo and blackgum 33.4 37.2

Other eastern hardwoods 46.8 21.9 _~~-.---. -

Total hardwoods 424.1 234.0

-___---

All soecies 1.511.2 1,017.8

Table 17. - Net annual growth and removals of growing

stock on commercial forest land, by ownership classes and

by softwood and hardwood, Georgia, 1971

Net annual growth Annual timber removals

Ownership class All Soft- Hard- All Soft- Hardspecies wood wood species wood wood

- _ _ _ _ - - Million cubic feet - - - - - - - - -

National Forest 49.9 26.4 23.5 14.8 9.2 5.1

Other public 58.1 47.5 10.6 42.5 33.4 9 .

Forest industrv 211.2 210.0 61.2 210.9 180.2 30.'

Farmer and misc. private l.lG8.0 869.2 328.8 749.6 561.0 188.1

--..___~ --

Ail ownerships 1,577.2 1,153.l 424.1 1,017.8 783.8 234.1 --..
Table 18. - Net armual growth and removals of sawtimber on commercial

forest land, by species, Georgia, 1971

Net Annual

Species annual timber

growth removals

Ml&on board feer

Softwood:

Yellow pines 3,904.6 2,900.3

Eastern white pine 41.2 6.3

Cypress 57.1 11.7

Other eastern softwoods 5.2 -

Total softwoods 4,008.l 2,918.3

Hardwood:

Select white and red oaks 141.5 90.5

Other white and red oaks

Hickory

Hard maple

Sweetgum

Ash, walnut, and black cherry

Yellow-poplar

Tupelo and blackgum

Other eastern hardwoods

392.2 201.7

60.5 58.2

0.6 -

177.8 145.3

29.5 14.8

215.1 97.7

93.2 115.2

124.2 64.8

Table 19. - Net annual growth and removals of sawtimber

commercial forest land, by ownership classes and by softwo

and hardwood. Georgia, 1971

1 Net annual growth 1 Annual timber remov

Ownership class

National Forest

Other public

Forest industry

Farmer and misc. private

All ownerships

AII Soft- Hard- All Soft- Har

species wood wood species wood woe

-

184.1

- - - Million board feet - - - - - - - .

108.5 76.2 61.0 35.4

229.5 196.7 32.8 164.7 134.8 9

904.9 712.1 192.8 761.1 664.0

3,923.6 2,990.8 932.8 2,719.7 2,084.l 6:

5,242.7 4,008s I,234.6 3,706.5 -2,918.3 78

Total hardwoods 1,234.6 788.2

All species 5,242.7 3,706.5

Table 21 . - Mortality of growing stock and sawtimber on commercial forest land, by ownership classes and by softwood and

hardwood, Georgia, 197 1

Growing stock Sawtimber

Ownership class AI1 Soft- Hard- All Soft- Hardspecies wood wood species wood wood

Million cubic feet Million board feet

National Forest 5.1 26.8 10.1 16.7

Other public Forest industry 2517 E 15:3 :.; 12.: 17.5 11.7

53:s

69.7 39.6 3i.f

Farmer and misc. private 115.8 62.0 292 7 150.4 142:3

All ownershim 155.6 84.2 71.4 406.7 211.8 194.9

Table 20. - Mortality of growing stc

and sawtimber on commercial forest lax

by species. Georgia, 1971

Growing

Species stock Sawtim

Million Mill

Softwood:

Yellow pines

Eastern white pine

Cypress

Other eastern softwoods

Total softwoods

cu. ft.

82.0

0.5 1.4

0.3

84.2

bd.

202

:

1

211

Hardwood:

Select white and red oaks

Other white and red oaks

Hickory

Hard maple

2:i

4:1

23 61

1 5

0.1 92 2’: _ _ Sweetgum

Ash, walnut, and black cherry 3.2 4

Yellow-poplar 3.6

Tupelo and blackgum ::

Other eastern hardwoods 1::: 31

Total hardwoods 71.4 194

All species 155.6 406

Table 22. -Mortality of growing stock and sawtimber on commercial forest land, by causes and by softwood and hardwood,

Georgia. 197 1

Fire

Insects

Disease

Other

Unknown

All causes

Million c$ic feet

9.2

11.2 IL1

:::

20.9 15.2

58.0 33.4 2:::

