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Florida's Pine Plantation Resource
Florida's Pine Plantation Resource
Florida’s Pine
Plantation Resource
Short of Sustainability
By John Morris
CHART 2
Concurrently, while total planted acres have been halved, Florida’s pine
plantation harvest rate has been increased by more than 50%. According to an
F&W Forestry Services report in 2007, Florida’s pine plantation harvest rate was
52% higher than depicted in Florida’s Forests - 2007 Update. A survey of
Master Loggers in Florida, conducted by F&W in 2007, and discussed in more
detail below uncovered that fully ninety-percent (90%) of pine harvest is from
plantations.3 It is important to note that the U.S. Forestry Service (USFS)
removals estimate of 55% is based on an average of removals from 1995 to
2007. F&W data is based on survey responses in 2007.
In selecting a source for harvest data, two government sources and one
private source were considered. Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) removals
data indicated that 14.9 million tons of pine were removed.4 The 2007 Timber
Product Output (TPO) consumption data showed 15.6 million tons of pine
harvested.5 A third source, Forisk Consulting, LLC, reported 17.1 million tons of
pine harvested.6 Forisk was deemed to have a more complete reporting base
and was therefore identified as the more accurate indication of harvest.
4
time and FIA being an average over the 12-year period) and further suggests that
a significant increase in pine plantation harvest has occurred.
CHART 3
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1981 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009
S O U R C E:
Florida Div.
of Forestry
CHART 4
Understanding these issues will help us assess the present and future
state of our forests. Natural timber resource, which accounts for only ten percent
(10%) of harvest and is predicted to decrease, is becoming irrelevant with
regards to harvest. Removals, as depicted in Florida’s Forest - 2007 Update, is
an inappropriate estimate of the current harvest for plantations. The FIA data,
now two years old, represented an average over the survey period from 1995-
2007, whereas a comprehensive study by F&W revealed that 90% of harvest
came from plantations in 2007. Finally, annual reforestation acreage—which is
the basis for future growth—has been halved and therefore eventually growth as
a function of acres, will be halved.
Considering these factors together with an increasing demand for wood
from producers of mulch, biofuels, and bioenergy, as well as the increasing
pressure to convert plantations from commercial forests to alternative uses,
Florida’s timber resource is unsustainable. Action is needed now to prevent the
accelerated decrease of plantations so that our forests maintain a sustainable
supply for current and increasing demands. Unless plantation growth is
7
1. All inventory and growth data are from, Florida Forests – Update 2007 (data from Mapmaker 3.0).
Tons were derived by converting cubic feet to tons using 70 lbs wood and bark per cubic feet of
wood.
2. Florida’s Forests – Update 2007, Table 7.1 (Area of Timberland) and Average Net Annual Growth
of Growing Stock on timberland by forest-type group, stand origin, and species group (data from
Mapmaker 3.0).
3. Foley Timber and Land Company commissioned F&W Forestry Services to conduct the
Master Loggers Survey in 2007.
4. Florida’s Forests – Update 2007, Average annual removals of growing stock on timber land by
forest-type group, stand origin, and species group (data from Mapmaker 3.0).
5. SRS-153, Florida’s Timber Industry – An Assessment of Timber Product Output and Use, 2007
(converted to tons using 70 lbs of wood and bark per cubic feet of wood).
6. Assessment of the Pine Resource in Florida; March 10, 2008; F&W Forestry Services
7. 17.1 million tons of annual harvest divided by 98% utilization multiplied by 90% plantation harvest
equals 15.6 million tons annually.