Saucier, Joseph R.; Cubbage, Frederick W., camps. 1990. 

Proceedings of southern plantation wood quality workshop: 

A workshop on management, utilization, and economics of the 

South's changing pine resource. 1989 June 6-7; Athens, GA: 

Gen. Tech. Rep. SE-63. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment 

Station. 95 pp. 

Six papers and one slide talk describe problems associated 

with the large proportion of juvenile wood in plantationgrown southern pines. A research approach to solve the 

problems is outlined. 

KEYWORDS: Wood quality, juvenile wood, lumber, composites, 

pulp and paper, forest management. 

These proceedings have been prepared using copy 

supplied by the authors. Authors are responsible for 

the content and accuracy of their papers. 
PROCEEDINGS OF 

SOUTHERN PLANTATION WOOD QUALITY WORKSHOP 

A Workshop on Mmagement, Utilization, md Economics 

of the South" Chmging Pine Resource 

Sponsored by 

The USDA Forest Service: 

Southeastern Forest Experiment Station 

Southern Forest Experiment Station 

Forest Products Laboratory 

The University of Georgia 

School of Forest Resources 

The Southern Industrial Forestry Research Council 

Compiled by 

Joseph R. Saucier 

Forestry Sciences Laboratory 

Southeastern Forest Experiment Station 

Frederick We Cubbage 

School of Forest Resources 

University of Georgia 

Athens, Georgia 30602 

Published by: Southeastern Forest Experiment Station 

Pa 0, Box 2680, AshevilLe, NC 28802 
PREFACE 

The Problem 

Plantations currently comprise one-third of the pine forest area in the 

South, but contribute only about 15 percent of mill furnish in the region. By 

the year 2000, only a decade away, the area of pine plantations will increase 

modestly, but they will by then provide about 50 percent of the South's 

softwood fiber supplies. At the very least, this substmtial shift in our 

resource base will require us to make rapid technological and market 

adaptations. Greater impacts of the change could be reflected in poorer wood 

quality, reduced product yields from plantation wood, adverse effects on solid 

wood and fiber products, and loss of market share to other wood-producing 

regions or to nonwood products. 

This substantial, rapid change in our resource base should mandate 

immediate strategic planning and research. If the South is to retain its 

competitive advantage and its market share in softwood-based industry, we must 

assess the impacts of the changing resource on our manufacturing processes. A 

cooperative effort is needed to gain scientific knowledge of growth and 

utilization of plantation wood, to develop regional strategic plans to develop 

and implement new manufacturing and forest management technology, and to 

produce and market goods that take advantage of our resource. Most other major 

w~rld softwood producers--the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and New 

Zealand--have developed integrated research and planning efforts to deal with 

their second-growth softwood resources. The South should do the same now. 

The Workshop 

Scientists, manufacturers and forest managers were invited to this workshop 

to identify the problems and opportunities associated with the changing 

southern pine resource base. Attendees participated in commodity group 

sessions to identify information needs that may then be used to guide forest 

management and manufacturing research associated with the pine plantation 

resources. 

These proceedings contain overview papers presented at the workshop and the 

recommended research information needs identified in each group session. It is 

hoped that this workshop will serve as the basis for future integrated research 

and planning efforts for the southern softwood industry. 
CONTENTS 

Page 

Preface. .............................. ii 

Panel 1: Resource and Utilization Impacts 

Moderator: Hank Montrey, Forest Products Laboratory 

Pine Stands Across the South--Trends and Projections 

Mark J. Brown and William H, McWilliams. ....... 1 

Impacts on Lumber and Panel Products 

James C. Oberg .................... 17 

Impact of Changing Raw Material on Paper 

Manufacturing and Properties 

Richard J. Thomas and R. C. Kellison ......... 33 

Forest Management and Wood Quality 

Joseph R. Saucier. .................. 47 

Panel 11: Economic Impacts and Strategic Research Planning 

Moderator: Kenneth Peterson, Georgia Pacific Corp. 

Economic Impacts of Southern Fine Wood Quality Changes 

Frederick W. Cubbage ................. 57 

The Pacific Northwest Stand Management Cooperative 

James Cahill ..................... 71 

An integrated Forest Management and Resource Quality 

Research Effort for Coastal Douglas-fir in Canada 

R.M.Kellogg ...... .. ............. 75 

Facilitated Group Meetings ................ 83 

LumberGroup .......................... 84 

Composite Products Group .................... 86 

Pulp and Paper Group ...................... 88 

Forest Management Group. .................... 90 

Suggested Organizational Structure for Dealing With a 

Changing Pine Resource ...................... 93 

List of Attendees. ......................... 94 

PINE STANDS ACROSS WE SOm - DS AND PROJECTIONS 

Mark J. Brown and William W. HeWilliams 1 

Abstract.--Across the South, 61.9 million acres were classified as pine 

management types in 1985. One-third of these acres were pine plantations. 

Plantations have steadily increased in area during the last three decades, and 

this trend is expected to escalate. Rates of change in the plantation resource 

differ by ownership, On all ownerships the area of natural pine stands is 

decreasing, mainly because of conversion to plantations after harvest. Stand-age 

profiles suggest that a younger pine resource is developing. In 1985, 

plantations accounted for one-fifth of the softwood volume in pine stands. This 

proportion should increase dramatically as more plantations reach merchantable 

size. Softwood removals from plantations accounted for one-sixth of the removals 

from pine stands and are also expected to increase rapidly. Southeast Georgia 

and Northeast Florida are characterized by very high concentrations of plantations. This area provides insight into important resource changes which will 

likely develop across the Southern Coastal Plain and portions of the Piedmont, 

The diameter distributions of both inventory volume and recent removals from pine 

plantations suggest that wood supplies will probably be substantially smaller 

than natural pine supplies unless rotation lengths are raised. 

As we move toward the 21st century, the South's pine resource is changing 

rapidly. The changes are not confined to declines in area or shifts in 

ownership patterns. The actual composition of pine stands is evolving toward 

plantation dominance. Since plantation pines contain more juvenile wood than do 

natural pines, significant impacts on the wood processing industry could lie 

ahead. In this paper we analyze changes in the South's pine resource. 

In analyzing the pine resource, we could look at total softwood volumes by 

individual species regardless of forest type or we could focus only on those 

stands where pines make up a majority of the stocking--the pine forest types. 

We have chosen to do the latter and to separate planted pine stands from natural 

pine stands. 

This paper reports areas, volumes, and removals in pine stands of the 

South, As referred to here, the South includes the 12 Southeastern and South 

Central States. However, only the timber producing regions of Oklahoma and 

Texas are included. We will compare both planted and natural stands by 

ownership class, 

We look at current figures, past trends, and future projections. Finally, 

we focus on an area of the South with a very high proportion of timberland in 

plantations for some insight into the future complexion of the pine resource. 

'~uthors are research foresters with the Southeastern Forest Experiment 

Station, Asheville, NC, and the Southern Forest Experiment Station. Starkville. 

MS. respectively. 
SOUTHWIDE CONDITIONS 

Most of the data and projections presented here were developed for the 

"South's Fourth Forest" publication (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1988). 

Three main models were used to make the projections in the "South's Fourth 

Forest" (McWillims 1987). The Southern Area Model (SAM) was used to simulate 

changes in timberland area and ownership (Alig 1985). The Timber Resource 

Inventory Model (TRIM) was used to simulate changes in inventory, growth, and 

removals (Tedder et al 1987). The Timber Assessment Market Model ( 

used to simulate roundwood harvest (Adams and Haynes 1980). 

Area 

In 1985, the South contained 182 million acres of timberland. Pine types 

account for nearly 62 million of these acres, or about 34 percent of the South's 

timberland. Pine plantations make up one-third of the area in pine types in the 

South (fig.1). 

Of the 21 million acres of planted pine stands, forest industry controls 63 

percent, nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) owners control 32 percent, and the 

public owners about 5 percent (Knight 1986). Of the 41 million acres in natural 

pine stands, NIPF owners hold 65 percent. 

Figure 2 depicts the area planted to pine in the South between 1952 and 

1988. Not until 1983 did we exceed plantation establishment rates of the soil 

bank era. Since then, new records have been set each year and have exceeded 2 

million acres for 4 years in a row. Also, there has been a 34 percent increase 

in planting rates since 1985. Note that these numbers do not reflect plantation 

failure and may include some replanting. 

The area of pine plantations by State varies widely across the South. 

Georgia has more pine plantations than any other Southern State with 4.3 million 

acres. Florida is next with 3.6 million acres, followed by Alabama with 2.4 

million acres. Tennessee has the least acreage in plantations with less than 

one-half million. 

Pine plantations presently make up one-third of the acreage in pine types, 

but are projected to account for 56 percent of all pine stands by the year 

2000. By 2030, plantations are expected to make up two-thirds of the South's 

pine types (fig. 3). Acreage of natural pine is projected to fall to about 23 

million acres by 2030 and planted pine to increase to 48 million acres by then. 

Although acreage in natural pine stands is declining rapidly, the combined area 

of planted and natural pine timberland is stable and will likely increase from 

1985 on. Future gains are expected to come from conversion of areas presently 

in oak-pine and hardwood types. 

The replacement of natural pine stands with pine plantations is a trend that 

is evident in each major ownership category. On forest industry land the total 

area in pine stands has increased to 22 million acres and is expected to 

continue to increase beyond 2000 before slowing. In 1985, 60 percent of forest 

industry's pine stands were already in pine plantations. By 2000, this 

proportion is projected to reach 83 percent. By 2030, 89 percent of forest 

industry's pine stands should be in plantations. 

MILLION ACRES 

'27 I 

YEAR 

Figure 2.--Acres planted annually in the South, by year. 
80 

MILLION ACRES 

YEAR 

PINE PLANTATIONS NATURAL PINE 

Figure 3.--Area of planted and natural pine stands in the South, trends and projections. 
On NIPF timberland, the total area in pine stands has declined steadily from 

1952 until 1985 and now totals 33 million acres. Acres of NIPF pine stands are 

projected to level off and remain fairly stable from now through 2030. However. 

the proportion of these pine stands in plantations is projected to continue increasing beyond year 2000 before leveling off. Pine plantations currently make 

up 20 percent of the NIPF pine stands. By 2000, this proportion should reach 41 

percent. By 2030, they should account for 54 percent of the NIPF pine stands. 

On public timberland, the total area in pine types has changed little, and 

now totals 6.6 million acres. This area is expected to remain fairly stable 

throughout the projection period. Pine plantations currently occupy only 18 

percent of pine stands on public land. They are expected to reach about 41 

percent by 2030. 

From 1952 until 1970, the area of plantations established was about equal 

for forest industry and NIPF ownerships. Since then, forest industry has 

exceeded NIPF plantation establishment, and the current industry total of 13.2 

million acres is double the NIPF area in plantations. Between now and the year 

2000, large increases in plantation establishment are projected for NIPF and 

forest industry land. Between now and 2030, forest industry is expected to 

continue to have the most acreage in pine plantations. Its plantation acreage is 

projected to reach 27 million acres by 2030. At that time, NIPF ownerships are 

expected to have 19 million acres in plantations. Public lands are projected to 

have less than 3 million acres in pine plantations by 2030. 

Some 39 percent of all pine plantations across the South are less than 10 

years old, and 74 percent are less than 20 years old (Knight 1986). Only about 

3 percent of the pine plantations in the South are more than 30 years old. 

Forest industry has 68 percent of all pine plantations under 20 years old. 

Volume 

In 1985, softwood inventory volume in the South totaled 102 billion cubic 

feet. Of this, 72 billion cubic feet were in pine forest types, Nineteen 

percent of the softwood volume in pine forest types was in pine plantations 

(13.6 billion cubic feet). In contrast to the projected increases in total area 

of pine stands, the long upward climb in softwood volume on pine stands has 

ended and is projected to decline through year 2000 before turning up again. It 

doesn't regain 1985 levels until 2030 (fig. 4). This decline is related to 

declines in total area of timberland, particularly on NIPF land, and conversion 

of older natural stands to young pine plantations. Pine plantations are 

projected to contain 48 percent of the softwood volume in pine stands by year 

2000, and as much as 73 percent by 2030. 

Removals 

The South has recently supplied an average of 5.4 billion cubic feet of 

total softwood removals each year. Softwood volume from pine stands accounted 

for 76 percent, or 4.1 billion cubic feet, of this total. Pine plantations 

provided 18 percent of the softwood volume removed from these pine stands. 

Softwood removals from pine stands have generally increased between 1952 and 

1985. They are also projected to continue a steady increase throughout most of 

the projection period. Softwood removals from natural pine stands will continue 

to decline as these stands are replaced after harvest by plantations. By year 
BILLION CUBIC FEET 

80 

1952 1962 1970 1976 1984 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 

YEAR 

PINE PLANTATIONS NATURAL PINE 

Figure 4.--Softwood volume in planted and natural pine stands of the South, trends and projections. 
2000. plantation wood will supply 54 percent of the softwood removed from pine 

stands (fig. 5). The proportion of pine cut from plantations is expected to 

jump to 69 percent in 2010 and reach 74 percent by 2020. 

SOWMST GEORGIA - NORmWT FLORIDA 

Plantation establishment is not uniform across the South. Mapping 

plantation acreage as a proportion of timberland in Southern counties provides 

an excellent impression of where these stands are located (fig. 6). Counties 

with at least 25 percent of their total timberland in pine plantations are 

concentrated in southeast Georgia and northeast Florida. The complexion of the 

pine resource in this region already approaches the conditions projected 

Southwide by the year 2000 and beyond. We will focus on the area. volume, and 

removal statistics for this region (Brown 1987 and Johnson 1988) as our window 

to the future. 

Area 

Southeast Georgia and northeast Florida contain 4.9 million acres of planted 

pine and 2.8 million acres of natural pine (fig. 7). Sixty-three percent of 

this regions timberland is in pine plantations, compared to one-third 

Southwide. Forest industry controls nearly two-thirds of the plantations and 

NIPF owners have 61 percent of the natural pine stands in this region. 

Table 1 shows pine stands in the region by stand-age classes. Although 

there is substantial acreage in the no manageable stand category, many of these 

acres were recently harvested and are in need of site preparation and 

regeneration. Pine plantations account for 93 percent of all pine stands under 

20 years old. Forty-seven percent of the pine plantations are less than 10 

years old, compared to 39 percent for the whole South. Slightly more than 3 

percent of the plantations are over 30 years old. The latest increases in 

planting on NIPF land are already showing up in the planted 0-10 year age 

class. Plantations in this class are more than triple the area of NIPF in the 

11-20 age class. Note the reduction in area of natural pine stands below 20 

years old. Most natural pine stands here are more than 30 years old. Also note 

that NIPF owners control most of these natural pine stands. 

Table 1.--Area of timberland in planted and natural pine stands in Southeast 

Georgia/Northeast Florida, by stand-age class, by ownership, 1987. 

Stand Total Ownership 

Age Pine Forest Industry NIPF Public 

Class Planted Natural Planted Natural Planted Natural Planted Natural 

years Thousand Acres 

61+ 0 158.6 0 13.6 0 99.8 0 45.2 

TOTAL 4905.8 2849.3 3185.9 641.7 1548.2 1738.4 171.7 469.2 

(a) No Manageable Stand 
BILLION CUBIC FEET 

6 1 

1952 1962 1970 1976 . 1984 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 

YEAR 

PINE PLANTATIONS NATURAL PINE 

Figure 5.--Average annual softwood removals from planted and natural pine stands in the South, 

trends and projections. 

URAL 

2.8 

OAK - 

I TOMLAND HARDWOOD 

3.4 

UPLAND HARDWOODS 

MILLION ACRES 

Figure 7 .--Area of timberland in Southeast Georgia/Northeast Florida in 1987, by managment type. 
Volume 

There are 6.5 billion cubic feet of softwood volume in pine stands of 

southeast Georgia/northeast Florida. Pine plantations currently account for 44 

percent, or 2.9 billion cubic feet, of this total compared to only 19 percent 

Southwide. Figure 8 shows the diameter distribution of softwood volume for pine 

stands in this region. For pine plantations, 72 percent of the softwood volume 

is found in the 6- and &inch diameter classes. Ninety-one percent of the 

plantation volume is in diameter classes 10 inches and smaller. Softwood volume 

in natural pine stands is more evenly distributed across all dimeter classes, 

The 10- and 12-inch diameter classes contain 42 percent of the natural pine 

stand volume. Almost all softwood volume in trees larger than 14 inches occurs 

in the natural pine stands. 

Removals 

Annual removals of softwood fro3 pine stands averaged 551 million cubic feet 

in southeast Georgia/northeast Florida. Pine plantations already contribute 45 

percent of these removals versus 16 percent Southwide. The diameter distribution of these removals reveals that 41 percent of the removals from plantations 

come from the 8-inch diameter class alone (fig. 9). In addition, 89 percent of 

the plantation removals come from the 10-inch and smaller diameter classes. 

Removals from natural pine stands are more evenly distributed across the range 

of diameter classes; the 10-12 inch classes provide 41 percent or more than 

two-fifths the removals from natural pine stands. 