56.3 18.3 38.0

155.6 84.2 71.4

Million board feet

19.5 13.8 5.7

44.7 44.7

54.6 39.1 15.5

111.7 56.7 55.0

116.2 57.5 118.7

406.7 211.8 194.9
M bd. ft.’ 1,220.867 241,738 1.208.196 239,229 12,671 2,509

M bd. ft.’ 304,779 51,599 304,266 57,502 513 9 7

M bd. ft.’ I,525646 299,337 1,512,462 296,731 13,184 2,606

M bd. ft.’ 153,247 27,147 153,247 27,147 - -

M bd. ft.’ 76,742 13,200 76,142 13,200 - -

---__

M bd. ft.’ 229,989 40,347 229,989 40,347 - -

Std. cords? 6,431,032 479,047 5,343,014 398,001 1,08X,018 81,046

Std. cords” 827,088 62,528 621,24S 46,966 2@5,R43 15,562

.____-- -. -

Std. cords” 7‘258,120 541,575 5,964,259 444,967 1,293,861 96,608

Table 23. - Output of timber products, by product, by source of material, and

by softwood and hardwood, Georgia, 1971

Total output Roundwood products Plant byproducts

Product and Standard

species group units Number Thousand Number Thousand Number Thousand

of units cu. ft. of units cu. ft. of units cu. ft.

Saw logs:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Veneer logs and bolts:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Pulpwood : a

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Cooperage:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Poles and piling:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Posts (round and split):

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Other:’

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

Total industrial products:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

M bd. ft.’ -

M bd. ft.’ 531 ii 531 89 1 :

.--~

M bd. ft.’ 531 8 9 531-89 - -

M pieces 601 10,340 601 10,340 - -

M pieces - - - - - -

M pieces 601 10,340 601 10,340 - ---

M pieces 10,225 6,590 10,225 6,590 - -

M pieces - - - - - -

M pieces 10,225 6,590 10,225 6,590 - -

M cu. ft. 16,932 16,932 1,241 1,241 15,691 15,691

M cu. ft. 4,521 4,521 1,501 1,501 3,020 3,020

~--

M cu. ft. 21,453 21,453 2,742 2,742 18,711 18,711

- 781,794 - 682,548 - 99,246

- 137,937 - 119,258 - 18,679

- 919,731 - 801,806 - 17,325

Std. cords 35,092 5,629 24,580 4,867 10,512 762

Std. cords 41,476 6,962 33,881 6,403 7,595 559

Std. cords 76,568 12,591 58,461 11,270 18,107 1,321

Fuelwood:”

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

All products:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

- 787,423 - 687,415 - 100,008

- 144,899 - 125,661 - 19,238

- 932,i22 - 813,076 - 119,246

‘International l/4-inch rule.

*Roundwood figures include 243,349 cords of roundwood chipped at other primary wood-using

plants.

ERough-wood basis (includes chips converted to equivalent standard cords).

‘Includes hewn ties, excelsior bolts, shingle bolts, turnery bolts, and chemical wood.

5Excludes approximately 9,054 thousand cubic feet of plant byproducts used for industrial fuel.
Table 24. - Output of roundwood products, by product, by source, and

by softwood and hardwood, Georgia, 1971

-

Growing stock trees’

Product and All

species group sources Saw- PoleCulltrees’

Sacfzty Other

sources2

Total timber timber trees’

-----*-*-*wThousand cubic feet - - - - - - - - - - - -

Saw logs:

softwood

Hardwood

Total

239,229 232,251 214,134 18,117 2,782 - 4,196

57,502 56,417 55,017 1,400 1,022 - 6 3

296,731 288,668 269,151 19,517 3,804 - 4,259

Veneer logs and bolts:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

27,147 26,552 26,552 -

13,200 12,886 12,886 - 211 1

595

103

40,347 39,438 39,438 - 211 - 698

Pulpwood:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

398,001 366,280 220,421 145,859 9,063 163 22,495

46,966 44,150 21,448 22,702 2,096 - 720

444,967 410,430 241,869 168,561 11,159 163 23,215

Cooperage:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

8 9 8 6 8 6 - - - 3

8 9 8 6 8 6 - - - 3

Poles and piling:

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

10,340 10,154 10,154 - - - 186

- - - - - - -

10,340 10,154 10,154 - - - 186

Posts (round and split) :

softwood

Hardwood

Total

6,590 4,312 300 4,012 957 - 1,321

- - - - - - -

6,590 4,312 300 4,012 957 - 1,321

Other :

Softwood

Hardwood

Total

1,241 1,165 175 990 - -

1,501 1,432 1,081 351 46 -

2,742 2,597 1,256 1,341 46 - 99

Total industrial products:

Softwood 682,548 640,714 471,736 168,978 163

Hardwood

12,802 28,869

119,258 114,971 90,518 24,453 3,375 - 912

Total 801,806 755,685 562,254 193,431 16,177 163 29,781

Fuel wood :

Softwood 4,867 4,585 3,659 926

Hardwood 6,403 5,322 2,858 2,464 781 1

282

294

Total 11,270 9,907 6,517 3,390 787 - 576

All products:

Softwood 687,415 645,299 475,395 169,904 163

Hardwood

12,802 29,151

125,661 120,293 93,376 26,917 4,162 - 1,206

Total 813,076 765,592 568,771 196,821 16,964 163 30,357

l0n commercial forest land.

