Soil erosion prevention. Potential answers may be timber production, recreational, source of steady income production, long-term investment, or a combination of any of these. Answers and priorities placed on each will determine how, where, and how much of which activity should be pursued. For instance, if timber management is the key objective, any wildlife management will be incidental to timber harvest and stand improvement. Or, if providing wildlife habitat and timber management are equal objectives, harvesting and timber stand improvement can create and enhance wildlife habitat.
Income is earned simultaneously.
It is difficult to justify, solely in economic terms, hardwood plantations, except for black walnut. Other hardwoods, like oak, grow slowly. Black walnut can be harvested in a minimum of 35 to 40 years. Depending on the species, other hardwoods may be harvested in 65 to 80 years. A mix of species often provides the most benefits.