SUMMARY 

What has already transpired in the pine stands of southeast Georgia and 

northeast Florida is indicative of the future in other pine growing regions of 

the South. The total area of pine stands in southeast Georgia and northeast 

Florida is already dominated by plantations. The volume in plantations is 

quickly approaching half the total volume in pine stands, Plantations now 

contribute nearly half of the removals. Furthermore, almost three-fourths of 

the plantation volume is in 6- and 8-inch trees, and 8-inch trees supply 41 

percent of plantation removals. The situation in this region confirms a trend 

toward more plantation wood and smaller diameter trees. If more juvenile wood 

is not desirable, a solution would be to extend rotations and grow larger logs. 

But this is seemingly incompatible with the projected decline in softwood volume 

through year 2000. Industry may have to shorten rotations and cut more from 

its own land temporarily to keep its mills supplied. The emphasis on increased 

use of hardwoods will certainly have an impact on future timber supplies, 


LITamE CITED 

Adarns, D.M.; Haynes, R.W. 1980. The 1980 softwood timber assessment market 

model: structure, projections, and policy simulations. For. Sci. Monogr. 

22. Bethesda, MD: Society of American Foresters. 64 pp. 

Alig, R.J. 1985. Modeling acreage changes in forest ownerships and cover types 

in the Southeast. Res. Pap. RM-260. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range eperiment 

Station. 14 pp. 

Brown, Mark J. Forest statistics for northeast Florida, 1987. Resour. Bull. 

SE-97. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 

Southeastern Forest Experiment Station; 1987. 53 pp. 

Johnson, Tony G. Forest statistics for southeast Georgia, 1988. Resour. Bull. 

SE-104. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 

Southeastern Forest Experiment Station; 1988. 53 pp. 

Knight, Herbert A. 1986. A southwide perspective on the pine plantation 

resource. In: Proceedings of 1986 Society of American Foresters National 

Convention; 1986 October 5-8; Birmingham, Alabama. 

NcWilliams, William H. 1987. Developing timber supply projections for the 

south's fourth forest. In: Proceedings of Forest Products Research Society; 

1987 September 20-30; Atlanta, GA. 

Tedder, Phil {and others). 1987. The timber resource inventory model (TRIM): A 

projection model for timber supply and policy analysis. Portland, OR: U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range 

Experiment Station. 82 pp. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 1988. The south's fourth 

forest: alternatives for the future. For. Resour. Rep. 24. Washington, DC. 

512 PP* 

IMPACTS LUMBER AND PANEL 

James C. Oberg 

Weyerhaeuser Company 

Tacoma, WA. 98477 

PRODUCTS 
BACKGROUND 

SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS 

- RAW MATERIAL 

- CHANGES IN PROPERTIES 

CHARACTERISTIICS OF PRODUCTS FROM 

PLANTATIONS 

RECENT TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS 

KEY AREAS NEEDING MORE RESEARCH 
- SOUTHERN PLANTATIONWOOD HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF 

CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH: 

ZOBEL, BLAIR, LENHART & OTHERS ON RAW MATERIAL 

AND PULP PROPERTIES 

BENDTSEN, KOCH, PEARSON, GILMORE, ETC. IN BASIC 

LUMBER PROPERTIES 

- SOUTH IS RAPIDLY MOVING TOWARDS MORE SIGNIFICANT 

VOLUMES OF YOUNGER TREES 

US. FORESTSERVICE FORECASTS 

ZOBEL AND KELLlSON PAPER IN TAPPI 

- THERE ARE SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF "INTEGRATED FOREST 

TO PRODUCT" RESEARCH MODELS: 

NEWZEALAND RADlATA TASKFORCE 

CANADIANDOUGLAS FIR TASKFORCE 

WESTERN STAND MANAGEMENT COOP 
DETAILED TREE MEASUREMENTS 

* PRODUCT CONVERSION & YIELD 

PRODUCT QUALITY MEASUREMENTS 

DRYING, TREA TlNG PROPERTIES 

PHYSICAL TESTING, CORRELATED BACK TO TREE 

CHARA CTERlSTICS 

* STUDY RESULTS ARE USED TO BUILD PREDICTIVE 

MODELS 

IMPACTS ON LUMBER AND PANEL PRODUCTS 

- PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION 

REVIEW OUR CURRENT KNOWLEDGE, (PUBLISHED 

RESEARCH) 

* SUGGEST KEY AREAS NEEDING MORE 

RESEARCH 
MORE NA TURAL DEFECTS 
IMPACTS ON LUMBER AND PANEL PRODUCTS 

Volumetric Lumber Recovery (%) 

Small End Diameter (cm) 

SWEEP (cm) 

COMSTOCK. PROCEEDING 

FORESTERS IN PORTLAND, OREGON 
IMPACTS ON LUMBER AND PANEL PRODUCTS 

JUVENILE WOOD, SPECIFIC GRAVITY 

AGE (YEARS) 

SPECIFIC GRAVITY 

HEIGHT OF TREE (M) 

by ZOBEL 8 BLAIR, APPLIED SCIENCE 

MEGRAW (TAPPI PRESS) 
PANEL PRODUCTS 

F TREE SPACING 

BRANCH DIAMETER 

TREE SPACING (METERS) 

EXACT SHAPE OF THE ABOVE CURVE IS SPECIES AND SITE 

DEPENDENT. RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE IN EUROPE AND 

AUSTRAILIA. BOTH INllTlAL SPACING AND SUBSEQUENT 

THINNING SCHEDULE IS IMPORTANT 

HARVESTED CROP BY BRAZIER. FORESTRY VOL. 50 #I (1977) 

24 
IMPACTS ON LUMBER AND PANEL PRODUCTS 

FIBRIL ANGLE 

LONGITUDINAL 

MATURE 

WOOD 

MATURE 

WOOD 
IMPACTS ON LUMBER AND PANEL PRODUCTS 

CHARACTERISTICS OF LUMBER - 1990'S 

1) MORE PLANTATIONWOOD MEANS QWLITY PRORl Fm BY KELLISON, DUIL, & PEARSON. 

FOREST INDUSTRIES, SEPT. 1985 

2) mK woonu BY SENFT. BENDTSEN, 6 GALLIGAN. JOURNAL OF FORESTRY, AUGUST 1985 

Y PEARSON. PROC. OF THE SYMPOSIUM ON UTIllZATlON 

RESOURCE, JUNE 12-14,1984 

- GREATER PROPORTION OF KNOTTY WOOD WILL BE 

AVAILABLE 

- LOWER STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS FOR VISUALLY 

GRADED LUMBER 

- GREATER VARlABlLlNOFSTRENGTH& STIFFNESS, 

EXCEPT FOR MACHINE-STRESS RATED PRODUCTS. 

- MORE DEGRADE IF ONLY CONVENTIONAL KILN-DRYING 

TECHNIQUES ARE USED 

- GREATER POTENTIAL FOR WARPAGE 

- BETTER TRM TABILITY USING WA TER-BORNE 

PRESERVATIVES 
- SMALLER AVERAGE BLOCK SIZE: RESULTS IN LOWER 

NET RECOVERY OF VENEER 

- LOWER PANEL DENSITY (LOWER SP. GR. WOOD!) 

- DIFFERENT GRADE OF VENEER FROM AVERAGE BLOCK 

LOWER % OF CLEAR GRADES 

HIGHER % OF C GRADE 

LOWER % OFDGRADE 

- IF JUVENIL E WOOD IS FACE OR BACKS, LOWER PANEL 

STIFFNESS WILL RESULT 

- PANELS CONTAINING JUVENILE WOOD WILL EXHIBIT 

GREATER LINEAR EXPANSION - MAY FAIL TO MEETAPA 

SHEATHING PERFORMANCE SPEClFlCA TIONS 
- IMPROVEMENTS IN SMALL LOG PROCESSING AND 

RECOVERY OF PRODUCT: 

* RECOVERY OPTlMlZATlON THROUGH USE OF 

COMPUTER PROGRAMS COUPLED WITH 

SCANNERS, MACHINE SET-WORKS, AND 

TRANSPORT SYSTEMS 

* HIGHER SPEED, MORE RELIABLE TRANSPORT 

SYSTEMS 

DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH TEMP DRY KILNS, 

IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHEDULES, AND RESTRAINT 

SYSTEMS 

- GROWTH OF MSR-RATED LUMBER PRODUCTS INTO 

STRUCTURAL END-USE APPLICATIONS 

- INDUSTRY-BACKED EFFORT TO DEVELOP A 

RELIABILITY BASED DESIGN SPECIFICATION (RBD) * 

FOR STRUCTURAL LUMBER PRODUCTS 

* REQUIRES IMPROVED GRADING & Q/C SYSTEMS 

* SHOULD RESULT IN LUMBER BEING EASIER TO USE 

& MORE COMPETITIVE IN ENGINEERED END-USES 
- PROCESSING IMPROVEMENTS 

PRE-ROUNDUP, X-Y CHARGERS WITH POSlTlONAL 

SCANNERS 

* FASTER LATHES & SPINDLE SPEEDS - 450 RPM 

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPlNDL ESS LATHE 

* LATH Y/CLIPPER SPEED-UP 

* MORE EFFICIENT DRYERS, WITH VENEER 

MOlSTURE CONTENT MONlTERlNG SYSTEMS 

- PEELING TO SMALLER CORE DIAMETERS, 

ESPECIALLY SPINDLESS LATHES) 

- GLUING HIGHER MOISTURE CONTENT VENEERS 

USING MOISTURE TOLERANT GLUE MIXES 
MPACTS ON LUMBER AND PANEL PRODUCTS 

NEW STRUCTURAL PRODUCTS 

- THIS TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS UTILIZATION OF A WIDE 

VARIETY OF SPECIES & SMALLER DIAMETERS 

- IN THE FORM OF PANELS, OSB & WAFERBOARD SALES 

- McMILLAN-BLOEDEL HAS INTRODUCED PARALLAMTM, THE 

FIRST COMMERCIAL "PSL" TYPE PRODUCT 

- SATCO (AUSTRALIA) IS JUST COMMERClALlZl NG 

SCRIMBERTM, WHICH USES LOW COST THlNNlNGS CRUSHED 

TO PROVIDE "SCRIMS" OF FIBER FOR BONDING WITH RESIN 

INTO BEAMS 

OTHER STRUCTURAL LUMBER SUBSTITUTES 

- LAMINATED VENEER LUMBER (LVL) 

- WOOD I-BEAMS 

- RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY ON OTHER TYPES OF PSL 

(PARALLEL STRAND LUMBER). IN THEORY, HIGH 

STRENGTH PROPERTIES ARE POSSIBLE 

SOURCES: 

AUSTRAtlAN FOREST 

INDUSTRIES JOURNAL, JAN JFEB. 1988. P 32 

BY T. 1. LAUFENBERG. 

STRUCTURAL WOOD COMPOSITES: MEETING TODAY'S NEEDS & TOMORROWS 

CHALLENGES. FPRS. PROCEEDINGS # 7339. 1984. PP 41-53 
- NON DESTRUCTIVE ESTIMATING OF LUMBER PROPERTIES 

LOCALIZED SLOPE OF GRAIN RESEARCH 

STRENGTH PREDICTION MODELING 

ACCOUSTlCA L EMISSION RESEARCH 

- PROGRAMMED MYUP OF PL OOD AND LVL USING HIGH 

PROPORTIONS OF JUVENILE WOOD 

- DEVELOPMENT OF ENGINEERED PSL TYPE PRODUCTS 

TAILORED TO END USE APPLICATIONS 

I. 5-2.1 million psi (MOE) 1500-2800 psi ( Ft ) 

SOURCES: 

AND PANEL PRODUCTS 

MORE ATTENTION 

- INNOVATIVE WAYS TO MAKE LUMBER PRODUCTS EASIER 

'STRESS-CLASS" SYSTEM PROPOSED BY GREEN eta/. 

RBD METHODOLOGY APPLIED TO STRUCTURAL LUMBER 

by Crarner & 

Goodman. Wd & Fiber Science, vol. 18, #3, pp.446-459 

by W. L Galligan PROCEEDINGS I SI 

NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING OF WOOD SYMPOSIUM W.S.U. SEPT. "1987 

by Stump, 

smith & Gray, FPRS Jour. 31(4):34-40. 

by Green & Kretschmann. 

ASTM Committee 07 at Tacoma, Wash. (OCT. 1987) 

by Suddarth. Structural Wood 
- IMPROVED DRY KILN TECHNOLOGIES FOR DRYING OF 

LUMBER WITH HIGHER PROPORTIONS OF JUVENILE WOOD 

* OFFSET TENDENCY TO WARP, CROOK, TWlST 

- IMPROVED RESISTANCE TO CREEP FOR RECONSTITUTED 

STRAND TYPE PRODUCTS 

- REDESlGN OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL PRODUCTS 

SOME RESIDENTIAL TRUSS MEMBERS CAN USE LOWER 

MSR GRADES IN COMPRESSIVE MEMBERS 

"E" RATED LAMINATED BEAMS, USlNG LOWER GRADES 

WHERE APPROPRIA TE AND LUMBER SUBSTITUTE 

TENSlL E PL YS (IE. L VL OR PSL) 
GING RAW MTERIAL ON PAPFB FACTURING AND PROPERTIES 

Richard J. Thomas 

Professor and Head 

Department of Hood and Paper Science 

R. C. Kellison 

Professor 

Department of Forestry 

North Carolina State University 

Raleigh, NC 

ABSTRACT 

Juvenile wood has always formed a portion of the southern pine raw 

material, but the proportion has increased as the amount of plantation pine 

with its shorter rotation reaches the pulp mills. As a result, both pulp and 

paper properties are changed. Paper made from chemical pulp with a high 

content of juvenile wood fiber has higher burst, tensile strength, fold 

endurance, sheet density and lower tear than paper from pulp with a high 

content of mature wood fiber; uniformity of sheet formation and printing 

characteristics also improve, Manufacturing costs increase as digester 

packing, pulp yield and byproducts decline and harvesting costs increase. 

Thus, the raw material change provides both benefits and limitations. 

Procedures for maximizing the benefits and minimizing the limitations through 

separation of the raw material, process manipulation and changing technology 

are described. Although solutions may be mill specific for many of the process 

manipulation techniques, raw material separation may be the best solution for 

most mills. 

INTRODUCTION 

Juvenile wood has always formed a portion of the raw material, but the 

proportion has increased as the amount of plantation pine with its shorter 

rotation reaches the pulp mills. From 1962 to 1985, natural pine acreage 

declined 13.5 percent and plantation pine increased 9.1 percent. At the same 

time, natural hardwood acreage increased 3.5 percent. Although hardwoods will 

become increasingly important as their acreage increases, this paper will 

primarily consider only the impact of the changing pine resource on paper 

manufacturing and properties. 

As pointed out by Semke (1984), almost all commercial pulps from loblolly 

pine already have significant contents of juvenile wood fiber (Table 1.). The 

future trend will be to even higher contents. 

&/Fleprinted with permission from the Forest Products Research Society/. 
Table 1, EFFECT OF TREE AGE ON THE JUVENILE CONTENT 

OF WOOD AND PULP FROM TYPICAL LOBLOLLY PINE TREES 

Juveni 1 e Wood Con tent 

Tree age, years Wood, % Dry Wt. Pulp, % Oven-Dry Wt. 

7 5 76 75 

25 50 48 

40 15 14 

From Semke (1984) 

Juvenile wood is formed in the center of the stem and usually consists of 5 

to 20 growth rings, The number of rings of juvenile wood is higher for 

longer-lived species than for short-lived species. Plantation grown trees with 

their accelerated growth reach marketable size at an earlier age than natural 

grown pine and therefore contain a higher proportion of juvenile wood. 

Thinnings from plantations younger than about 15 years old are essentially 100 

percent juvenile wood. The tops of trees from both plantation and natural pine 

will also be comprised of 100 percent juvenile wood, 

Prior to examining the effects, both limitations and benefits of juvenile 

wood on paper manufacturing and properties, a brief review of the anatomical, 

chemical and physical properties of juvenile wood is appropriate. 

JUVmILE WOOD PROPEBTIES 

The changes that occur in some of the anatomical, chemical and physical 

properties of juvenile wood with increasing age are shown in Figure 1. Note 

the substantial and rapid change from the pith to the mature wood zone. A 

summary of the anatomical, chemical and physical properties of juvenile wood 

follows 

Anatomical Characteristics 

The length, diameter, and wall thickness of juvenile wood cells are 

significantly different from mature wood cells, Figure 1 indicates the change 

in cell length and wall thickness from the pith to the mature wood zone, A 

quantitative indication of the change is shown in Table 2. Note that the wood 

source is listed in order of decreasing juvenile wood content and the cell 

dimensions increase with decreasing juvenile wood. 

Within the cell wall, alpha-cellulose is organized in long string-like 

structures called microfibrils, In mature wood, the microfibrils are oriented 

almost parallel to the long axis of the fibers (10 to 30 degrees). However, in 

juvenile wood the orientation is much greater, up to 55 degrees in some species 

(Dadswell, 1958). Erickson and Armina (1974) found a microfibril angle change 

from 32 degrees in juvenile wood to 7 degrees in mature wood. As the 

microfibril angle increases, tensile strength in the long axis of the fiber 

decreases and longitudinal shrinking and swelling increase. 
Spsctffc Gravfty 

Cell Length 

Percent Latewood 

Cell Wall Thfckness 

Transverse Shrlnkago 

Alpha-Cellulose 

5-20 Rtngs 

Figure 1. Change in juvenile wood characteristics with increasing age. The 

size of the juvenile wood zone is primarily species dependent and 

varies from 5 to 20 growth rings. The transition zone indicates 

an area within which the different properties reach maturity at 

different times. 
Table 2. DIMENSIONS OF CELLS IN LOBLOLLY PINE PULP 

FROM Dl FFERENT SOURCES 

Fiber Source 

Average Cell Dimensions 

Length Di ameter Wall Thi ckness 

Millimeters Micrometem Micrometers 

10-year-01 d trees 

15-year-01 d trees 

Topwood 

Conventional roundwood 

Sawmill Chips 

From Sernke and Corbi (1974) 

Higher relative amounts of compression wood are found in juvenile wood than 

in mature wood (Bendsten, 1978). Compression wood has a higher lignin content, 

greater microfibril angle and shorter fibers than normal wood, regardless of 

location (juvenile or mature wood zones). The characteristics of this abnormal 

wood are similar to those of juvenile wood. 