*Includes trees less than 5.0 inches in diameter, tree tops and limbs from commercial

forest areas, or material from noncommercial forest land or nonforest land such as fence

rows or suburban areas.

A.3
Table 25. - Armual timber removals from Table 27. - Volume of unused residues at

growing stock on commercial forest lcmd, primary manufacturing plants, by industry

by items and by softwood and hardwood, and type of residue, and by softwood and

Georgia, 197 1 hardwood, Georgia, 197 1

1 All 1 Soft- 1 Hard- Species group Veneer

and type All Lumber and Other

of residues industries plywood

- - Thousand cubic feet - -

Item species wood wood

Thousand cubic feet

Roundwood products:

Saw logs 288,668 232,251 56,417

Veneer logs and bolts 39,438 26,552 12.886

Pulpwood 410,430 366,280 44,150

Cooperage logs and bolts 8 6 - 8 6

Poles and piling 10,154 10,154 -

Posts 4,312 4,312 -

Other 2,597 1,165 1,432

Fuelwood 9,907 4,585 5,322

All products 165,592 645,299 120,293

Logging residues 117,921 72,851 45,070

Other removals 134,258 65,711 68,547

Total removals 1,017,771 783,861 233,910

Table 26. - Annual timber removals from

live sawtimber on commercial forest land.

by items and by softwood and hardwood.

Georgia, 197 1

I All 1 Soft- 1 HardItem species wood wood

- Thousand board feet -

Roundwood products:

Saw logs 1,466,172 1,180,544 285,628

Veneer logs and bolts 224,806 149,891 74,915

Pulpwood 1,041,421 987,032 54,389

Cooperage logs and

bolts 2 511 - 511

F’z,s and piling 59,909 1,405 59,909 1,405 -

Other 4,634 633 4,001

Fuelwood 24,136 15,432 8,704

AI1 products 2,822,994 2,394,846 428,148

Logging residues 398,510 265,177 133,333

- -

Other removals 484,919 258,208 226,711

Total removals 3.706.423 2.918.231 788.192

Softwoods:

Coarse’

Fine*

Total

Hardwoods:

Coarse’

Fine2

Total

All species:

Coarse’

Fine*

2,604 2,562 6 3 6

24.831 24.712 2 1 9 8

:----.I

27,435 27,274 27 134

3,383 2,719 148 516

10.533 1

13:916

9.77s

12;494

757

905 517-

5,987 5,281 154 552

35.364 34.487 778 9 9

Total 411351

--------

39;768 932 651

‘Maternal, such as slabs, edgings, and veneer cores.

*Material, such as sawdust and shavings.

Table 28. - Projection of net annual growth, crvailable

cut. and inventory of sowtimber and growing stock on

commercial forest land, by softwood cmd hardwood, Georgia. 1971 to 2001’

Projected to:

Species group 1971

1981 1991 2001

GROWING STOCK (In thousand cubic feet) .

Softwood:

cut

Growth

Inventory*

Hardwood:

cut

Growth

InventoryP

Total:

cut

Growth

Inventory*

783,800 1,012,SOO 1,168,200 I ,260,200

1,153,100 1,282,800 1,307,700 1,260,200

14,768,900 17,667,100 19,273,300 19,537,300

234,000 319,400 404,300

424,100 465,900 484,000

10,563,300 12,030,400 12,880,OOO

1,017,800 1,331,900 1,572,SOO

1,577,200 1,748,700 1,791,700

25,332,200 29,697,SOO 32.153.300

AWTlMBER (In thousand board feet)

473,100

473,100

13,000,800

1,733,300

1,733,300

32,538,100

Softwood:

cut

Growth

Inventory%

Hardwood:

cut

Growth

Inventorya

Total:

cut

Growth

S

2,918,300 3,780,300 4,577,OOO 5061,700

4,008,100 4,867,OOO S,175,900 S,O61,700

45,654,900 56,885,400 63,932,200 65,486,200

788,200 981,800 1,171,800

1,234,600 1,331,600 1,357,100

26,543,800 30,096,700 32,058,200

3,706,SOO 4,762,100 S,748,800

5,242,700 6,198,600 6533,000

1,308,900

1,308,900

32,286,OOO

6,370,600

6,370,600

Inventory* 72,198,700 86,982,100 95,990,400 97,172,200

‘Assumptions:

1. Area of commercial forest land will decline at the rate of 50,000

acres each year.

2. Forestry progress will continue at the rate indicated by recent

trends.

3. Cut starting at the 1971 level will gradually increase and come into

balance with growth by year 2001.

