Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Munn, Ian A.

Committee Member

Henderson, James E.

Committee Member

Strickland, Bronson K.

Date of Degree

12-11-2015

Original embargo terms

MSU Only Indefinitely

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Forestry

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Forestry

Abstract

Little information is available to nonindustrial-private forest (NIPF) owners regarding economic tradeoffs between managing pine plantations for timber production or wildlife habitat. Loblolly (Pinus taeda) and longleaf (Pinus palustris) pine plantations were modeled to quantify economic tradeoffs for competing management scenarios utilizing densities aimed at wildlife habitat or timber production in Mississippi. Models contained a range of site indices, planting densities, and rotation lengths for timber maximization and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) or northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) habitat production. All management scenarios in loblolly plantations produced positive Land Expectation Values (LEVs), while one fifth of the management scenarios in longleaf plantations produced positive LEVs. Comparison to the regional hunting lease rate the compensatory lease rates from the study could be realized, making wildlife management as valuable as timber management. The results of this study will help landowners be more informed about economic tradeoffs when making management decisions on their property.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/19535

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