Another anatomical characteristic is the increase in the amount of 

summerwood with increasing age of juvenile wood. Taras (1965) documented an 

increase from 10 percent to 60 percent summerwood across the juvenile zone of 

slash gine. This, of course, is directly related to the wall thickness 

increase noted earlier. 

Chemical Composition 

The primary chemical constituents of softwoods and their approximate 

composition by weight are alpha-cellulose, 42 percent; hemi-cellulose, 27 

percent; and lignin, 28 percent. Significant differences in the percentage 

composition exists between juvenile and mature wood. Juvenile wood has a lower 

cellulose and a higher lignin content than mature wood. Although these 

differences are quite variable, they are significant, with cellulose increases 

ranging from 5.7 percent (Byrd, 1964) to 13.7 percent (Cole, Zobel and Roberds, 

1966) from juvenile to mature wood. 

The major properties within which juvenile wood differs from mature wood 

are strength, specific gravity, and dimensional stability as a result of 

changing moisture content. Although all three properties relate to the 

performance of juvenile wood as a solid wood or composite product, only 

specific gravity is directly related to the performance of paper products. 

Figure 1 reveals the typical pattern of increasing specific gravity 

throughout the juvenile wood zone and then holding relatively constant in 

mature wood. This change is not unexpected since cell wall thickness is 

increasing rapidly compared to cell diameter (56 percent to 14 percent; Table 

1) and the proportion of summerwood is accelerating rapidly. 
IWAGT OF JWmILE WOOD ON PULP ING AND PAPm PROPmTIB 

The literature contains may references pertaining to the impact of 

increasing mounts of juvenile wood fiber on pulp and paper manufacturing 

processes and on the physical properties of the finished paper products. Some 

effects are beneficial whereas others are not. A s ary of some of the 

literature pertaining to the benefits and limitations imposed on the 

manufacturing process and paper properties follows. 

The initial impact of increasing -outs of juvenile wood can be found in 

the increased cost of harvesting wood containing large mounts of' juvenile 

wood. Table 3 indicates the mount of fiber obtained per cord of wood 

harvested from stands of varying ages. Since the cost of harvesting small 

stems with less fiber per unit volme is essentially the sme as harvesting 

stems with a greater weight of fiber per unit volume, the cost per pound of 

fiber delivered to the mill is higher. Also, contributing to the increased 

harvesting cost per unit weight of fiber is the higher bark content of young 

stems (Table 3) . 

'I'he purchase of wood by weight rather than volme is now practiced by most 

mills in order to avoid paying the sme price for low density as for high 

density wood. However, the higher moisture content associated with Juvenile 

wood partly negates this effort. Table 3 indicates the relationship between 

moisture content ad tree age. 

Also illustrated in Table 3 is a prediction of the pouds sf oven-dry wood 

that em be obtained per ton of green wood from trees of varying ages. The 

differences are due to the lower specific gravity, relatively high bark 

content, and the higher moisture content associated with trees of young ages. 

According to McKee (1984) the most significmt impact of high proportion of 

juvenile wood in a mill supply is on the delivered cost per unit dry weight of 

woad fiber. Zobel (1978) reported the cost of harvesting tops and thimings 

from 15-year-old trees to be $10 per cord more than from 25-year-old trees. 

Also, Kirk, Breemm and Zobel (1972) indicated that a ton of pulp from a 

12-year-old plantation to be 84 percent higher in cost than pulp produced from 

30-year-old trees. They attributed the higher costs primarily to harvesting, 

Although chip configuration and method of loading can effect batch digester 

loading by as much as 10 percent (McKee, 1984). the loading of a high 

proportion of juvenile wood chips also results in a lower pulp yield per 

digester cook due to less fiber per unit volume. In addition, because juvenile 

wood has a lower cellulose content than mature wood, pulp yields a t a l l Kappa 

numbers are lower. Ten year-old wood cooked to a Kappa number 50 had a pulp 

yield of 45.2 percent compared to 49.2 percent for 25-year-old wood (Howell, 

1984). Table 3 indicates pulp yields from wood of varying ages. Thus, 

juvenile wood pulp yields are reduced not only due to less wood per unit volume 

but also because of a lower cellulose content. Howell (1984) estimated that 

5.4 tons of rough green wood from 15-year-old trees is required to produce 1 

ton of oven-dried pulp, whereas only 4.4 tons of 25-year-old wood is required 

(Table 3). 
Tab1 e 3, SOME AGE-ASSOCIATED CHARACTER1 ST1 CS OF SOUTHERN 

YELLOW PINES 

Tree Age (years) 

Per Cent Juveni le Woo& 85 55 19 

b Pounds of Dry Fiber per Cord- 3,590 3,805 4,122 

Bark to Wood Weight ~ati& .I 742 1 345 .I181 

% Moisture Content (Dry Basis15 113 92 75 

Dry Weight of Wood per Ton 

Green Wood (Ibs .)f 776 896 999 

% Pulp Yield (Kappa No. 5012 48 49.2 49.8 

Tons Green Wood/Ton Oe Pulp 

(Kappa No. 50) - 5.4 4,4 3.9 

From Zobel et a1 (1976) 

b 

- Based on Juvenile Mood S,G. of ,413 and Mature Wood .54 

5 Howell et a1 (1984) 

The literature also indicates that juvenile wood requires slightly more 

pulping chemicals to cook to a given Kappa number than is required for mature 

wood (Kirk et al. , 1972; Hitchings, 1984). 

With regard to byproduct yield of t a l l o i l and turpentine from juvenile 

wood, the literature is neither plentiful nor clear. McKee (1984). Foran 

(1984) and Zobel et al. (1976) indicate lower yields of both t a l l o i l and 

turpentine from juvenile wood than from mature wood. However, Howell (1984) 

noted that turpentine yield was constant with age on an oven-dry basis, but 

that turpentine yield decreased per ton of dry pulp with increasing tree age 

because less wood was required to produce a ton of pulp. He also observed that 

younger wood produced significantly more tall oil than older wood, probably as 

a result of the greater relative amount of knots associated with young wood. 

Concerning mechanical pulping, Carpenter ( 1984 ) states that low density 

wood containing relatively large amount of juvenile wood springwood is 

preferred to denser wood with a relatively high summerwood content. However, 

problems are still encountered in the manufacture of lightweight coated grades 

of paper from thermomechanical pulping of juvenile wood because of poor 

interfiber bonding. Ten to twenty percent chemical pulp is needed in the 

mixture to meet the standard. 
A wealth of information regarding the effects of juvenile wood on paper 

properties exists (Barefoot et al., 1970; Cole et all, 1966; Corn and 

Kibblewhite, 1980; Hitchings, 1984; Kibblewhite, 1980; Kirk et al., 1972; 

Lobosky and Ifju, 1981; Semke, 1984; Semke and Corbi, 1974; Uprichard, 1980). 

The published data clearly indicate that paper derived from pulp produced from 

juvenile wood has higher burst, tensile strength, fold endurance, and sheet 

density; also noted is improved miformity of sheet formation and printing 

characteristics, Teas strength, on the other hand, declines as the juvenile 

wood content of the mill furnish increases. Changes in paper properties 

influenced by tree age are shown in Table 4. Note that the strength parameter 

most influenced by tree age is tear. 

Table 4, VARIATION IN KRAn PAPER PROPERTIES ASSOCIATED 

WITH AGE OF RADIATA PINE& 

Rings From Pi th 

Pulp Property 1-5 6- 10 16-25 26-35 

Tear index 

Tenoi le index 

Stretch (%) 

Burst index 

Tensile energy (J/kg) 

Sheet densi ty (kg/m3) 

From Uprichard (1980) 

Pulp from juvenile wood forms sheets of high density since the thin-walled 

fibers are more flexible and therefore are more easily collapsed and 

consolidated than older wood fibers. The decrease in burst and tensile 

strengths with increasing age of the wood is largely related to the decrease in 

sheet density, which in turn is related to the higher density of the older 

wood. It should also be noted that the strength characteristics associated 

with fiber to fiber bonding (burst, tensile and stretch) increase in pulps made 

from juvenile wood, since the more readily collapsible fibers provide a greater 

bonding area. Thicker walled fibers, characteristic of higher density wood, do 

not readily collapse and thus sheets of lower bonding area and lower density 

are formed. As a general rule, increased beating will result in increased 

sheet density and the associated strength properties. However, juvenile wood 

pulps are much more easily beaten to higher sheet density than mature wood 

pulps. This is obviously an advantage since beating requires energy. Also, 

the less beating required to obtain satisfactory burst and tensile strength, 

the smaller the decrease in the already low tear factor. 
Kibblewhite (1980) showed that for radiata pine, chip or wood-density was 

the wood property most closely related to pulp and handsheet properties. About 

80 percent of the variation in handsheet tear, burst, tensile and density 

properties were accounted for by chip density variation. Kibblewhite (1980) 

also showed a good relationship between chip density and fiber coarseness and 

suggested this more easily determined property as a potential for quality 

control procedures. Adding fiber length increased the variation accountability 

by another 5 to 10 percent. 

Tear strength is the paper property most influenced by wood age and 

therefore may, depending upon end-product use, be the parameter of most concern 

as larger proportions of juvenile wood are used in pulp and paper 

manufacturing. Tear strength is directly proportional to wood density 

regardless of the source of the wood. Thus, the relationship between tear and 

wood age is the result of increasing density with increasing wood age. The 

blending of pulps is based on the assumption that pulp properties are 

additive. Uprichard (1980) showed that the tear index is an additive 

property. If paper tear strengths equivalent to that produced from a wood 

supply of natural pine, containing a small amount of juvenile wood, are 

required for a particular product, then mature wood with its associated higher 

density must be used or the blending of pulps with the requisite properties 

must be performed. 

Tear strength is also dependent upon fiber length. For most pulp and paper 

products of the southern pines, however, tear strength is not a limiting 

factor. Of greater importance is wetweb strength. In unaltered form, 

tracheids of southern pines, even of juvenile wood, are sufficiently long to 

provide the needed wetweb strength, averaging 3.23 and 4.28 mm for juvenile and 

mature wood, respectively (McKee, 1984). During the chipping and pulping 

process, however, the cells are reduced in length to 1.62 mm for 10-year-old 

trees (juvenile wood) and to 2.80 mm for sawmill chips (mature wood) (Table 

2). The pulp fibers of the juvenile wood are short enough to adversely affect 

wetweb strength and consequently sheet breakage leading to machine downtime. 

Similar incidents occur infrequently when using topwood, conventional 

roundwood, and sawmill chips. 

ACTIONS TO CONTROL IMPACT OF THE CHANGING RAW MATERIAL RESOURCE 

ON PULP AND PAPER MANUFACmING 

Possible actions to deal with the increasing amounts of juvenile wood 

contained in the raw material supply fall into two categories - long and short 

range. Long-range activities include the development of forest management 

procedures with the ultimate goal of producing a raw material with less 

variable and perhaps even specific characteristics. Research and development 

programs designed to develop manufacturing processes capable of coping with raw 

material variability would also be long range. Short-range actions are 

designed to address utilization of the present raw material with current 

technology and minimize the impact of the raw material on both the 

manufacturing operations and finished product performance. 

Forest Mananement 

The land base supporting a pulp mill can have a tremendous effect on the 

raw wood material. Organizations with land spanning two or more physiographic 
provinces will often encomter two or more pine species, each of which will 

have unique wood properties. Even with a province, such as the Lower Coastal 

Plain of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, mixed stands sf loblolly, slash 

and longleaf pine occur. The extracted wood specific gravity of juvenile and 

mature wood of the respective species in mixed stands in South Georgia averaged 

0.413, 0.439 and 0.413, and 0.540, 0.526 and 0.540 (Cole et al., 1966). Even 

greater differences than those among species can occur with a species from one 

province to another. For example, the average specific gravity of loblolly 

pine in the Coastal Plain is about .04 higher than that in the Piedmont. Such 

differences mount to about 77 kg/m of dry fiber, These differences are 

prima facia evidence that manufacturing efficiency could be realized by an 

organization owning land in a common province. Planting the entire land base 

to a single species, however, presents more of a problem because of the need to 

match species to site, 

The variation in juvenile wood from one tree to another of the southern 

pines is sufficiently great that a breeding program, in which the wood specific 

gravity of juvenile wood could be made comparable to mature wood of the same 

tree, is feasible (Matziris and Zobel, 1973). Because of the large variation 

among trees for either high or low wood specific gravity, the opportunity 

exists to breed for either low juvenile-mature or high juvenile-mature wood. 

The value of breeding for a broad-based wood property like specific gravity 

is that the trait is positively correlated with percent summerwood and cell 

wall thickness. If high yield chemical pulps are desired and if tear 

resistance is an important sheet property, then wood of high specific gravity 

would be favored. Conversely, wood of low specific gravity would be desired 

for paper and paperboard products requiring high burst, tensile strength, fold 

endurance, sheet density and opacity. 

An added opportunity exists to plant the trees of a specific wood type to 

stands which can be separately harvested. Tree improvement programs in which 

the seeds from selected clones are collected are already making this option 

available, the onset of tissue culture of forest trees is intensifying the 

option. 

Planting seedlings at high densities so as to restrict juvenile wood to a 

small core, and managing the stands to rotations of 35 to 40 years to reduce 

the relative proportion of juvenile wood are other advocated options (Martin, 

1984). However, neither of these options is presently acceptable to the pulp 

and paper industry, Planting seedlings at high densities to restrict diameter 

growth is counter to the application of good silviculture practices, including 

tree improvement programs, in which the objective is to optimize volume growth 

per unit area per unit time. The same reasoning applies to rotation length. 

Financial maturity of southern pine stands managed for fiber production is from 

20 to 25 years. Longer rotations can be justified by the forest industry only 

if sawtimber production is an objective. The forest industry of today is 

concentrating on fiber production to the almost total exclusion of sawtimber 

rotations. 

Manuf acturine 

The changing raw material, with its higher juvenile wood content, results 

in increased manufacturing costs, lower digester packing, lower cellulose 

content, higher chemical consumption and lower byproduct yields. Also, pulping 
mature and juvenile wood together results in either overcooked juvenile wood or 

undercooked mature wood (Barefoot, Hitchings and Ellwood, 1965). Strength 

losses and lower pulp yields are associated with overcooked wood. A reduction 

in the percentage of juvenile wood in the digester would reduce the impact of 

these costs. 

With regard to product performance, most sheet properties are improved as 

the juvenile wood content increases. The one detriment is the reduction in 

tear strength. 

Solutions to increased manufacturing costs are not readily apparent, as 

most of the difficulties are associated with inherent juvenile wood 

properties. However, a possible solution to the overcooking of juvenile wood 

is the processing of juvenile wood alone or in a mixture with a low percentage 

of mature wood. Uprichard (1980) showed that the tear index of beaten pulps is 

additive; thus, the blending of pulps from mature and juvenile wood or the 

blending of wood prior to pulping to obtain a specified tear index is 

possible. However, the prerequisite for blending either wood or pulp is wood 

separation. A thinning operation of a 15-year-old plantation would obviously 

produce wood containing a high proportion of juvenile wood. This wood could be 

pulped separately for the manufacture of printing and writing papers, or it 

could be held in storage for subsequent blending with other pulps for special 

paper and paperboard grades. Blending of chips from a Chip-n-Saw operation, or 

of veneer log round-up material, or slabs from a conventional sawmill with the 

plantation thinnings would increase the average specific gravity and 

subsequently increase the tear index of paper produced from the blended wood 

pulp. Alternatively, chips from mature wood with its associated higher density 

can be processed alone when products specifying even higher tear are required. 

Space limitations may make separation of conventional roundwood in the 

woodyard difficult, but separation on arrival, based on source, would suffice. 

An immediate negative reaction is encountered when wood sorting is suggested. 

Sorting does result in an added cost, but the question is whether the benefit 

derived is greater than the expense. The fact that sorting is already 

commonly done in the woods should partly counter negative reactions. The 

greatest amount of sorting occurs on the log deck, where the first separation 

is between hardwoods and softwoods. The second separation is between sawlog 

and pulpwood within the hardwood and softwood groups. Since much of the timber 

harvested in the South is tree length, a common practice is to divert trees of 

sawlog quality to the merchandiser, where the sawlogs and Chip-n-Saw bolts are 

cut to length for further processing; the remaining timber is chipped for 

delivery to the pulpmill. Presently, the chips from top bolts are mixed with 

the outerwood chips from the sawmill and Chip-n-Saw. These fractions could be 

kept separate. 