*Inventory as of January 1 of the following year.

4 3
Table 29. - Basal area per acre of growing stock

and rough and rotten trees 5.0 inches d.b.h. and

larger, by forest type and Survey Unit. Georgia.

1972

-e----Square feet - - - - - -

White pine-hemlock:

Growina stock 118.6 - - - - 118.6

Rough and rotten trees 13.5 - - - - 13.5

All trees 132.1 - - - - 132.1

Longleaf-slash pine:

Growing stock 40.1 38.8 42.0 44.0 69.4 86.4

Rough and rotten trees 1.5 1.3 1.9 1.6 1.6~--

All trees 41.6 40.1 43.9 45.6 77.0 86.4

Loblolly-shortleaf pine:

Growing stock 56.2 49.1 48.3 55.6 58.8 61.2

Rough and rotten trees 3.4 3.2 3.5 2.6 3.4

.~

6.9

All trees 59.6 52.3 51.8 58.2 62.2 68.1

Oak-pine :

Growing stock 45.6 41.6 39.5 46.4 53.0 49.0

Rough and rotten trees 7.7 6.8 8.9 6.3 6.6 14.2

All trees 53.3 48.4 48.4 52.7 59.6 63.2

Oak-hickory:

Growina stock

Rough &d

41.1 32.4 26.1 40.7 52.5 46.4

rotten trees 12.3 10.7 12.4 9.4 11.9 18.2

All trees 53.4 43.1 38.5 50.1 64.4 64.6

Oak-gum-cypress:

Growing stock 65.1 64.7 61.6 69.6 65.7 -

Rough and rotten trees 18.8 21.2 18.5 14.2 16.5 -

All trees 83.9 85.9 80.1 83.8 82.2 -

Elm-ash-cottonwood:

Growing stock 59.2 64.9 55.4 62.3 55.2 38.9

Rough and rotten trees 17.7 23.6 16.0 14.3 17.6 22.1

All trees 76.9 88.5 71.4 76.6 72.8 61.0

All Woes:

Gro&tg stock 48.8 44.3 44.1 51.2 56.4 52.1

Rough and rotten trees 7.5 7.0 8.1 6.1 6.7 13.8

Ail trees 56.3 51.3 52.2 57.3 63.1 65.9

Table 30. - Number of growing stock and rough

and rotten trees 1.0-4.9 inches d.b.h. per acre, by

forest type and Survey Unit, Geoigia, 1972 -

Forest type

South- South- Cen- North

State east west tral Central North

- - - _ Number of trees - - - - -

White pine-hemlock:

Growing stock

ig 1 1 1 1

300

Rough and totten trees 320

All trees 620 - - - - 620

Longleaf-slash pine:

Growing stock 302 303 306 281 200 400

Rough and rotten trees 8 2 8 3 7 8 8 6 200 400

All trees 384 386 384 367 400 800

Loblolly-shortleaf pine:

Growing stock 436 344 319 454 456 439

Rough and rotten trees 207 119 154 185 200 412

All trees 643 463 473 639 656 851

Oak-pine:

Growing stock 332 340 350 347 310 290

Rough and rotten trees 339 277 228 340 396 527

All trees 671 617 578 687 ?06 817

Oak-hickory:

Growing stock

Rough and

231 198 208 278 244 180

rotten trees 367 262 234 364 380 494

All trees 598 460 442 642 624 674

Oak-gum-cypress:

Growing stock 344 384 314 311 192 -

Rough and rotten trees 325 369 255 292 375 -

Ah trees 669 7.53 569 603 567 -

Elm-ash-cottonwood:

Growing stock 148 166 175 170 150

Rough and rotten trees 320 379 425 279 2:: 625

All trees 468 545 600 449 338 775

All types:

Growing stock 330 314 300 361 361 284

Rough and rotten trees 246 185 170 258 283 475

All trees 576 499 470 619 644 759

44
Table 31. - Area of commercial forest land, by stand volume (board feet) and ownership classes. by

nhvsfoara&fc classes. Georafa. 1972

Ownership class and

Physiographic class

stand volume per acre’ All Broad Narrow Mountain Flatwoods Bays and Other

(Bd. ft.) classes D=P stream stream tops and and dry wet Rolling Sandhills misc.

swamps margins margins slopes pocosins pocosins uplands classes

____-______-_-----_----Thousandacres - _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

National Forest:

Less than 1,500 116.9 - -

1,500 to 5,000 340.1 -

More than 5,000 381.7 - 3;

All classes 839.3 - 3.9

Other public:

Less than 1,500 291.1 4.0 0.1

1,500 to 5,000 231.0

7.7

6.0

More than 5,000 210.1 -

All classes 132.2 11.7 6.7

Forest industry:

Less than 1,500 1,500 to 5,000 2.347.5 1,111.8 4.2 35.926

More than 5,000 --..~~- 858.9 18.0~..__176.8

All classes 4,318.2 26.4 245.3

Farmer and misc. private:

Less than 1,500 8,421.2 10.8 50.3

1,500 to 5,000 6,955.7 35.1 173.5

More than 5,000 3S72.4 36.8 201.6

All classes 18,949.3 82.7 425.4

All ownerships:

Less than 1,500 11J76.7 19.0 86.9

1,500 to 5,000 8,639.2 39.3 212.1

More than 5,000 5,023.l 62.5 382.3

-~-.-- Ail classes 24,839.0 120.8 681.3

‘Sawtimber volume, International l/4-inch rule.

2.3 87.0 - - 22.8 - 4.8

4.6 208.1 - - 119.1 -

16.3 200.9 - - 154.3 - ::!i

2x2 496.0 - - 296.2 - 20.0

24.4 100.9 10.5 139.8 0.5 10.3

26.5 3; 88.0 104.2 - 2.4

43.8 0.3 43.3 6.9 99.9 - 8.2

94.7 4.2 232.2 17.4 343.9 0.5 20.9

168.” 94.7 18.4 209 241.8 904.3 29.0 81.6 lJ27.7 563.0 38.1- :;

170.2 6.2 137.2 18.4 296.1 - 3Q.O

433.8 45.5 1,283.3 129.0 1,986.8 38.1 130.0

615.4 131.9 1,499.2 163.3 5J47.3 190.8 212.2

1 J59.9 226.3 812.9 115.3 4,239.2 21.4 172.1

929.4 41.5 512.5 27.4 1,717.4 - 105.8

2,704.7 399.7 2,824.6 306.0 1 lJO3.9 212.2 490.1

736.8 239.8 2,504.4 255.4 6,837.6 229.4 267.4

1,359.g 456.7 1,142.7 144.3 5,025s 21.4 237.3

1.159.7 248.9 693.0 52.7 2,267.1 - 661.0

3,256.4 945.4 4,340.l 452.4 14,130.S 250.8 661.0

Table 32. - Area of commercial forest land, by stand volume (cubic feet) and ownershfp classes, by

physiographic classes, Georgia. 1972

Physiographic class

Ownership class and

stand volume per acre’ Al1 Broad Narrow Mountain Flatwoods Bays and Other

(Cu. ft.) classes Deep stream stream tops and and dry wet Rolling Sandhills misc.

I

swamps margins margins slopes pocosins pocosins uplands classes

____-______-__-________ Thousand acres _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

National Forest:

Less than 500 58.6 - - 45.4 - - 12.9 - -

500 to 1,000 159.3 - - 5.: 97.8 -

20:9

- 50.8 -

More than 1,000

___--

621.4 - 3.9 352.8 - - 232.5 - 1::: ______ -~.~-

All classes 839.3 - 3.9 23.2 496.0 - - 296.2 - 20.0

Other public:

Less than 500 273.7 4.0 0.7 21.0 3.9 89.3 5.6 141.4 0.5 7.3

500 to 1,000 116.1

7; 6.0

14.9 - ii.8 4.9 38.1 - - ii

More than 1,000 _____.~- 342.4 __.---58.8 0.3 90. I 6.9 164.4 - 8.2

All classes 732.2 11.7 6.7 94.7 4.2 232.2 17.4 343.9 0.5 20.9

Forest industry:

Less than 500 1,780.9

500 to 1,000 888.5

More than 1,000 l&%8.8

All classes 4,318.2

Farmer and misc. private:

Less than 500 5,378,s

500 to 1,000 5,372.g

More than 1,000 8,197.g - -

All classes 18,949.3

All ownerships:

Less than 500 7.491.7

500 to 1,000 6,536,s

More than 1,000 10,810.5

All classes 24,839.0

*Growing-stock volume.

4.2 29.0 65.0 6.6 714.6 78.0 825.9 38.1 19.5

- 12.0 108.5 28.0 214.4 19.5 476.2 - 29.9

22.2 204.3 260.3 10.9 354.3 31.5 684.7 - 80.6

--__

26.4 245.3 433.8 45.5 iy283.3 129.0 1,986.8 38.1 130.0

- 29.8 298.8 79.9 1,154.3 141.6 3,347s 190.4 136.6

11.2 66.3 582.6 127.2 734.8 71.9 3,637.l 14.4 127.4

71.5 329.3 1,823.3 192.6 935.5 92.5 4,519.7 7.4 226.1

82.7 425.4 2,704.7 399.7 ~---2,824.6 306.0 11 JO3.9 212.2 490.1

8.2 59.5 385.1 135.8 1,958.2 225.2 4,327.3 229.0 163.4

11.2 78.3 708.0 253.0 1,002.o 96.3 4,202.2 14.4 171.4

101.4 543.5 2,163.3 556.6 1,379.g 130.9 5,601.3 7.4 326.2 .-___ --..- _-..