The potential for segregating chip flows differing significantly in 

specific gravity has been illustrated by Veal, Marrs , and Jackson (1984) . Working with loblolly pine, they described two examples of wood segregation. 

In the first example, 1,000 green tons of tree-length stems were cut into 2.4 m 

bolts. The lowest two bolts were chipped separately from the remainder of the 

stem. This material averaged 0.46 specific gravity, and the tops 0.39. Their 

second example was concerned with sorting sawmill residual chips. Outer wood 

chips from Chip-n-Saw had a specific gravity of 0.46, and veneer log round-up 

residuals, 0.45. A third source, a mixture of core and outer wood consisting 

of top and butt ends trimmed from the stems and defective stem segments, had a 
specific gravity of 0.43. This flow had a highly variable specific gravity in 

that it was comprised of a mixture of stem parts. 

Veal and coworkers (1984) also illustrated a segregation by stands. 

Although a correlation exists between age and specific gravity, there is a 

significant variation between stand means at the same age. They cited an 

example of segregation where age alone gave a difference in specific gravity of 

5.0 percent. Actually measuring the stands for specific gravity, and 

allocating the higher stand specific gravity material to one stream and the 

lower to another, the difference in specific gravity was 6.7 percent. 

The three-pile chip inventory advocated by Veal and coworkers (1984) 

consists of a low specific gravity pile composed of stands of low specific 

gravity, thinnings , tops, and peeler cores (0.40 or less) ; an intermediate and 

variable specific gravity pile comprised of stands of intermediate specific 

gravity, segregated tops, and sawmill cull residues (more than 0.40, but less 

than 0.45); and a high specific gravity pile consisting of sawmill residual 

chips and segregated butt log wood (greater than 0.45). 

Another advantage of a wood separation system would be the elimination of 

the difficulties imposed on the manufacturing processes when sudden and large 

changes in the raw material supply occur. Wood sorting would also permit the 

production of pulps with specified characteristics, and the subsequent 

blendings of these pulps to produce paper with the required properties. For 

example, linerboard is often produced on a dual headbox fourdrinier paper 

machine. The top liner, which comprises about 20 percent sf the board, is 

usually cooked to a lower Kappa number than the base stock, because the burst 

strength of the duplex sheet is largely controlled by the top liner. Also, 

three wire machines are used to make linerboard. A machine of this design 

opens up numerous possibilities of manufacturing three-ply paper with the 

center and outer plies made from pulps with different properties designed to 

give particular performance properties to the final product. 

Also, it has been shown that press drying of high yield chemical pulps with 

their associated high lignin content results in paper with higher sheet 

density, higher burst and tensile strength, and a tear strength essentially 

equal to the lower yield chemical pulps (Setterholm, Benson, Wichmann and 

Auchter, 1975). This suggests that juvenile wood can be cooked to a higher 

Kappa number, thus increasing yield, and obtaining paper with suitable strength 

properties. 

HARDWOODS 

Although the above discussion refers to softwoods, primarily southern pine, 

the increasing consumption of hardwood pulpwood in the South warrants comment. 

According to Ince (1986)~ during the past 30 years the ratio of hardwood in all 

pulpwood consumption doubled in the United States as a whole. During the same 

period, all pulpwood consumption more than tripled and almost quadrupled in the 

South, With the increasing hardwood acreage, low hardwood stumpage prices, and 

technological changes, hardwood pulpwood conswnption will continue to 

increase. The technological changes that have precipitated the increasing use 

of hardwoods are press drying, improvements in refining, and wet-press design 

changes that achieve longer residence time of the sheet md higher pressures, 

resulting in increased sheet density (Ince, lg86)* 
Research at the US. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, 

confirmed that southern red oak kraft pulp can produce sheets with the same 

burst, tensile, and compression strengths as a sheet made from pine kraft 

pulp. Also, the Forest Products Laboratory showed that by separate refining of 

hardwood and softwood fibers, it is possible to use more than 50 percent 

hardwood fiber in conventional linerboard and achieve a satisfactory 

compressive strength. 

Presently, 9 percent of the fiber in softwood-based pulps are hardwood 

fibers. Ince (1986) suggests that because of technological changes alone, by 

the year 2000 the hardwood fiber component of softwood-based pulps in the South 

may reach 50 percent or more. Given this increase, the hardwood component is 

projected to be 50 percent of total pulpwood consumption, or 47.5 million 

cords, These shifts toward hardwood, should they occur, will likely have an 

effect on products, as well as stumpage costs and forest management. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The fact that juvenile wood has generally an undesirable effect on pulpmill 

economics is obvious, particularly on byproduct yields, harvesting, and pulping 

costs. It is also obvious that there is essentially no prospect, at least in 

the short term, of reducing the juvenile wood content of the wood being 

delivered to many mills. One method of coping with the fluctuations in the 

juvenile content of the raw material is wood segregation. This segregation cm 

very often take place prior to reception at the mill woodyard, Wood separation 

will permit the achievement of the benefits associated with cooking low-density 

and high-density woad separately. Depending upon the end product, the pulps 

can be directly formed into paper or blended to produce paper with specified 

end-product performance. The blending of wood prior to cooking can eliminate 

the processing difficulties associated with sudden and significant changes in 

the amount of juvenile wood in the raw material furnish. 

Many factors, some of which may not be applicable to all mills, must be 

considered prior to making the decision to separate the incoming wood. Some 

factors to be evaluated are raw material species and source (plantation or 

natural stands, mill residue from Chip-n-Saws, sawmill and veneer mill 

operations, thimings, tree tops, age of stands, difference in stand mean 

density, and end-product specifications). New technology must also be 

considered. Developments in refining and press drying may be directly 

applicable to solving some of the problems associated with utilizing the 

changing raw material resource. 
Barefoot, A.C., R.G. Hitchings and E.L. Ellwood. 1965. Effect of fiber 

morphology in pulps examined at a constant permanmate nurnber. Proc. 3rd 

Forest Biology Conference, TAPPI, 

Barefoot, A.C., R.C. Hitchings, EoL* Ellwood and EoH. Wilson. 1970. The 

relationship between loblolly pine fiber nnorphology and kraft paper 

progesties. Tech, Bull. Noo 202, North Carolina Agricultural Research 

Service, NC State Univ., Raleigh, NC. 

Bendsten, B.A. 1978. Properties of@ wood from improved and intensively managed 

trees. For. Prod. Jour. 28(10):a-72. 

Byrd, V.L. 1964. An investigation of the effect of wood chemical constituents 

on kraft paper properties from four selected loblolly pines. N.S. Thesis, 

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 

Carpenter, C.H. 1984. The mechanical pulping of southern pine containing 

relatively large amounts of spring and juvenile fiber. Proc. Symposium on 

Utilization of the Changing Wood Resource in the Southern United States. 

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 124-146. 

Cole. D.E., B.J. Zobel, and J.H. Roberds. 1966. Slash, loblolly and longleaf 

pine in a mixed natural stand; a comparison of their properties, pulp 

yields and paper properties. TAPPI 49 (4) : 161-166. 

Gown, D.J. and R.P. Kibblewhite, 1980. Effects of wood quality variation in 

New Zealand radiata pine on kraft paper properties. New Zealand Jour. of 

For, Science 10(3):521-532. 

Dadswell, H.E. 1958, Wood structure variations occurring during tree growth 

and their influence on properties, Jour, Inst. Wood Sci. 1:ll-32. 

Erickson, H.D, and T, Arima. 1974. Douglas fir wood quality studies. Part 11: 

Effects of age and stimulated growth on fibril angle and chemical 

constituents. Wood Sci. and Tech. 8(4) :255-265. 

Form, C.D. 1984. Wood Wality a pulp mill perspective: Case studies of the 

impact of juvenile wood usage on by-products recovery, Proc. Symposium on 

Utilization of the Changing Wood Resources in the Southern United States. 

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 231-236. 

Hitchings, R.G. 1984. The effect of juvenile wood of loblolly pine (Pinus 

taeda) on the kraft pulp yield, Proe. Spposium on Utilization of %he 

Chmging Wood Resource in the Smthern UniQed States. North Carolina State 

University, Rafeigh* NC, 147-159. 

Howell, R.A.; G.N. Leach, D.E. Nutter and M.S. Steltenkamp. 1984. Some ageassociated trends of plated slash pine as related to kraft pulping, Proc, 

Symposium on Utilization of the Changing Wood Resource in the Southern 

United States. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 243-260. 
Ince, P. 1986. Changing technology will increase southern hardwood use in 

future. Pulp and Paper 60(2):59-63. 

Kibblewhite, R.P. 1980. Radiata pine corewood and slabwood, and their 

interrelations with pulp and handsheet properties. New Zealand Jour. of 

For. Science 10(3):533-550. 

Kirk, D.L., L,G. Breeman, and B.J. Zobel. 1972, A pulping evaluation of 

juvenile pine. Tappi Forest Biology Conference, Appleton, WI. 

Labosky, Pa and G. Ifju. 1981. A study of loblolly pine growth incrementsPart IV. Papermaking properties. Wood and Fiber 13(2):120,137. 

Martin, J.W. 1984. Forest management practices that will influence product 

characteristics of the changing wood resource. Proc. Symposium on 

Utilization of the Changing Wood Resource in the Southern United States. 

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 115-123. 

Matziris, D. and B.J. Zobel. 1973. Inheritance and correlation of juvenile 

characteristics in loblolly pine (Pinus -- taeda) . Sil . Gen. 22 (1-2) : 38-44. 

McKee, J.C. 1984. The impact of high volumes of juvenile wood on pulp mill 

operations and operating costs. Proc* Symposium. on Utilization of the 

Changing Wood Resource in the Southern United States. North Carolina State 

University, Raleigh, NC. 178-182. 

Semke, L.K, 1984, Effects af juvenile fibers on kraft paper properties. Proc. 

Symposium on Utilization of the Changing Wood Resource in the Southern 

United States. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 160-177. 

Semke, L.K. and J.C. Corbi. 1974. Sources for less coarse pine fibers for 

southern bleached printed papers. Tappi 57(11):113-117. 

Setterholm, V., R.E. Benson, J.F. Wichmann and R.J. Auchter. 1975. Z-direction 

restraint, a new approach to papermaking. Res. Pap. FPL 256. Madison, WI: 

USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 

Taras, M.A. 1965. Some wood properties of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) 

and their relationship to age and height within the stem. Ph.D. 

Dissertation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 

Uprichard, J.M. 1980. Effects of wood age on the papermaking properties of 

radiata pine kraft pulps. New Zealand Jour, of For. Science 10(3):558-576. 

Zobel, B.J. and R. Blair. 1976. Wood and pulp properties of juvenile wood and 

topwood of southern pines. J. Apple Polymer Sci, (Applied Polymer Symp.) 

No. 28: 421-433. 

Zobel, B.J., J.G. Jett and R. Hutto. 1978. Improving wood density of shortrotation southern pine. Tappi 61 (3) :41-44. 
AND WOOD QUALITY 

Joseph R, Saucier 

Southeastern Forest hperiment Station 

USDA Forest Service 

Athens, Georgia 30602 

Plantations currently comprise one-third of the pine forest area in the 

South and are prodected to exceed natural stand acreage by the year 2000. 

Also, by the year 2000, it is projected that 50 percent of the softwood 

harvested in the South will be from plantations. Since fast-grown 

plantation pine contains a high percentage of juvenile wood, a decline in 

the quality of softwood timber and associated processing and in-use problems 

will become increasingly troublesome, This anticipated change in the 

characteristics of the southern pine resource has caused forest managers to 

re-examine those cultural practices and management options that consider not 

only volume growth but also the quality of wood produced. 

The South has about 22 million acres of pine plantations and USDA Forest 

Service (1988) projections indicate that the total will increase to 35 

million acres by the year 2000. In a fraction of a rotation, or 10 years, 

southern pine plantations will be the dominant source of softwood timber in 

the region. Because of controlled growing conditions, plantation trees grow 

faster than those in natural stands and therefore reach harvest size at an 

earlier age. However, the resulting growth has a characteristically high 

proportion of juvenile wood--a wood generally not suitable for acceptable 

grades of construction lumber or plywood because of decreased strength and 

poor dimensional stability. High proportions of juvenile wood also reduces 

the value of wood from pulp, 

The changing pine resource and its potential impact on softwood-based 

industries mandates that timber mmagement activities not only be assessed 

relative to growth rate but must also include a component of wood quality. 

An integrated stand managementfwood quality approach is needed to develop 

specific quantitative information on the effects of different management 

regimes--some of which may have interacting treatments such as planting 

density, thinning and fertilization on wood quality. 

Some data suggests that actions in the realm of silviculture can 

influence the proportion of juvenile wood in tree stems but much more 

information is needed. The selection of planting stock, planting density, 

control of stocking, combinations of management treatments, and harvest 

schedule offer potential solutions, 
EFFECTS 

Before addressing potential solutions, we must recognize certain 

difficulties in defining the term "juvenile wood," While its characteristics 

differ from that of mature wood, the change from the production of juvenile 

wood to production of mature wood in individual trees is gradual and barely 

perceptible from one year to the next. Figure 1 provides a generalized 

illustration of how wood properties change with age from pith at any position 

in the stem, Wood formed near the pith is weak, has low wood property values 

and is comonly referred to as crown-formed wood, As the tree matures and 

the crown recedes, wood properties undergo rapid change and then essentially 

stabilize. Wood formed during the period of rapid change is referred to as 

transition wood and wood with stabilized properties is mature wood, 

Crown-formed and transition wood together are referred to as juvenile wood. 

In assessing factors associated with juvenile wood formation, we have found 

that specific gravity is a convenient measure that strongly reflects the 

pattern of maturation from juvenile to mature wood. 

Selection of Planting Stock 

Several studies in the literature indicate that the period of juvenile 

wood formation in slash and loblolly pine differ--1oblolly 9 to 12 years, 

slash 6 to 8 years, (Zobel and others 1959, Taras 1965, Larson, 1969, Pearson 

and Gilmore 1980). In a recent study, Clark and Saucier (1989) found that 

when these species are grown in the same or neighboring plantations, they 

display the same juvenility period or developmental pattern when measured by 

specific gravity changes. 

Figure 2 shows specific gravity trends for the two species at four 

different locations ranging from the Piedmont of South Carolina to the Gulf 

Coastal Plain of Florida. At each location, the pattern of juvenility is 

similar for both species. In the Piedmont of South Carolina, both species 

produced juvenile wood for the first 14 rings from pith; 10 years in the 

Coastal Plain of Georgia and South Carolina; and 6 years in the Gulf Coastal 

Plain of Florida. These data show that the period of juvenility of slash and 

loblolly pine is less influenced by inherent species differences than by 

environmental differences associated with geographic location. There are 

indications, however, that it is possible to reduce juvenile wood production 

through genetic selection (Loo and others 1985). Zobel and others (1978) 

state that specific gravity through age 10 can be increased by 10 percent in 

a single generation by selection for high specific gravity. 

The strong influence of geographic location on length of juvenility and 

specific gravity in loblolly and slash pine is shorn in Fiwre 3, me plots 

of loblolly specific gravity over rings from pith show two groups of 

curvesm-one for the Piedmont locations and one for the Coastal Plain 

locations, As a group, loblolly pine smpled in the Coastal Plain produced 

juvenile wood for the first 6 to 10 rings while loblolly in the Piedmont 

produced juvenile wood for about 10 to 14 rings. 

The length of juvenility of slash pine also varied with geographic 

location. In these data, the distinction between locations is clearer. In 

Florida. slash pine produced juvenile wood for 6 years, for 10 to 12 years in 

the Coastal Plain of South Carolina and Georgia, and for 14 years in the 

Piedmont of South Carolina, 
1 

SPECIFIC GRAVITY 

CELL LENGTH 

X LATEWOOD 

CELL WALL THICKNESS 

TRANSVERSE SHRINKAGE 

ALPHA-CELLULOSE 

+ 

JUVENILITY 

PER100 

MATURE WOOD 

PITH H BARK 

RINGS FROM PITH 

Figure 1.--Schematic diagram of radial change in wood properties with age 

from pith and the pattern of maturation. 
SPECIFIC GRAVITY SPECIFIC GRAVITY SPECIFIC GRAVITY SPECIFIC GRAVITY 
COASTAL PLAIN, N.C. 

COASTAL PLAIN, S.C. 

COASTAl PLAIN, GA. 

- - COASTAL PLAIN, FL. 

7- PIEDMONT,VA 

+P- PIEDMONT, N.C. 

RINGS FROM PITH 

0.55 s ir. 

C) 

- 0 0.50 

tt 

0 COASTAL PLAIN, FL. 

COASTAL PLAIN, @A. 

...... COASTAL PLAIN S.C. 

+ PIEDMONT, S.C. 

RINGS FROM PITH 

Figure 3.--Comparison of juvenile wood patterns at different 

locations of loblolly and slash pine. 
Planting Density 

The size of the juvenile core in plantation trees is related to the rate 

of growth which, in turn, is influenced by initial planting density. We were 

interested in looking at planting density as it might influence the period of 

transition from juvenile to mature wood as well as the proportional volume of 

each wood type. A 30-year-old loblolly pine spacing study in the South 

Carolina Piedmont was sampled. Plots had initial planting densities of 6 by 

6, 8 by 8, 10 by 10, and 12 by 12 feet and were unthinned. Results presented 

in figure 4 show that the period of juvenility or the pattern of wood 

maturation is unaffected by initial planting density even though there were 

large differences in the rate of growth amount specings as shown in table 1. 

Table 1,--The influence of spacing on growth rate and the proportional 

basal area in juvenile wood of 30-year-old loblolly pine 

Average Diameter of Proportion of BA 

Spacing d.b.h. juvenile core in juvenile wood 

Feet Inches Inches Percent 

Planting at close spacing such as 6 by 6 feet did restrict the size of 

the juvenile core but in the absence of thinning the proportional area in 

juvenile wood is only slightly less than that planted at wider spacing and 

growth of individual trees was significantly reduced. 

In another study with loblolly pine, thinning was done beginning at age 

17 and at subsequent 5-year intervals that maintained the thinning treatment 

of unthinned control and basal areas of 100 and 60 square feet. Figure 5 

shows the radial growth profile of earlywood and latewood for the 6 by 6 feet 

spacing and for the three thinning levels. It is obvious that growth 

responses were roughly proportional to the degree of thinning, but the 

significance is that thinnings beginning at or near mid-rotation stimulated 

both earlywood and latewood growth. This resulted in wood of relatively 

uniform properties which is important from a wood quality standpoint. The 

dips in 78 and 80 are the result of severe droughts in those years and not 

treatment effects. 

Control of Rotation Length 

Increasing the length of rotation is probably the most effective action 

that can be taken to increase the proportion of mature wood in stems at final 

harvest. Table 2 shows that slash pine growing in the upper Coastal Plain on 

a 22-year rotation has approximately 40 percent of its basal area in juvenile 

wood. On a 32-year rotation, the proportion is reduced to about 25 percent. 
RINGS FROM PITH 

Figure 4.--Comparison of juvenile wood patterns at four different 

planting densities. 
6x6 UNTHINNED ....................................................................... 

Year 

6x6 BASAL AREA I00 ....................................................................... I 

Year 

- 

A 6x6 BASAL AREA 60 I 

Year 

Figure 5.--Growth response of earlywood and latewood of loblolly 

pine to intermediate thinnings and maintained basal areas 

of 100 and 60 square feet per acre. 54 
Table 2,--The influence of spacing and rotation age on the 

proportion of basal area in juvenile wood of slash pine 

Average Diameter of Proportion of BA 

Spacing d.b.h. juvenile core in juvenile wood 

Feet Inches Inches Percent 

Rotation Age 22 

6x 6 6.2 4.0 

8~ 8 7.2 4.6 

10 x 10 8 * 7 5.5 

15 x 15 10.4 6.3 

Rotation Age 32 

6~ 6 7.3 4.0 

8x 8 8.9 4.6 

10 x 10 10.7 5 5 

15 x 15 12.9 6.3 

Determination of an appropriate length of rotation is complex and 

includes many biological and economic variables. The quality of the wood 

that is produced is only one of these variables, but too often it is not 

included in the assessment. As plantations become increasingly important 

sources of wood for manufacture, forest managers will have to give greater 

consideration to the quality of wood produced from plantations. 

SUNMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 

1. Slash and loblolly pine, when grown in the same location, have the 

same period of juvenility or developmental pattern. 

2. Large differences in the length of the transition period from 

juvenile to mature wood is geographically related. There is a 

north-south trend of decreasing juvenile period for both loblolly 

and slash pine that is related to differences in seasonal 

precipitation. 

3. Spacing in the absence of thinning does not influence or change the 

pattern of wood maturation but does influence the proportional 

volume of juvenile wood in stems. 

4. Thinning done at mid-rotation and beyond stimulates both earlywood 

and latewood growth, and with proper timing, can be used for 

maintenance of uniform wood properties. 

5. Rotation length is probably the most effective tool available to 

forest managers for effecting the proportion of mature wood in stems 

at harvest. 
LIT E CITED 

Clark, A. 111; Saucier, J,R. I989* Inffluence of initial planting density, 

geographic location and species on juvenile wood formation in southern 

pine. Forest Products Journal 39(7/8):42-48. 

Larson, P.R. 1969. Wood formation and the concept of wood quality. Bull. 

No. 74. New Haven, CT: Yale University, School of Forestry; 54 pp. 

Loo, LA,; Tauer, C.G.; McNew, R.W. 1985. Genetic variation in the time af 

trmsition from juvenile to mature wood in loblolly pine, Silvae Genetica 

34(1):fl-19. 

Pearson, R.G.; Gilmore, R.C. 1980, Effects of fast growth rate on the 

mechanical properties of loblolly pine, Forest Products Journal 

30(5) :47-54. 

Taras, M.A. 1965, Some wood properties of slash pine and their relationship 

to age and height within the stem, Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State 

University. Ph.D. dissertation. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 1988. The South's fourth 

forest: Alternatives for the future. Forest Resource Rpt. No. 24. 

Washington, DC. 512 pp, 

Zsbel, B.; Webb, C,; Henssn, F. 1959. Core of juvenile woad sf lobPolly and 

slash pine trees. TAPPI 42(5):345-355. 

Zobei, B.; Jett, J.B.; Wutto, R. 1978. Improving wood density of short 

rotation southern pines. TAPPI 61(3):41-44. 
ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF SOUTHERN PINE WOOD QUALITY CWNGES 

Frederick W. Cubbage 

University of Georgia 

School of Forest Resources 

INTRODUCTION 

One-third of the South's pine timberlands currently consist of 

plantations, and the shift from natural pine stands to either 

plantations or mixed pine-hardwood stands continues. Currently, pine 

plantations contribute only about 15 percent of the total pine fiber 

supplies used in the South. By the year 2000, however, they are 

projected to comprise 50 percent of the total pine harvest volumes 

(U.S.D.A. Forest Service 1988). This change has many implications for 

timber utilization and timber requirements, product manufacturing and 

grading, and consumer demands for forest products. These impacts will 

affect the profitability of timber forest products firms and influence 

the desirability of intensive forest management practices. 

This paper evaluates the economic impacts of this changing 

resource base on the forest industry. It outlines a production 

economics framework for making an evaluation of the costs of the 

changing pine resource, Then it makes use the framework to some 

preliminary cost assessments of the changes for the industry as a whole 

and for hypothetical individual firms. Based on these economic 

evaluations, general implications for the forest industry are discussed. 

PLANTATION JUVENILE WOOD QUALITY 

Timber grown in plantations tends to have greater amounts of 

juvenile wood than does that grown in natural stands. Juvenile wood 

consists of the annual growth rings nearest the pith of a tree, 

extending from the base to the top of the bole. Juvenile wood of 

southern pine is usually contained in the first 10 rings from the pith, 

but may range from 5 to 20 rings. In plantations, trees usually grow 

faster in the early years than they do in natural stands, which is one 

reason that plantations are becoming more common. Thus, trees from 

plantation wood will generally have a greater percentage of juvenile 

wood than trees from natural stands of the same diameter. 

The principal forestry concern with juvenile wood is that it often 

has inferior structural properties and lesser product yields compared to 

mature wood (Kellison and Zobel 1978). Juvenile wood is characterized 

by low specific gravity, high moisture content, short, thin-walled 

tracheids, higher hemicellulose content, and increased amounts of 

compression wood compared to the characteristics of mature wood 

(Bendtsen 1978). 
Lower yields, opacity, and tear are obtained from pulping and 

paper manufacturing with juvenile wood compared to mature wood. Because 

of lower specific gravity of juvenile wood, less dry matter content can 

be included in the digester than could be contained with mature wood, 

decreasing yields. Additionally, pulp yields from equal weights of the 

two types of wood cooked under identical conditions are less for 

juvenile wood than for mature wood. Widely varying mixes of mature and 

juvenile wood at different times may also decrease digester efficiency. 

Pulp by-product yields are also less with juvenile wood. Ground wood 

newsprint pulping is, however, much better with juvenile wood than 

mature wood. 

Plantation-grown trees also make inferior lumber because of their 

greater amounts of juvenile wood. They have a lower lumber recovery 

than larger older-growth natural trees, as well as lower strength. 

Lumber yields decrease because of smaller diameters, more defects from 

edges and trim, more damage in the kiln and the planer mill, and more 

lumber degrade (Senft et al. 1985). Juvenile wood is highly porose, so 

can withstand high drying temperatures under pressure. However, such 

drying is expensive. Juvenile wood may also be acceptable for oriented 

strand board. 

PRODUCTION ECONOMICS 

Production economics is a form of microeconomics that involves 

determining the optimal mix of physical inputs into a production process 

in order to maximize the net return from producing one or more products. 

It involves determining the physical input-output relationships 

(production functions), the costs for the inputs and the price for the 

outputs, and the best use of inputs to maximize profit, minimize costs, 

or meet some other economic criterion. 

In the case of juvenile wood, our concern with economics then 

relates to the use of such wood for production of traditional forest 

products. The first step required in the analysis is to determine the 

production function for juvenile wood, particularly compared with the 

production function for mature wood. What are the comparative product 

yields for lumber pulp, or other products for juvenile and mature wood? 

There are no doubt gradations of "juvenile" and ttmature" wood, but for 

this analysis, let's just use the two distinct categories. To make 

things even simpler, this analysis will generally just make assumptions 

about possible yield decreases that might be expected from use of 

juvenile wood. 

The second step in the analysis will be to estimate the price 

effects of these yield reductions. At least three price effects seem 

relevant. First, and most obvious, reduced product yields will 

translate into a cost for firms equal to the amount of yield reduction 

that occurs times the price of each product. This will include direct 

losses from decreased yields and secondary losses in lumber due to 

warpage, product degrade, and similar problems. Second, use of juvenile 

wood for lumber is apt to also translate into losses in market share, 
particularly if grading standards are loose enough that inferior 

juvenile wood lumber may be marketed in place of mature wood lumber. 

Lumber that either actually is or is perceived to be of inferior quality 

will lose market share, and may even cause further price reductions for 

the product. This may also occur to a lesser extent with other wood 

products. 

In contrast to these costs of using juvenile wood, one must 

consider its obvious price advantage. The reason we have so much 

juvenile wood is because there is a significant, economic advantage in 

short rotations. The southern forest industry has already implicitly 

decided that it is better to grow large volumes of wood swiftly, no 

matter what the quality, than to worry about juvenile wood problems. 

Hopefully, this advantage is real. If not, it may cost the South a 

large amount of market share in solid wood products mostly for the 

benefit of pulp and paper production. 

Most industrial forest management practices are geared to 

increasing wood volume produced per year. The large amount of old 

growth natural pine grown on nonindustrial private forest lands is also 

rapidly being liquidated, and much of it will be replaced with planted 

pine. These factors will increase the amount of juvenile wood produced. 

These trends are caused by economic factors. The capital cost of 

growing trees for a long time so that they are composed of mostly mature 

wood are immense. Give the intense competition facing the industry, 

firms cannot afford to over-invest in growing stock. Non-industrial 

owners are also becoming more astute managers of capital. Thus it will 

be left to wood and paper technologist to develop new ways to use 

existing wood. Otherwise, we will be inundated with mature lumber from 

Canada or elsewhere, even if tariffs are imposed. This paper does not 

consider the benefits of short rotations; rather it focuses on possible 

costs from use of juvenile wood. 

POSSIBLE AGGREGATE INDUSTRY EFFECTS 

Accurately quantifying the difference in yields when using 

juvenile rather than mature wood is difficult. Since the precise 

effects of juvenile wood on pulp yield and lumber yields depend on many 

factors, we will just examine several scenarios to determine the 

potential impacts. Essentially each of these requires determining the 

amount of yield decrease involved with using juvenile wood, the price of 

the product involved, and the total volume of the product made. To 

avoid antitrust concerns, this paper uses historical production and 

price data to illustrate possible juvenile wood impacts. 

Pul~ and Pa~er 

For pulp and paper production, let's assume a uniform pulp product 

is being produced from southern pine pulpwood. In 1984, pulp mills in 

the South used about 42,000,000 cords of pine pulpwood or chips 
(American Pulpwood Association 1986). Even if this mix were currently 

one-half juvenile wood and one-half mature wood, increasing the amount 

of juvenile wood in the future would have significant cost impacts. 

First, since it takes more timber volume to make the same amount of net 

fiber volume, then the pulpwood furnish would have to increase, which 

would increase procurement purchase, harvest, storage, and handling 

costs. Second, since the actual pulp yield from equivalent volumes of 

fiber may decrease, this would also represent a cost. Third, the 

greater wood volume required with low specific gravity juvenile wood to 

equal the same amount of wood fiber content of higher specific gravity 

mature wood also effectively reduces digestor (and plant) capacity. 

More juvenile wood will require that more pulpwood be bought to 

get the same amount of net fiber in the boiler. Using a conservative 

yield difference, at least 10% more pulpwood will be needed with 

juvenile wood compared to mature wood. The historical components of 

this estimated costs are shown in Table 1, assuming that the estimated 

50% mature wood furnish will be replaced with varying amounts of 

juvenile wood. The table could be updated for current costs if desired. 

Pulp yield decreases and reduced plant capacity also will be 

significant. Using 42,000,000 cords of pine pulpwood would yield about 

28,000,000 tons of wood pulp. If yield from the digestors were 

decreased 1 to 2% as more juvenile wood were used, costs would be as 

follows : 

14,000,000 tons of Replacement with Pulp 

mature wood pulp/yr x Juvenile pulp x Yield Decrease x Price 

($320/ton) 

This would equal the following yearly amounts, assuming juvenile wood 

displaced varying amounts of existing mature wood furnish, ranging from 

25% to 75%: 

1% decrease in pulp yield-- 

25% $11,200,000 

50% $22,400,000 

75% $33,600,000 

2% decrease in pulp yield-- 

Assumptions cannot be made as easily to estimate the costs of 

reduced plant capacity because less juvenile wood can be processed in a 

digestor than mature wood. The net effect of this problem is that 

effective plant capacity per day or year is reduced. For instance, a 

1000 ton per day pulp mill using an equal mix of mature and juvenile 

wood might become a 950 ton per day mill if juvenile wood increased to 

75% of the mix. One might think that a mill could just increase 

digestor capacity by 10% or so to make up for the difference, but this 

is of course not possible. Instead, incremental expansions must take 
Table 1. Estimated Annual Costs of Procuring Increased Amounts of 

Juvenile Pulpwood, 1984 

Possible Volumes Total Cost 

Required at % of 

Procurement Approximate Replacement of Juvenile 

Phase Cost Per Cord Mature Wood Furnish Wood 

Purchase 

Harvest & Handling 

Storage, Planning 

Total 
into account new boiler capacity as well as chemical recovery capacity? 

and energy balances, which are available only in large (lunpy) units. 

Thus, expansion would require substantial redesign and exceedingly large 

investments. Even a gross approximation of this cost is impossible to 

measure, but it must at least equal or exceed increased wood procurement 

and decreased pulp yield costs. 

Decreased Lumber Yields 

Lumber yields undoubtedly decrease as more juvenile wood is used, 

but percentage reductions are hard to find in the literature. For 

purposes of approximation, we will just assume that juvenile wood lumber 

has yield decreases of 10% to 20% of that from mature wood of a similar 

size tree. Southwide pine lumber production in 1985 was about 13 

billion board feet (Resource Information Systems 1985). If 25% of this 

production came from juvenile trees, and lumber sold for a price of $180 

per MBF, the following annual cost estimates could be made: 

13,000,000 MBF x 0.025 x $200 x 0.20 = $230,000,000 

Again the magnitude of these estimates indicates substantial losses for 

the industry by the use of juvenile wood rather than mature wood. 

Procurement costs for obtaining additional lumber fiber supplies would 

also increase somewhat, though probably not as much as pulpwood costs. 

POSSIBLE: FIN COSTS 

The possible industry-wide cost increases from the shift to 

plantation wood are substantial. These costs also could be significant 

for an individual mill. 

Pulr, Mill 

For a 2000 ton per day mill, total wood requirements in 1984 would 

be about 3000 cords of wood per day. Use of plantation wood with a high 

juvenile wood content would reduce the effective capacity of the pulp 

mill and require more wood furnish. 

If 10% more plantation than mature wood were needed, then the mill 

added annual costs would be: 

$5O/cord x 3000 cord/day x 350 days/year x 10% more wood x 35% of 

mill furnish = $1,850,000 per year. 
If the mill pulp yield decreased by 1% for the same volume of wood 

in the digestor, then annual costs would be: 

$400/ton x 2000 tons/day x 350 days/year x 1% loss x 35% of mill 

furnish = $700,000 per year. 

There also would be some cost for reduced digestor capacity, which 

would reduce the mill rated capacity. These individual pulp mill costs 

would then total at least $2.5 million per year at 1984 prices and 

utilization levels. Less pulpwood is needed to produce pulp now than in 

1984, but market pulp prices also have increased recently. Thus this 

cost estimate is probably conservative. 

Sawmill 

Possible losses from increased use of juvenile wood at a typical 

sawmill also are substantial. A moderate-sized pine sawmill would 

produce about 40 million board feet of lumber per year. If 10% of its 

output were lost due to milling and drying problems from changing the 

furnish from mature to plantation wood, then approximate costs would be: 

4 million bd. ft. x $2OO/MBF x 35% of mill furnish x 10% loss = 

$280,000 per year. 

Due to the increased losses, a mill would also need more timber to 

produce the same volume of output. If rigorous grading standards were 

not maintained, a mill also could lose market share due to perceptions 

of poor quality. 

MARKET IMPACTS 

Estimating the market impacts of the use of juvenile wood for wood 

products is also problematical. Quite simply, we don't know how much 

production of inferior-quality wood products does cost in terms of 

market share. At the moment, the probable effects seem most apparent in 

the increasing use of old-growth Canadian spruce-hemlock-fir softwoods 

for structural timbers. According to some estimates, Canadian lumber 

has captured 1/3 to 1/2 of the southern market, and probably a large 

share in other regions of the U.S. as well. It may well be this market 

penetration is due to low costs of wood that is subsidized by Canadian 

stumpage pricing policies. But to a large degree, old growth sprucehem-fir is perceived as a better product than young growth pine chip-nsaw, which must also contribute to loss of market share for southern 

pine. 

Even if both Canadian stumpage subsidies and consumer (builder) 

preference for spruce-hemlock-fir contribute to loss of market share for 

southern pine, the juvenile wood problem cannot be ignored. Many 

consumers would prefer light, uniform straight hem-fir for construction 

rather than heavy, variable, and lower-grade southern pine. The 
predominance of chip-n-saw mills that produce lumber exacerbates the 

problem. They produce chips from mature wood at the outside of the log 

and lumber from juvenile wood at the inside of the log. The result is 

frequently not a good lumber product. And in fact, an old economic 

adage tends to operate--bad goods will drive out good ones. In this 

case, poor quality southern pine lumber produced from young growth has 

given all southern pine lumber a bad reputation. Consumers have begun 

to equate southern pine 2x4's with low quality, despite the fact that 

the lumber may have structurally superior properties when sawn from 

mature wood. 

In a limited survey of retail lumber retailers and builders in 

Athens, Georgia, it was found that most builders chose to use Canadian 

lumber regardless of price. In fact, many bought it rather than 

southern pine of the same dimensions despite a greater price. If this 

is the case throughout the South, one could surmise that product 

desirability contributes a large share to the spruce-hem-fir market 

penetration. Accordingly, this represents a cost for the use of 

juvenile southern pine wood. 

The magnitude of the costs of using juvenile southern pine can be 

examined using various assumptions. Total southern softwood lumber 

consumption in 1985 was about 16.4 billion board feet per year (Forsim 

1985). Canadian lumber imports have been estimated to have one-fourth 

to one-half the southern market share. Assuming that product preference 

(not price) explains various shares of the market share captured by 

Canada, this opportunity cost for southern pine lumber producers might 

be calculated as shown in Table 2. 

These estimates are conjecture, but they indicate the magnitude of 

the costs of extensive use of juvenile wood. No one has empirically 

tested the causal factors for consumer's use of Canadian wood. But 

product preference is no doubt contributing, if not determining. The 

forest industry as a whole must consider these costs in their products 

made of juvenile wood. 

INTEGRATED ECONOMIC EVALUA.TIONS 

The preceding review provides an overview of the potential changes 

in southern forest industry we can expect as we move from a 

predominantly natural pine resource to a largely planted pine resource. 

Wood characteristics will undoubtedly change with more plantation wood, 

usually harvested from shorter rotations. While wood from plantation 

stands will undoubtedly be different, we can affect product composition 

and quality of existing and future stands by the forest management 

actions we select. 

As indicated by the preceding review, many studies of southern 

pine wood quality and utilization characteristics have been conducted in 

the past. But this research still does not provide us with enough 

economic information for optimal stand management and timber processing 

decisions. We need to integrate timber management, harvesting, 
Table 2. Possible Annual Cost Impacts of Use of Southern Pine Juvenile Wood as Measured by Loss of 

Structural Lumber Market Share. 

Approximate 

Appdoximate Average Canadian 

1985 Price Share of 

Southern Lumber Per Southern 

Consum~tion Thous and Market 

Share Attributable 

to Preference 

for Spruce-Hem-Fir 

Approximate Market 

Cost to Southern 
processing, and marketing analyses and decisions. We need to know more 

about all of these components of the forest business process. 

Fight et al. (1986) suggest needs for better wood quality 

evaluations. More production function data are needed about the effects 

of forest management practices on pine wood quality--effects of 

stocking, species, fertilization, vegetation control, thinning regimes, 

and rotation lengths on the yields of fiber used for solid wood and pulp 

and paper products. Second, we need more information on costs of 

implementing various silvicultural practices and the marginal returns 

received from those practices. This would include costs of initial and 

intermediate treatment of forest stands, costs of harvesting and 

transporting different sized timber, and the mill value of timber with a 

specified size, density, fiber length, or other characteristics. Third, 

we need to know more about the market impacts (salability or demand and 

price) that the use of various types of wood fiber will have on final 

products. These individual needs must be integrated into a holistic 

analysis that looks at the effects of wood quality on costs and returns 

in timber production, logging, manufacturing, and marketing. 

Fight et al. (1986) also discuss four components that are needed 

for an integrated analysis of silvicultural regimes, including growth 

and yield data, timber management costs, logging costs, and net product 

values. Each of these subjects requires detailed information for 

thorough analyses. Figure 1 enumerates some of the possible topics that 

are involved in each of the four components. 

Growth and Yield 

Detailed growth and yield data on timber volume and weights, form, 

limbiness, and other factors are needed for integrated economic 

evaluations. These requirements considerably exceed the data 

customarily provided in growth and yield studies. But they are needed 

to determine the best product usage. Yields for different management 

practices such as thinning and other timber stand improvement practices 

are also needed. 

Furthermore, integrated economic evaluations will require 

utilization data on the amount of juvenile and mature wood in trees 

grown in various stands. Data on specific gravity, fiber length,. and 

fibril angle by type of management practice would be helpful as well. 

Generalized studies that investigate these questions would be useful. 

Management Economics 

Data on management economics should be obtained for integrated 

analyses. In fact, economic analyses have traditionally been the 

criteria used to determine timber rotation ages used today. These 

analyses use stand establishment and management costs, anticipated 

yields and stumpage returns, and discounted cash flow analyses in order 
* 

Gronth and Yield 

- volunes and weights 

- juvenitelmeture wood 

- branch size, distance 

- anatomical characteristics 

v 

i r 1 

Manaqement Economics Silvicultural Regimes Logs i ng Costs 

- Costs - Products - Tree size 

- Stumpage returns . Products - Species 

- Discounted values . C-site - Topography - Harvest system 

- Timber Hanagement 

Product Net Vatues 

Figure 1. Important Components of an Integrated Analysis of 

Silvicultural Regimes (Adapted from Fight et al. 1986). 

67 
to determine the rotation age and management regimes that will maximize 

present values or rates of return. These types of analyses are used by 

corporation and individuals in evaluating other type of financial 

investments also. 

A crucial component in an integrated economic approach will be 

improved estimation of stumpage values as determined by product end use 

and yield. Increased (or decreased) values due to greater proportions 

of mature wood, higher specific gravities, or longer tracheid lengths 

must be quantified. These price data may come from stumpage values 

that companies pay for desirable timber, or they may be derived using a 

residual value approach from the final products. In either case, 

estimates of differential values for different products is one of the 

most important improvements that must be made over current generic 

analyses that ignore wood quality considerations. 

Lonnin~ Costs 

Logging costs also are necessary for integrated economic 

evaluations of alternative silvicultural regimes. Logging costs vary by 

harvest system used, tree size, topography, species, and other factors. 

These costs could be estimated using results available from harvesting 

time studies and various equipment fixed and operating cost data. We at 

the University of Georgia have estimated some of these types of costs 

for the harvest systems common in the South. They could be used in 

integrated economic evaluations fairly easily. 

Product Net Values 

The last component that influences selection of silvicultural 

regimes is the final product for which the wood will be used. One would 

logically believe that end use would be most important in determining 

silvicultural regimes. In fact, this is often not the case. Foresters 

are fond of trying to grow the maximum amount of volume per acre, 

assuming that technology will provide a means to utilize whatever is 

grown. Technology can handle many problems, particularly if enough 

energy and dollars are available. But a premium will be paid to those 

who produce wood that is better suited to the needs of forest products 

manufacturers. 

To determine the net value of products, information will be needed 

on product yield by grade and according to type of wood source. This 

will include both the value of the primary product and of any secondary 

or by-products of the manufacturing process. Estimates of manufacturing 

costs will also be helpful; these can be used to derive input fiber 

costs that should be paid for the raw material. Economists refer to 

this as factor demand. 

Another piece of helpful information might be estimates of market 

demand for the final products and how demand varies with the quality of 
the inputs. For example, how has demand for southern pine framing 

lumber been affected by use sf more juvenile wood in making that Imber? 

These market questions are difficult to answer, but important. It will 

also be difficult, but necessary, to estimate the product prices that 

are relevant to future markets, and different grades of material. 

CONCLUSIONS 

Without any solid data to provide a foundation for positive 

analysis, one must base an assessment of the economics using of juvenile 

wood for southern pine products largely on conjecture and assumptions. 

This paper outlines a method for such an analysis, and makes some 

assumptions to at least provide rough estimates for their costs. 

Using the conservative cost estimates for increased pulpwood 

procurement, pulp production decreases, lumber yield decreases, and loss 

of market share, and ignoring pulpmill plant costs and sawtimber 

procurement costs, increasing use of juvenile wood will cost the 

southern forest products industry $102,450,000 in production losses and 

$108,504,000 in lumber market share losses each year. Using the highest 

costs estimates, these costs would be $275,950,000 and $822,000,000 

respectively. Costs for a large pulpmill could exceed $2.5 million per 

year; for a large sawmill, $280,000 per year. If these estimates are 

even remotely close, one can conclude that the use of juvenile wood is 

extremely costly to the southern forest products industry. 

Additionally, the question of whether the benefits outweigh these costs 

has noc even been examined, or maybe even asked. 

It is unlikely that we will return to favoring natural stands, but 

we can manage planted stands for the highest value products. Most other 

major softwood producing sectors in the world have realized that their 

changing resource base requires strategic planning. New Zealand (Sutton 

1987), western Canada (Kellogg 1987), and the western U.S (Fight et al. 

1986) have all initiated major, comprehensive, expensive task force 

efforts to evaluate the growth and utilization of their second-growth 

softwood forest resources. To a large extent, they have identified the 

characteristics of their resource, planned alternative utilization 

strategies, and developed sophisticated models to analyze timber 

management regime alternatives. Doubtlessly, the Scandinavian countries 

have done this on an ongoing basis as well. The South, on the other 

hand, has initiated no coordinated research efforts at all, despite 

being faced with the most imminent change in their forest resource. 

Some individual studies on plantation wood utilization are being 

performed, but we need much more to maintain our competitive position. 

Overall, we have performed a considerable amount of research on 

wood quality. We have not, however, answered many crucial questions. 

Nor have we developed broad-based regional models to evaluate resource 

changes or developed any coherent regional strategies to deal with these 

changes. The challenge for our industry will be to work cooperatively 

and act quickly to develop analytical tools to implement and forest 

management practices that will help us maintain our world 

competitiveness, in forest products manufacturing and marketing. 
American Pulpwood Association. 1986. Pulpwood statistics. Report 86- 

A-5. 

Bendtsen, B. A. 1978. Properties of wood from improved and intensively 

managed trees. In: Impacts of the Changing Quality of Timber 

Resources. Proceedings No. P-78-21. Forest Products Research 

Society. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 26-37. 

Fight, Roger D., Thomas A. Snellgrove, Robert 0. Curtis, and Dean S. 

DeBell. 1986. Bringing timber quality considerations into forest 

management decisions: a conceptual approach. In: Proceedings, 

Symposium on Douglas-fir: Stand Management for the Future. 

Contribution No. 55. College of Forest Resources, University of 

Washington, Seattle. p. 20-15. 

Kellison, R. C. and B. J. Zobel. 1978. The changing wood supply and 

its effect on product. In: Impacts of the Changing Quality of 

Timber Resources. Proceedings No. P-78-21. Forest Products 

Research Society. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 40-43. 

Kellogg, Robert M. 1987. A task force approach to our changing 

resource. In: Managing and Marketing the Changing Timber 

Resource. Proceedings 47349. Forest Products Research Society. 

Madison, WI. p. 64-68. 

Resource Information Systems, Inc. 1985. FORSIM Review. Vol. 16, No. 

4. Bedford, Massachusetts. p. 36. 

Senft, John F., B. Alan Bendtsen, and William L. Galligan. 1985. Weak 

wood: fast-grown trees make problem lumber. Journal of Forestry 

83(8):477-484. 

Sutton, W. R. J. 1987. Review of the New Zealand radiata pine 

industry. In: Managing and Marketing the Changing Timber 

Resource. Proceedings 47349. Forest Products Research Society. 

Madison, WI. p. 21-29. 

U.S.D.A. Forest Service. 1988. The South's Fourth Forest: 

Alternatives for the Future. Forest Resource Report No. 24. U.S. 

Government Printing Office. Washington, D.C. 512 p. 
THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST 

STAND MANAGEMENT COOPERATIVE 

James Cahfif 

Paclffc Northwest Forest Experiment Statfon 

USBA Forest Senrice 

Portland, Oregon 

The Stand Management Cooperative is a research and development organization created 

to provide a continuing source of high-quality data on the long-term effects of 

silvicultural treatments and treatment regimes on stand and tree development and wood 

quality. The program will link silvicultural and yield research with wood quality and 

utilization research, with emphasis on forest plantations. Results will provide an 

improved basis for evaluating stand management practices and regimes for the future. 

BACKGROUND 

Most of our present knowledge about effects of treatments in forest plantations, in 

terms of effects on long-term growth and wood properties, is derived faom natural 

stands. To fill gaps in the existing data base, the Cooperative will install plots, apply 

treatments, and collect and analyze data. The integrated program aims to define 

quantitative effects of treatments on growth, yield, and wood properties, and to forecast 

more accurately the consequences of alternative management regimes. Although initial 

emphasis is on plot establishment and data collection, in the future the program will 

also provide improved stand simulators, yield estimates, and stand treatment guidelines. 

Initial activities focus on two species, Douglas-fir and western hemlock, in the coastal 

regions of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. In the future other species may 

be included. 

THE CHANGING RESOURCE 

Managed stands are replacing the natural forests of the Northwest. Today's planted 

stands will be influenced by regimes that may include many interacting treatments, such 

as thinning and fertilization. Current thinking in the region favors much wider tree 

spacings than have been common in the past, and a particular need is for specific 

quantitative information on the effects of such regimes on wood quality. Available 

information suggests that wood and product quality is likely to be a major factor 

determining acceptable management regimes. 

Effective management of future stands will require information on: 

- effects of wide planting spacings on stand development and yields 

- responses to thinning in stands with prior stocking control 

- effects of combining stocking control with fertilization, vegetation control, and 

genetic improvement 

Only limited information is available specifically applicable to these conditions. 
As the characteristics of northwest timberlands change, so will the characteristics of 

wood products. Wood quality studies of western species have rarely included examination 

of the effects of silvicultural regimes on wood properties and product quality. These 

effects need to be evaluated and incorporated in decisions about management practices 

to be applied to new forests. 

Three problem areas will be addressed: 

- effects of silvicultural practices on basic wood properties 

- relationship of basic wood properties to product quality 

- effects of stand treatments on product yields and quality 

The Stand Management Cooperative is conducting product recovery studies and laboratory evaluations of basic wood properties. Results will provide an improved basis for 

models to evaluate effects of silvicultural treatments on wood properties and product 

quality. 

The Stand Management Cooperative was formally established in January 1985. Currently, 

22 organizations participate in the cooperative, including five universities. Sixteen 

forest industry companies and federal, provincial, and state agencies provide support and 

direction for the project. The six institutional members furnish technical expertise and 

research support. Cooperative headquarters at the University of Washington provides 

program administration and staffing. 

Member oraanizations: 

Bohemia, Inc. 

British Columbia Ministry of Forests 

and Lands 

Cavenham Forest Industries 

Champion International Corp. 

Forintek Canada Corporation 

Georgia-Pacific Corporation 

International Paper Company 

Longview Fibre Company 

MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. 

Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle 

Oregon State University 

Port Blakely Tree Farms 

Simpson Timber Company 

University of British Columbia 

University of California, Berkeley 

University of Washington 

USDA Forest Service 

USDI Bureau of Land Management 

Washington Department of Natural 

Resources 

Washington State University 

Weyerhaeuser Company 

Willamette Industries 

The Cooperative includes two projects: Silviculture and Wood Quality. Each has a 

Project Leader, supported by Technical Advisory Committees composed of individuals 

from member organizations with specific skills and interests. Program and study plans 

are prepared jointly by the Project Leaders and Technical Advisory Committees. A 

Policy Committee representing all members meets annually to review plans and accomplishments and approve work plans and budget. Overall program coordination is 
provided by the Director, working with the Project Leaders and the Policy Committee 

Chairman. 

Field work and data management are coordinated by Cooperative staff at the University 

of Washington. Plot establishment, treatments, and data collection are done jointly by 

Cooperative staff eurd the landowner, Studies in both projects will be joint efforts, 

drawing on the skills of individuals in member organizations best suited and available 

for the specific data analyses and interpretations. 

PLANS 

Five-year Plans have been developed for the Silviculture Project and the Wood Quality 

Project. 

Silviculture Project field installations are established with the primary aim of obtaining 

data suitable for fitting regionally applicable response surfaces. About 60 field installations are planned for establishment over a 5-year period, with planned durations of 

about 30 to 50 years. 

The Wood Quality Project will conduct a series of coordinated studies in the five year 

planning period, beginning with a major product recovery study and a series of followup studies. Other work will involve forest, mill, and laboratory measurements, and will 

increasingly be directed toward linkage with Silviculture Project field installations. 

The Stand Management Cooperative emphasizes studies on effects of silvicultural 

treatments on wood and product quality, which is likely to be as important to future 

regional competitive position as is volume production. Linkage between silviculture and 

yield research and wood quality and products research promises to be an enduring 

benefit of the program. Also, the field installation design was developed to overcome 

some of the difficulties that have plagued past long-term studies of silvicultural regimes 

in the Pacific Northwest. 

Cooperative efforts such as the Stand Management Cooperative are the most promising 

means -- and perhaps the only feasible means -- for providing a continuing source of 

high-quality treatment response data. These data are needed for construction of reliable 

models that can guide owners in evaluating alternative management regimes. The costs 

to an individual owner are far less than those of an independent effort, and the range 

in both the conditions represented and the expected sample size is far greater. 

FOR FURTHER WORM_AmON: 

Director: Silviculture Project Leader: Wood Quality Project Leader: 

W. N. Chappell Douglas A. Maguire James Cahill 

College of Forest Resources College of Forest Resources USDA Forest Service 

University of Washington University of Washington Pacific Northwest Station 

Seattle, Washington 98 195 Seattle, Washington 98195 P.O. Box 3890 

(206) 543-9527 (206) 543-2395 Portland, Oregon 97208 

(503) 231 -2 103 

AN INTEGMTED FOREST AGmW AND REOURCE QUALITY 

RGMRCH EFFORT FOR COASTAL DOUGLAS-FIR IN CANADA 

R,M. Kellogg, Forintek Canada Corp. 

Vancouver, B,C. 

Introduction 

The forest industry in Canada, as elsewhere in the world, will become 

increasingly dependent on managed second-growth timber for its wood supply. The 

future of the forest industry will depend upon the successful conversion of this 

resource into forest products. In order to plan new investments and to assess 

stand management practices, industry urgently needs information ranging from the 

effects of silvicultural regimes on volume production and wood value, to the 

properties and quality of end-products produced from the resource. A program of 

research into managed second-growth coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii 

(Mirb.) Franco) timber values has been undertaken by Forintek Canada Corp. in 

cooperation with the Pulp and Paper Research Institute of Canada and the 

Research Branch, B.C. Ministry of Forests, This research group called the 

Douglas-fir Task Force had the following main objectives: 

1. To estimate the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the 

intensively managed coastal Douglas-fir resource of the future. 

2. To determine the value of this resource for conversion to dimension 

lumber and pulp. 

3. To develop a computer model capable of evaluating the effects of 

silvicultural treatments in terms of end-product value. 

Formation of the Douglas-fir Task Force 

Securing the active support and participation of industry was an absolute 

necessity in order to ensure the success of the task force. Initial contact was 

made through two committees of the Council of Forest Industries, the Sawmill 

Operations Committee, and the Forest Management Committee. 

Six of the coastal companies, B.C. Forest Products, Crown Forest Industries 

(now both under the name Fletcher Challenge), Canadian Forest Products, 

MacMillan Bloedel, Western Forest Products and C,I,P. Inc. (now called Canadian 

Pacific Forest Products) all offered to locate suitable stands, fell trees and 

transport logs to the mill. Canadian Pacific Forest Products made their 

Ladysmith mill available for the conversion study. Representatives from each 

company and the Ladysmith mill manager joined the nine project leaders to form 

the Douglas-fir Task Force. 
Site and Tree Selection 

Six stands were sampled, The age of these stands was approximately that of 

the anticipated rotation age of future managed stands of Douglas-fir, that is, 

about 50 years, Intensively managed stands of that age do not exist in coastal 

British Columbia, but 50 year old stands do exist on medim to good sites where 

stocking densities are not too high and productivity has been at levels that 

foresters would hope to achieve under intensive forest management conditions. 

It was this type of stand which was sought for study. In addition, it was 

decided to obtain as wide a geomaphic distribution of sites as practical and to 

represent both the wet and dry regions on the West and East coasts of Vancouver 

Island as well, The flow of trees, logs, and material selected for each of the 

study projects is illustrated in Figure 1. 

It must be kept in mind that the material sampled, and therefore the results, 

do not describe the present coastal Douglas-fir resource being harvested and 

marketed today. The results of the basic wood property, pulping, and 

juvenile-mature wood transition studies do not truly describe the entire stands 

from which they were obtained since only dominant and codominant trees were 

selected. It is expected that the trees selected for study represent the range 

of characteristics which will be produced in future managed stands sf this 

species. 

Sampling of the stands for the conversion study was more comprehensive in 

that the full range of tree diameters was sampled. The sampling plan called for 

an equal number of trees in each diameter class so that estimates would have 

equal precision over the full range of stem diameters, However, the results do 

not properly describe these stands since the sampling was not random. That was 

not the objective of the study. 

Results and Discussion 

Wood Characteristics 

The results of this study show that, largely due to the high proportion of 

juvenile wood, second-growth coastal Douglas-fir harvested in 50 to 70 years 

will have physical, mechanical and chemical properties substantially different 

from the old-growth resource harvested today, Juvenile wood volume may be as 

high as 50 percent of total volume at these rotation ages. Juvenile wood, which 

in this study material comprised on average the first 23 rings from the pith, 

has an average relative density of 0.46. The average stemwood relative density 

of the study trees is 0.48 while the best estimate of average old-growth 

relative density is about 0.51 to 0.52, 

A great deal of tree-to-tree variation in longitudinal shrinkage exists, but 

on average the longitudinal shrinkage of the innermost juvenile wood is more 

that twice that of mature wood, No sharp distinction can be observed between 

juvenile and mature wood based on longitudinal shrinkage, but it appears that 

the most serious levels are generally confined within the first five rings from 

the pith. In contrast, the fiber length increased dramatically from between 1.0 

and 2.0 millimeters at the pith to between 3.0 and 4.0 millimeters in the mature 

wood. These mature wood values were not attained for approximately 30 rings 

from the pith, so it can be anticipated that the average fiber length of short 

rotations stands will be substantially less than that of old-growth material. 
* 299 Trees 

Chapter 

Ra!a!~va Dansny Log md bmkr Yllrlds 1 1 6DTrarr 

Dansny and Cham& Unbla8ch.d Krdt Pub Raftnat Mrh.nd bb 

Plopon~es 9 T tcwr 1 11 11 @Trees a 1 nos 

4 4 t 

Fig. 1 Source ard Distributim of trees 

ard material in study prcrjects 
In terms of chemical properties, lignin content of juvenile wood is higher 

than that of mature wood, but a comparison of the mean second-growth values with 

those available for old-growth shows that they are not appreciably different, A 

similar comparison shows total extractive content of second-growth is lower than 

that of old-growth. 

Conversion to dimension lumber 

The! factor prianarily detemining lumber value is tree and log size. Grades 

No. 2 and Better accounted for a relatively constant average of 82 percent of 

all lumber. Increased yields of Select Structural that were obtained as log 

diameter increased were largely at the expense of reductions in the yield of No, 

I and No. 2 lumber. Clearly, differences in lumber value related to log quality 

depend on a premium price for Select Structural. Without this premium for grade 

the effect that logs size has on value would become even more important, because 

premium prices are usually paid for the widest lumber widths. 

Although knots were a major determinant of visual lumber grade there is no 

direct linear relationship between knot size and visual grade. This results 

from the fact that an acceptable knot size for a given lumber grade is defined 

by the size of the lumber piece and by the location of the knot within the 

piece. 

Lumber grade and value considerations of second-growth material will have to 

include the impact of juvenile wood on lumber drying and strength 

characteristics. Warp, particularly twist, was a major drying degrade factor 

with a strong tendency for warp to increase with increasing proportion of 

juvenile wood. 

Of greater concern is the magnitude of potential grade and value reduction 

resulting from the reduced strength and stiffness of lumber with high 

proportions of juvenile wood. These results do not reflect the design values 

that could currently be assigned to random samples of visually graded lumber as 

typically marketed in British Columbia, Rather, they bring industry's attention 

to a potential value problem should there be a significant change in log sorting 

strategies, proportion of second-growth being harvested or a change in forest 

management strategy that increases the production of lumber of lower density, 

There is a substantial proportion of the lumber from second-growth trees with 

high strength and stiffness properties that are not recognizable by means of 

visual grading. By contrast, machine stiffness rating systems provide a direct 

method of assessing the structural performance capability of each piece of 

lumber. In a similar sense, conventional kiln-drying schedules and practices 

may result in appreciable drying degrade in second-growth Douglas-fir lumber 

containing a high proportion of juvenile wood. Methods have been developed 

elsewhere in the world to deal with similar drying problems and these should be 

examined to develop a cost-effective means of reducing degrade losses in this 

material. 

Perhaps one of the greatest values in the information obtained in this study 

is the recognition of potential quality problems so that methods can be 

developed to deal with them effectively before this type of wood becomes a 

significant component of the harvested coastal Douglas-fir resource. The 

results should suggest ways in which second-growth can be converted, graded or 

marketed in order to realize its highest potential value. 
Conversion to pulp 

If the second-growth coastal Douglas-fir resource or sawmill residuals from 

that resource are converted to kraft or refiner mechanical pulp certain 

observations can be made on the characteristics of those pulps based on the 

results of this study, Yields of both bleachable-grade and linerboard grade 

kraft pulps were consistently lower for juvenile wood relative to mature wood 

while the yields of top wood was intermediate. Presumably due to interfiber 

bonding, the juvenile wood and top wood pulps hacl higher tensile and burst 

strength, a greater stretch and stress-strain factor than those from mature 

wood. On the other hand the juvenile wood and top wood pulps were substantially 

lower in tear strength than the mature wood pulps. The wide ranging properties 

of bleachable-grade kraft pulps made from the different components from the 

second-growth Douglas-fir resource were predictable on the basis of wood or chip 

density, fiber length and fiber coarseness. 

An increase in the proportion of juvenile wood will adversely affect the tear 

index of kraft pulps of coastal Douglas-fir to a point where they are more 

comparable with the tear strength of other Canadian softwoods. This drop in tear 

is offset to some degree by increased tensile strength and sheet density. In 

short, future resource can be expected tcr produce a more balanced kraft pulp. 

It appears that there is the potential for an increased range of properties from 

kraft pulps of second-growth Douglas-fir which offers a broader range of 

utilization options. Other softwoods may not be capable of providing a 

comparable range in properties, 

Fibers from mature wood refiner mechanical pulps were longer and coarser than 

those from juvenile wood and top wood pulps, As a result mature wood pulps were 

stronger in both tensile and tearing strength. 

It has been found that the properties of refiner mechanical pulps can be 

predicted and explained primarily on the basis of fiber length, fiber strength 

and Klason lignin content of the wood. Wood density is also important, but 

unlike the models developed for kraft pulps, plays a less dominant role. 

Consideration of available options for utilization of second-growth Douglas-fir 

refiner mechanical pulps suggests that there is a good potential for the 

production of mechanical pulps with a distinctive range of properties. 

Evaluation of Silvicultural Strateaies 

The second major contribution of this study has been the development of a 

model called SYLVER which can relate silvicultural strategies to standing yield, 

product recovery and financial return, Initial validation shows that SYLVER has 

su~cessfully integrated the results of the Task Force studies into a system 

sensitive to environmental variables, silvicultural practices, wood properties, 

product quality, financial return and management opportunities, The flow of 

information from the Task Force Project to the SYLVER model is illustrated in 

Figure 2. 

The model suggests an increased return on investment through the 

establishment of coastal Douglas-fir plantations at stocking densities of 400 to 

500 trees per hectare as opposed to the current practice of 900 trees per 

hectare. On highly productive sites the highest return would be realized with a 

harvest rotation of 50 to 60 years when conventional visual grading procedures 

are applied. 
DOUGLAS-FIR TASK FORCE ) 

(c---i 2 f Juvenile Wood Transition It- 

' 13(1ongitudinal Shrinkage 

Kiln Drying *----:a' Heartwood Treatabil~t y ) 

7 

/ 13 1 Silviculture C End-Product Value 

w- 

! 

* Treatments 

Silvicullural 1 w 

- I ; Sawing ; _-_--_-_ cb,;p -------+, I Pulping I 4- - - --- -- - -: 

Simula t on Simulatron 

Lumber I 

( Grad~ng J 

(----------J 1 Grading 

End-Product i( ---------- j 

1 Value , 

Financial 

Analysis 

PRODUCT QUALITY & VALUE ) 

Fig. 2 Momticn f la^ between Dwglas-f ir 

Task Force projects 
Recognition of the potential end-product quality problems resulting from the 

high proportion of juvenile wood resulting from this strategy results in a 

marked reduction in the net present value, expands the range of optimum planting 

densities (500-700 trees per hectare) and delays harvesting until age 90. 

Defining the magnitude of these effects provides the forest industry with some 

sense of the potential value losses against which the investments in either 

technological or biological solutions to the problem can be compared. The 

optimum planting density and harvest age depends on an organization's objective. 

A policy that strives to muimize the merchantable volume of standing timber, 

or logs, encourages relatively high planting densities (1110 trees per hectare). 

Emphasizing lumber value has a similar effect. The attractiveness of high 

establishment density and long rotations vanishes when planting and carrying 

costs are considered through net present value analysis. 

The results from the simulated experiment with different planting densities 

may encourage the forest planner to look for other opportunities to increase net 

revenue. Pruning is a likely choice with clear lumber presently demanding a 

price premium in excess of 300 percent relative to No. 2 and better, and the 

realization that short rotation unpruned stands will produce essentially no 

clear lumber. The model suggests that pruning will increase the net present 

value by as much as $400/ha. It is predicted that a single lift pruning to 6.5 

meters at age 20 would result in clear lumber accounting for 14 percent of the 

volume and 33 percent of the lumber value. This striking increase in the net 

present value of pruned stands illustrates the dynamics of financial yield and 

the insight that SYLVER can provide when adequately validated. 

Integrated efforts like the Douglas-fir Task Force provide a means of 

developing a knowledge of the wood characteristics that determine end-product 

value. This is essential information for tree improvement planners who may want 

to consider the potential they have to offset some of the negative wood quality 

features expected in the managed second-growth resource. Models like SYLVER 

offer the potential of evaluating the effects of genetic manipulations of the 

wood characteristics which are critical in determining end-product value. The 

model should be able to consider the costs of genetic manipulation and trait 

measurement in tree improvement programs so that assessments of overall 

financial return of potential investments can be made in terms of net present 

value. These options are just beginning to be explored. 

As part of the effort to remain competitive on the world market, Canada's 

forest industry must maintain a high quality resource which will permit the 

greatest flexibility in the manufacture of a variety of high quality value added 

products. Information of the type gathered from this integrated research effort 

should go a long way in helping to achieve that goal. 

Southern Plantation Wood Quality Workshop 

Facilitated Group Meetings 

Attendees participated in one of four commodity group breakout sessions. 

The groups were lumber, composites, pulp and paper, and forest management. Each 

group was asked to respond to these two trigger questions: 

1. What are the most pressing information needs to most efficiently utilize 

the South's changing softwood resource? 

2. If an organization is needed to deal with the changing softwood 

resource, how should it be structured? 

The following lists provide responses to these questions. For the first 

question, each group ranked information needs by classes and then prioritized 

needs within classes. Responses to the second question are not ranked. 
LWER GROUP 

High-Priority Information Needs 

1, Resource 

e Determine effects of cultural practices on grade and volume yield of logs 

and trees. 

e Develop new weight scaling and conversion factors, 

Assess resource and build predictive models. 

Conduct genetics--research to reduce problems; e.g,, wood fibril angle. 

2. Conversion 

e Merchandize total-tree to optimize value, 

e Identify juvenile wood in furnish and solid products so that it can be 

segregated in the yard or mill, 

Reduce degrade through drying processes. 

Adjust processing procedures in the mill to reduce problems. 

3. Grading 

0 Revisit the whole grading process-- 

--machine stress rating 

--visual system and modifications 

--segregate juvenile wood and possible grade separately 

Furnish reliable strength values for lumber with juvenile wood. 

a Determine yields of machine stress-rated lumber and for any "new" approach 

for segregating grade. 

4. Markets and Marketing 

e Understand problems of juvenile wood in major southern pine markets-. 

--strength 

--treated wood-warp 

--other 

e Conduct market research to find deterrents in residential and developing 

(new) applications. 

e Determine in-use stability of material; e,g., redried treated wood. 

Quantify dollar loss due to juvenile wood. 
LUMBm GROW 

Additional Information Needs 

1. Resource 

0 Conduct research on tree genetics and biotech to reduce juvenile wood. 

2. Conversion 

0 Determine the future product mix for industry. 

a Determine the treatability of juvenile wood. 

a Determine the effect of juvenile wood on mill recovery. 

3. Grading 

Estimate the rate of change in the resource as it affects design values, 

0 Create a separate grading category for juvenile wood. 

Estimate the effect of slope of grain on lumber quality. 

0 Estimate the effects of crook on lumber quality. 

4. Markets and Marketing 

Develop new comectors for low-density wood. 