120.8 681.3 3,256.4 945.4 ~---- 4,340.l 452.4 14J30.8 250.8 661.0

4 5
Table 33. - Average net volume cmd growth per acre on commercial forest land, by physiograpbfc class,

tree class, and species group, Georgia, 1972

Physiographic class

Net volume per acre INet growth per acre

and tree class Softwood 1 Hardwood I Total 1 Softwood 1 Hardwood 1 Total

Cubic Board Cubic Board Cubic Board Cubic Board Cubic Board Cubic Board

feet feet feet feet feet feet feet feet feet feet feet feet

Deep swamps:

Growing stock 465.5 1,165 1,848.6 4,199 2,314.l 5,964 15.5 67 45.2 125 60.7 192

Rough and rotten trees 66.4 - 341.0 - 407.4 - 0.7 - 4.2 - 4.9 -

Total 531.9 1,765 2J89.6 4,199 2,121s 5,964 16.2 6 7 49.4 125 65.6 192

Broad stream margins:

Growing stock 295.8 1,301 1,521.7 4,920 1,817.S 6,221 12.6 64 45.8 162 - 58.4 226

Rough and rotten trees 13.2 - 295.5 - 309.1 - 0.2 - 5.2 - 5.4 -

Total 309.0 1,301 1,817.6 4,920 2,126.6 6,221 12.8 64 51.0 162 63.8 226

Narrow stream margins:

Growing stock 444.6 1,752 962.6 2,536 1,407.2 4,288 25.0 111 35.2 111 60.2 222

Rough and rotten trees 5.6 - 213.1 - 218.7 - 0.2 - 4.2 - 4.4 -

Total 450.2 1,752 1,175.7 2,536 1,625.g 4,288 25.2 111 39.4 111 64.6 222

Mountain tops and slopes:

Growing stock 316.8 1,070 873.4 2,465 1,190.2 3,535 19.2 6 6 30.5 96 49.7 162

Rough and rotten trees 10.0 - 277.0 - 287.0 - 1.6 - 5.4 - 7.0 -

Total 326.8 1,070 lJ50.4 2,465 1,471.2 3,535 20.8 66 35.9 96 56.1 162

Flatwoods and dry pocosins:

Growing stock 700.9 2,096 106.1 240 807.0 2,336 55.9 200 4.3 1 0 60.2 210

Rough and rotten trees 4.1 - 41.7 - 45.8 - 0.5 - 0.8 - 1.3 -

Total 705.0 2,096 147.8 240 8SL.8 2,336 56.4 200 5.1 1 0 61.5 210

Bays and wet pocosins:

Growing stock 424.4 1,358 318.8 556 743.2 1,914 25.5 9 3 11.4 1 7 36.9 110

Rough and rotten trees 10.5 - 102.2 - 112.7 - 0.5 - 1.7 - 2.2 -

Total 434.9 1,358 421.0 556 855.9 1,914 26.0 9 3 13.1 1 7 39.1 110

Rolling uplands:

Growing stock 637.4 1,881 308.3 706 945.1 2,587 54.2 179 14.8 4 1 69.0 220

Rough and rotten trees 10.5 - 63.8 - 74.3 - 1.4 - 1.9 - 3.3 -

Total 647.9 1,881 372.1 706 1 ,WO.O 2,587 55.6 179 16.7 4 1 72.3 220

Sandhills:

Growing stock 124.8 374 35.1 8 3 159.9 451 11.2 3 4

Rough and rotten trees 1.8 - 41.5 - 43.3 - - - ;P, 3

131

0:9

3 7

-

Total 126.6 374 76.6 8 3 203.2 451 11.2 3 4 2.8 3 14.0 3 7

Other misc. classes:

Growing stock 751.0 2,211 572.8 1,260 1,323.g 3,471 32.4 127 16.0 46

Rough and rotten

48.4 173

trees 12.1 - 147.3 - 159.4 - 0.4 - 2.4 - 2.8 -

Total 763.1 2,211 720.1 1,260 1,483.2 3,47 1 32.8 121 18.4 46 51.2 173

All classes:

Growing stock Rough and rotten trees 594.6 9.0 1,838 - 425.3 98.1 1,069 - 1,019.g 107.1 2,907- 46.4 1.0 161- 17.1 5 0 63.5 211

2.2

-

3.2 __

Totat 603.6 1,838 523.4 1,069 1,127.u 2,~07 47.4 161 19.3 50 66.7 211

4 6
Table 34. - Land area, by class, major forest type,

and survey completion date, Georgia, 1953, 1961,

and 1972

Land use class

Survey completion date

Change

1953 1961’ 1912 1961-1972

~.