Explore the possibility of redrying treated wood. 
COMPOSITE PRODUCTS GROW 

High-Priority Information Needs 

1. Forecasts of Raw Material Supply 

a Continue and improve forest inventory and analysis efforts so that the 

quantity, distribution, quality, and grade mix of timber are known. This 

information must then be related to industrial needs. 

a Develop data base to relate resource characteristics to product yield, 

quality, and costs. 

a Determine the impact of expanded hardwood usage. 

2, Technology 

e Develop technology to use juvenile wood for specific purposes. 

a Assure that products have predictable and reliable performance. 

a Test methods for sorting and grading raw materials to avoid large 

variations in the quality of final products. 

3. Markets and Products 

Explore opportunities to use wood for nonresidential products, 

Ekplore opportunities to use wood in combination with other materials. 

a Stimulate export by determining the most desirable mix of southern panel 

products in world markets. 

4. Education 

a Provide training and education for industry on topics like in-woods 

processing and sorting. 

a Provide information on stand management practices that improve product 

quality. 

Determine and disseminate information on budget needs for utilization 

research. 

a Present a unified message to the public on multiple use forest management 

and utilization. 
COWOSITE PRODUCTS GROUP 

Additional Information Needs 

1. Forecasts of Raw Material Supply 

e Determine from nonindustrial private forests how much timber is available. 

e Help industry to decide whether it should lenghten rotations to meet 

customer needs. 

e Define standards of quality. 

2. Technology 

0 Determine how juvenile wood affects the characteristics and properties 

products like laminated veneer lumber and oriented strandboard. 

e Develop processing technology for controlling stiffness of plywood. 

Develop technology to utilize the timber that will be available in the 

year 2000. 

e Improve tension and other testing methods. 

o Explore the possibilities of intermediate harvests for various products to 

allow longer rotations. 

3. Markets and Products 

e Determine market needs for specific products. 

Define customer needs for product quality. 

Make long-term forecasts of technology and products. 

r Explore opportunities to develop markets for the kinds of products and 

materials that can be produced in the short term. 

a Determine demographic makeup of southern consumers. 

a Devise short-term as well as long-term(20+ years) solutions. 

4. Education 

Inform lawmakers on benefits of tax laws that promote longer rotations. 

e Communicate importance of research on juvenile wood problem. 
PULP AND PAPER GROUP 

High-Priority Information Needs 

1 Integrated Production and Economics Studies 

0 Develop widely applicable economic models that include both the economic 

consequences of high-volme-per-acre fiber production and bottom-line 

impact on mill profitability within limits of antitrust. 

0 Develop integrated systems to study forest mmagement and pulping 

processes from start to finish--from seed to pulp. 

o Develop effective communication among all parties--forestry and 

manufacturing. 

2. Resource 

Relate wood properties to silvicultural treatments--identify relative 

importance of factors affecting wood quality. 

0 Develop growth and yield models that include wood property information. 

0 Develop trees with high specific gravity or smaller juvenile cores. 

Develop nondestructive measurements for specific gravity. 

o Consider industry-wide use of dry weight as substitute for cubic volume or 

green weight. 

3. Manufacturing 

a Establish alternative papermaking products or processes using juvenile 

wood. 

Develop effective on-line measurements of fiber quality in the chip 

stream. 

Explore feasibility of sorting wood into quality classes in the woods, in 

the woodyard, and at the mill--both roundwood and chip sorting. 

4. Marketing 

0 Compare plantation woodpulp quality and price with other major world 

competitors. 

0 Conduct a marketing study of Southeast pulp and paper versus the world. 
PULP AND PAPFB GROUP 

Additional Information Needs 

1. Intenrated Production and Economics 

s Gather data needed to make economic evaluations for new production and 

processing for the changing southern pine resource 

s Develop mutually acceptable strategies for dealing with a changing 

resource, then identify means to fulfill. 

s Estimate yield and cost of pulp and paper from different mixes of 

plantation and natural timber. 

o Compare cost of increasing rotations with the cost of pulping wood from 

short rotations. Include product quality and byproducts in the analysis. 

2. Resource 

Develop means to value stumpage or mill wood based on quality. 

s Relate pulp yields to utilization (harvesting) practices. 

Obtain timely sophisticated inventory data, by procurement areas. 

s Assess wood-quality impacts on the timber projections in "The South's 

Fourth Forest: Alternatives for the Future," 

3. Manufacturing 

s Develop systems to reduce variability in wood quality as furnished to the 

mill. 

s Project wood quality and quantity of mill residues in the future, 

.-Develop technology to handle small material in the woods and at the mill. 

s &mine manufacturing techniques that are tolerant of wide variations in 

fiber quality. 

a Explore processes and products that take advantage of characteristics of 

juvenile wood. 

4. Marketing 

Determine consumer preference impacts of changing resources on final 

product demands, if any. 
FOREST MANAGEMESdT GROW 

High-Priority Information Needs 

1. Nana~ement Information 

a Improve convnunication of existing information, 

a Find market niches for the wood we are growing (alternate products?). 

a Conduct frequent timberland surveys to determine trends in ownership and 

management and how these trends affect resources and their availability. 

2. Silvicultural Treatments 

a Determine the effects of cultural treatments on the quantity and quality 

of forest products. 

a Identify management activities that most strongly affect juvenile wood 

formation. 

Identify specific wood characteristics related to site quality. 

Determine the characteristics of wood growth under a range of 

silvicultural practices. 

3. Modeling 

a Develop a general model that integrates the major factors influencing net 

product value. 

a Develop better biological process models to predict treatment effects on 

wood quality. 

4. - Basic Biology 

a Understand physiological process of maturation. 
AGmWT GROUP 

Additional Information Needs 

1, Management Information 

0 Determine the demographics of impending impacts of plantation wood--when 

and where, 

0 Develop low-cost management systems for nonindustrial private forest 

owners that will increase production without increasing problem. 

2. Silvicultural Treatments 

0 Determine the impact of pruning on growth and wood quality, 

Develop economic thinning systems. 

e Determine what management practices can be used to improve mill 

production. 

Identify the juvenile wood characteristics of geographic seed sources and 

specific parents. 

3. Modeling 

a Develop additional models relating plantation to natural pine. 

0 Develop yield models that relate product grades to branchiness, the amount 

of juvenile wood in the tree, and the location of juvenile wood in the 

tree. 

4. Basic Biology 

0 Characterize genotype X environment effects on the characteristics of 

juvenile wood and mature wood. 

Gather information on crown structure and growth and wood quality, 

Find ways to change the population through breeding. 

Suggested Qrgmiaational S$sucture 

Lumber Group 

To Focus on and. recommend research Sunding, 

To provide a forum, 

To tsmsfer technology, 

To organize research effort, get dollars for research, and organize 

political support* 

To come up with a predictive tool (similar to FORINTEK). 

To use interdisciplinary approach to solving changing resource problems. 

To organize effort through existing organizations. 

Segment organization by major interests (lumber, panels, etc.). 

site Products Grou 

Needs industry commitment, 

Participation by industry, academia, md goverment, 

Plm and prioritize research needs, 

Fmd and execute pl 

Pulp ad Paper Group 

Use task force approach* 

Interdisciplinary--growth and yield, economics, foresters, mills, managers, 

trade associations, 

Educate and communicate the future raw material supply and quality 

(softwood) situation in the Southeast and its economic impacts. 

Forest Management Group 

Coordination needed, 

Mae sure research is coordinated 

Identify where data bases are 

Identify where the people are 

Determine what the questions/goals are 

Improve communication 

Gain support--money, technical, political 

Some type of focused process needs to be established--not a co-op but a 

council or task force, 
SOUTHERN PLANTATION WOOD QUALITY WORKSHOP -- LIST OF ATTENDEES 

NAME STRf ET CITY STATE ZIP ORGANIZATION 

ALBRITTON, RON PO BOX 329 

AKTHONY, STEVEN M. PO BOX 137 

BALDWIN, V. CLARK 

BARNES, ROGER 

BARNETT, JAMES P, 

BARTUSKA. ANN M. 

BEASLEY, LAMAR 

BOLTON, JIM 

BOWER, RALPH C. 

BROWN. MARK J. 

BURKHART, HAROLD 

CAHILL, JAMES 

CARSON. WARREN G. 

CHLEBNIKOW, ROBERT J. 

CLARK. ALEXANDER 

CLARK, JOSEPH C. JR. 

CLUTTER. MICHAEL L. 

CONFORTI. MICHAEL 

COOPER, RICK M. 

CROWE. J. WARD 

CUBBACE, FRED 

CURTIS, ALTON B. 

2500 SHREVEPORT HWY 

109 GEORGIAN DR. 

PO BOX 5500 

PO BOX 2680 

BOX 2600 

BOX 311 

P.O. BOX 336 

P.O. BOX 2680 

DEPT OP FORESTRY 

P.O. BOX 3890 

51s PONDEROSA DR. 

PO BOX 105603 

2b5 HANCOCK LANE 

PO BOX 7 

PO BOX 1391 

583 D'ONOFRIO DR. 

P.0: BOX 374 

PO 'BOX 1000 

185 AMBOY CT 

100 W. CAPITOL SUITE 

DAVIS. LARRY 37 VILLA RD. 

DUNHAN, PHILIP H. PO BOX 1950 

NEW AUGUSTA MS 39462 LEAP RIVER FOREST PRODUCT 

BEARDEN AR 71720 ANTHONY TIMBERLANDS INC. 

PXNEVXLLE 

HOT SPRINGS 

PXNESVILLE 

ASHEVI LLE 

ASHEVILLE 

WEST POINT 

PINE HILL 

ASHEVI LLE 

BLACKSBURG 

PORTLAND 

ATHENS 

ATLAKTA 

ATHENS 

CATAWBA 

SAVANNAH 

MAD1 SON 

BCLETMQRPE 

DERIDDER 

ATHENS 

JACKSON 

SOUTHERN POREST EXP. STA. 

WEYERHAEUSEW 

SOUTHERN FOREST EXP. STA. 

USDA FOREST SERVICE 

US FOREST SERVICE 

CHESAPEAKE CORP. 

MACHILLAN BLOEDEL XNC 

S.E. FOREST EXP. STN. 

VPI 

PACIFIC NW FOR. EXP. SIN. 

INLAND-ROME. INC. 

GA. PACIFIC CORP. 

USDA FOREST SERVICE 

BOWATER INC. 

UNION CAMP CORP. 

TRUSS PLATE INSTITUTE 

PROCTOR b GAMBLE 

BOISE CASCADE CORP. 

UCA 

USDA FOREST SERVICE - 

GREEHVILLE SC 29615 CHAMPION INTERN. CORP. 

SUMMERVILLE SC 29484 WESTVACO CORP. 

FRANTZ. ROGER ATLANTA C A USDA FOREST SERVICE 

GIBSON. MARK D. SCHOOL OF FORESTRY RUSTON LA 71272 LA.TECHUNIV 

HAINES, L. WAYSE RT 1 BOX 421 BAINBRIDCE GA 31717 INTERNATIONAL PAPER 

HARXS. VILLIA% R. 2730 SAVANNAH HWY CHARLESTON SC 29414 SE FOREST EXP. STATION 

HAYGREES, JOHN G. 108 M.W. SMITH HALL AUBURN UNIV. AL 36849 AUBURN USIV. 

HEARD. JIM3lY PO BOX 386 HODCE LA 71247 WILLAMETTE IND. INC. 

HEKRY. CLIFF RT. 3. BOX 260 PERRY FL 32347 PROCTERLGAMBLE CELLULOSE 

HOPKINS. SAS PO BOX 3199 TUSCALOOSA AL 35404 GULF STATES PAPER CORP 

HUKDLEY. GESE PO BOX 1990 SUKMERVILLE SC 29484 WESTVACO LUMBER 

IFJU. GEZA 210 CHEATHAM HALL BLACKSBURG VA 24061 VIRGINIA TECH. 

JOHSSOS. DAVID 8. PO BOX 96090 WASHINGTON DC 20090 USDA FOREST SERVICE 

JOSAKIN, JAXES L. PO BOX 336 PINE HILL AL 36769 MACMILLAN ELOEDEL INC 

JOSES, TO% S. 4709 SCENIC HWY. PENSACOLA FL 32501 SOU. PIKE INSPECTlON BCR. 

KELLOCG. ROBERT M. 6620 NW MARINE DR. VANCOUVER BC V6TlX FORINTEK CANADA CORP. 

KLOCKO, PACL M. 1206 MILAN ST.. NEW ORLEANS LA 70115 SOU. FOREST PROD. ASSOC. 

KURPIEL. FRED 1581 PHOENIX BLVD. ATLANTA GA 30349 AMERICAN PLYVOOD ASSOC. 
LININGER, WAYKE 

LITTLE, ROBERT L 

LOGGINS, TOMMY 

RT. 3, BOX 260 

P.O. BOX 1071 

P.O. BOX 819 

PERRY F L 

KNOXVILLE TN 

BACON G A 

PROCTERbGAMBLE CELLULOSE 

UNIV. OF TENNESSEE' 

GA. FORESTRY COMM. 

PO BOX 44 

FORESTRY SCI. LAB. 

PO DRAWER N 

701 LOYOLA AVE. 

3803 SUmMER LANE 

1701 STILLWOOD DR. 

PO BOX 21707 

1 GIFFORD PINCHOT DR 

PO BOX 457 

GREAT SOUTHERN PAPER 

USDA-FOREST SERVICE 

TEMPLE-INLAND INC. 

SOU. FOR. EXP. STN. 

LA. PACIFIC CORP. 

UNION CAMP 

SC FORESTRY COMM. 

FOREST PRODUCTS LAB. 

WOODLANDS 

MALSBERGER, N.J. JR. 

MCALISTER, ROBERT H. 

RCCOLLUM, MICHAEL 

MCWILLIAMS, WILLIAM H. 

MEYERS. GENE 

MILLER. WILLIAM C. 

MILLS, JOE D. 

BONTREY, HANK 

MYERS. GARY A. 

CEDAR SPRINGS GA 

ATHENS G A 

DI BOLL T X 

NEW ORLEANS LA 

HUNTSVILLE T X 

SAVANNAH G A 

COLUMBIA S C 

MAD I SON WI 

PERNANDINA BCH FL 

REAL, JIM 

NELSON, C. DANA 

ATHENS G A 

GULFPORT M S 

USDA FOREST SERVICE 

P.O. BOX 2008 USDA-FOREST SERVICE 

RT. 3, BOX 260 

WTC 182 

PROCTERhGAMBLE CELLULOSE 

WEYERHAEUSER 

ODUM. SHERWIN 

OBERG. JAMES C. 

PERRY 

TACOMA 

PETERSON, JIM 

PETERSON, KEK 

PURNELL, ROBERT C. 

PURSER, DAVE 

PO BOX 96 

\P.O. BOX 105605 

RT 1 BOX 421 

P.O. BOX 128 

PERRY G A 

ATLANTA G A 

BAINBRIDGE G A 

BURNSVILLE NC 

GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORP. 

INTERNATIONAL PAPER 

USDA FOREST SERVICE 

RHODES, THOMAS C. 

ROBERTS, C. DAVIS 

PO BOX 1000 

PO BOX 1391 

DERIDBER LA 

SAVANNAH G A 

BOISE CASCADE CORP. 

UNION CAMP 

SAUCIER. JOSEPH 

SEWELL, BARRY W. 

SNELLGROVE, THOMAS A. 

SPIREK, FRANK J. 

STELZER. HANK 

STUDEMAN, DARYL 

FOR. SCI. LAB. 

884 S. BLACKLAWN RD. 

PO BOX 96090 

PO BOX 1048 

RT. 3, BOX 260 

PO BOX 128 

ATHENS G A 

CONYERS G A 

WASHINGTON DC 

VALDOSTA G A 

PERRY F L 

FLORIEN LA 

USDA FOREST SERVICE 

TIMBER PROD. INSPECTION 

USDA FOREST SERVICE 

NEKOOSA PACKAGING 

PROCTERhGAMBLE CELLULOSE 

BOISE CASCADE 

TARAS, MICHAEL A. 

TENNAKT, JOHN H. 

THOIAS, RICHARD 

TOMCZAK, DON 

TURKER, DAVID 

TWEDT. TERRY 

LEHOTSKY HALL 

PO BOX 411 

BOX 8005 

CLEMSON S C 

ACKERMAN MS 

RALEIGH NC 

ATLANTA G A 

ATLANTA G A 

FLORIEN LA 

CLEMSON UNIV. 

TMA FOREST PRODUCTS 

N. CAROLINA STATE UNIV. 

USDA FOREST SERVICE 

GA. FORESTRY ASSOC. 

BOISE CASCADE 

40 MARIETTA ST. 

PO BOX 128 

WAHLGREN. H.E. 

WEAVER, ROGER 

WILLITS, SUE A. 

WOESSNER, RONALD A. 

WOODSOK, GEORGE 

WURST, CHARLIE 

FOREST PROD. LAB. 

PO BOX 1449 

P.O. BOX 3890 

PO BOX 9908 

1701 BRUIN ST, 

75 SPRING ST. 

MADISON WI 

STATESBORO G A 

PORTLAND 0 R 

COLUMBUS G A 

RUSTON LA 

ATLANTA G A 

USDA 

GA. WOODLANDS 

TIMBER QUALITY RESEARCH 

MEAD II 

WILLAMETTE INDUS. INC.