- - - Thousand acre3 - - -

Forest land:

Commercial forest land:

Pine and oak-pine types 15,883.O 16,795.5 16,468.O -327.5

Hardwood types 8,086.l 8,992.6 8,371.0 -621.6

Total -23,969.l 25,788.l 24,839.0 -949.1

Noncommercial forest land:

Productive-reserved 17.7 35.4 383.7 1-348.3

Unproductive 69.8 25.9 30.2 + 4.3

Total 87.5 61.3 413.9 t352.6

NonforeG land:

Cropland

I’a\ture and range

Other

Total

9,703.o 6,943,s 63279.1 -663.8

I ,648.9 2J22.5 2,X25.7 + 303.2

1,790,s lJ11.4 2,670.9 +859.5

13,142.7 11,277.4 11,776.3- +498.9~-

All land? 37,199.3 37,126.8 37,029.2-~ - 97.6.

-

‘These figures differ slightly from reported figures because of

revisions in the estimates of land area.

“Excludes all water areas.

Table 35. - Volume’ of sawtimber, growing stock. and all live timber on commercial forest land, by

species group, diameter class, and survey completion date, Georgia, 1953, 1961, and 1972

Diameter class (inches at breast height)

-1

21.0 and

5.0-6.9 11.0-12.9 13.0-14.9 15.0-16.9 17.0-18.9 19.0-20.9 larger

- -__.

Species

group

Softwood

Hardwood

1953

1961

1972

1953

1961

~-

1972

32,596.S -

34F356.9 -

45,654.9 -

21,401s -

20,781.5 -

26,543.g

SA WTIMBER (In ntilliorz board feet, International %-inch rule)

- 8,850.S 9,643.6 6,413.S 3,652,s 1,883.6 969.9 1,182.9

- 9,367.6 IO,1 12.1 63173.2 3,886.O 2,048.7 1,125.3 1,044.o

- 10,500.0 12.282.1 9,836.4 6,282.l 3,305.4 1,705.4 1,743.T

Softwood 1953

1961

1972

1953

1961

1972

__-.- -

10,308.9 1,294.3

11,211.s 1,592.0

14,768.‘) 2,261.7

X,190.8 762.0

UJ72.3 922.3

10.X63.3 1.160.3

-

-

1,943.6

2,173.8

2,788.6

- 4J45.7 4,733,s 3,590.g 2.780.9

- 4,759.l 4,784.0 3,413.9 2642.1

- S,758.0 s,945.9 43793.2 3,286.4

GROWING STOCK (In million cubic feet)

2,361.9 2,087.2 1,242,s 661.9 339.1

2,.504.X 2,184.S 1,311.8 698.4 368.0

2,830.9 2,666,s 1.906.2 1,128.6 590.9

1,926.l 4,024.2

1,922.0 3,259.S

2,211s 4,488.8

171.1 206.9

196.8 181.4

296.6 298.9

Hardwood 1.100.2 1.411.7 1,29X.0 1,152,s 762.3 549.8 365.9 788.4

1,217.0 1,401s 1,415.s 1.162.1 126.3 526.5 365.9 635.2

lJ16.2 1,752.9 1,708.l 1,445,s 1.015.3 655.9 434.0 874.8

Softwood

Hardwood

1953

1961

1972

1953

1961

1972

__ .--~

lo,4223 1,331.R

Il,371.7 1,639.4

14,992.7 2,327.1

10.132.3 1.073.6

10,321.9 1,293.3

12.998.8 1.61R.l

ALL LIVE TIMBER (In million cubic feet)

1,978.U 2,390.3 2.099.7 1,251.x 664.4 331.4 173.9 220.2

2,214.4 2,536.l 2,198.6 1,321.2 700.7 370.5 199.5 191.3

2,848.0 2,871.6 2,685.3 1,920.5 1,132.6 594.1 300.0 312.9

I ,435.7 1,706.l 1,523.l 1.323.5 885.8 653.2 447.1 1,084.2

lJ77.9 1,688.7 1,653.2 I ,332.l 841.5 624.2 444.3 866.7

1.95s.3 2.105.0 1,990.o 1.654.6 1,172.8 777.5 528.9 1.195.7

‘In order to provide a basis for valid comparisons, adjustments have been made to allow for differences in volume tables and

sawtimber specifications used in previous surveys.
Table 36. - Volume of all live timber, by species group

and Survey Unit, Georgia. 1953, 1961, and 1972

Species group

and 1953 1961 Change 1912 Change

Survey Unit 1953-1961 1961-1972

Million Million Million

cu. ft. cu. ft. Percent cu. ft. Percent

softwood:

Southeast 4.5.50.9 4,466.7 - 1.9 4,720.3 + 5.7

Southwest 1,491.6 1,362.6 - 8.6 1,861.2 +36.6

Central 2,485.3 3J88.4 +28.3 4,359 +36.6

North Central 1 .130.0 1.402.1 -J-24.1 2.466.7 A-75.9

North ‘794.5 ‘951.9 $19.8 (588.6 -& 66.9

All units 10,452.3 11.371.7 + 8.8 14,992.7 +31.8

Hardwood:

Southeast 3,025.O 2.825.8 - 6.6 3,292.S +16.5

Southwest 1,224.6 1,099.4 -10.2 1,221.g +11.7

Central North Centrat 2,790.2 1,278.2 3.029.6 1,565.g $2::: 3,934.4 2,181.7 $;!i

North 1,814.3 1,801.2 - 0.7 2,362.3 +31:2

All units 10.132.3 10,321.g + 1.9 12.998.8 425.9

4 8
Knight, Herbert A., and McClure, Joe P.

1974. Georgia’s timber, 1972. Southeast. Forest Exp. Stn., USDA Forest Serv.

Resour. Bull. SE-27, 48 pp.

The fourth survey of Georgia’s timber resource, completed in November 1972, shows

improved timber supplies across most of the State since 1961. Inventory volume increased

from 19.6 to 25.3 billion cubic feet, or by 29 percent. A group of counties south of the

Altamaha river in Southeast Georgia was the only extensive area which experienced a

reduction in timber volume. The rate of net annual growth increased by SO percent to an

average of 63 cubic feet per acre of commercial forest. In 1971, timber growth exceeded

removals by almost 55 percent. Some 2 million acres of commercial forest were diverted

to other land uses, but only about 1 million acres of new forest were added, which reduced the timber base from 25.8 to 24.8 million acres, or by 3.7 percent.

Knight, Herbert A., and McClure, Joe P.

1974. Georgia’s timber, 1972. Southeast. Forest Exp. Stn., USDA Forest Serv.

Resour. Bull. SE-27, 48 pp.

The fourth survey of Georgia’s timber resource, completed in November 1972, shows

improved timber supplies across most of the State since 1961. Inventory volume increased

from 19.6 to 25.3 billion cubic feet, or by 29 percent. A group of counties south of the

Altamaha river in Southeast Georgia was the only extensive area which experienced a

reduction in timber volume. The rate of net annual growth increased by SO percent to an

average of 63 cubic feet per acre of commercial forest. In 1971, timber growth exceeded

removals by almost 55 percent. Some 2 million acres of commercial forest were diverted

to other land uses, but only about 1 million acres of new forest were added, which reduced the timber base from 25.8 to 24.8 million acres, or by 3.7 percent.

Knight, Herbert A., and McClure, Joe P.

1974. Georgia’s timber, 1972. Southeast. Forest Exp. Stn., USDA Forest Serv.

Resour. Bull. SE-27, 48 pp.

The fourth survey of Georgia’s timber resource, completed in November 1972. shows

improved timber supplies across most of the State since 1961. lnventory volume increased

from 19.6 to 25.3 billion cubic feet, or by 29 percent. A group of counties south of the

Altamaha river in Southeast Georgia was the only extensive area which experienced a

reduction in timber volume. The rate of net annual growth increased by SO percent to an

average of 63 cubic feet per acre of commercial forest. In 1971, timber growth exceeded

removals by almost 55 percent. Some 2 million acres of commercial forest were diverted

to other land uses, but only about 1 million acres of new forest were added, which reduced the timber base from 25.8 to 24.8 million acres, or by 3.7 percent.

Knight, Herbert A., and McClure, Joe P.

1974. Georgia’s timber, 1972. Southeast. Forest Exp. Sm., USDA Forest .%N.

Resour. Bull. SE-27, 48 pp.

The fourth survey of Georgia’s timber resource, completed in November 1972, shows

improved timber supplies across most of the State since 1961. Inventory volume increased

from 19.6 to 25.3 billion cubic feet, or by 29 percent. A group of counties south of the

Altamaha river in Southeast Georgia was the only extensive area which experienced a

reduction in timber volume. The rate of net annual growth increased by SO percent to an

average of 63 cubic feet per acre of commercial forest. In 1971, timber growth exceeded

removals by almost 55 percent. Some 2 million acres of commercial forest were diverted

to other land uses, but only about 1 million acres of new forest were added, which reduced the timber base from 25.8 to 24.8 million acres, or by 3.7 percent.

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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOREST SERVICE

SOUTHEASTERN FOREST EXPERIMENT STATION

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA