In search of the perfect forest..

[chain]

As professional foresters, what would be your goals in establishing a forest for the future; considerations:

1. Your locale.
2. Relativedly disease free
3. Marketable 30-60-90 years

[WDH]

Depends on the landowner's objective.

Maximun timber production and income?
Maximize wildlife resources?
Maximize forest recreation opportunities?

There have to be guiding objectives, and no one set of objectives is right.  It depends on the results that the landowner wants to achieve.

[Phorester]

WDH, I took this to mean what would I do on my own land.

On a hardwood site, mixed oak with a large percentage of it in white oak.

On a pine site, loblolly.

But if you meant it as working with another landowner, what WDH said. 

[Texas Ranger]

In your local, go with the soils, either hardwood, or short leaf pine.  Check out, if still in existence, Pioneer Forest in south west Missouri.  Long term, 90 year, could be the hardwoods, used to be extraordinary hardwood in the Ozarks.

[chain]

In your local, go with the soils, either hardwood, or short leaf pine.  Check out, if still in existence, Pioneer Forest in south west Missouri.  Long term, 90 year, could be the hardwoods, used to be extraordinary hardwood in the Ozarks.

Yes, I'm familiar with Pioneer Forest, in fact, one of my foresters was involved with a project several years ago with Pioneer.

I should have been more specific....Let's take a 240 acre  pasture, 120 acres is alluvial bottom land soils, the other half is cherty clay type acid soils of a previous SL pine-oak forest in the Ozarks. For your future forest, i.e., timber grown for marketing for future generations, what species would you have confidence in growing?

[Texas Ranger]

I am an old Mizzou grad in forestry, so, with the emphasis on OLD, some of my knowledge may be dated,  that being said.  I would go with hardwood in the 120 acres alluvial bottom land with a mix of walnut, cherry, white and red oak.  Walnut grows faster than you think, it also requires pruning in the early years.  I say shortleaf on the upper portion, since that is the original "Trail of the Lonesome  Pine".  Used to be the premier pine in the Ozarks.  Some areas may be fit for loblolly, but I would check with local folks that have already tried it in similar sites.  Shortleaf does better in the soils and rain fall in the Ozarks.

Space the hardwood out well, walnut particularly, go with the ASCS/SCS recommendations on that.  There used to be a Walnut Group at the U of Mo that had a wealth of information on Walnut.

[chain]

Was happy you included walnut in bottom land plantings; apparently walnut will have top value potiential in lumber as well as nut produce from now to doomsday! Also, our upland Ozark forest is changing very quickly from BO to SL pine. As this species [SL Pine] was original or at least was prevalent when our Native Americans roamed the woods. But, the future in pine-wood products ? A concern.

A papermill bought or optioned to buy 30,000 acres in the 'Bootheel' on unprotected side of levee maybe ten years ago. Nearly all cottonwood plantations, possibly some sycamore and ash planted also. But as economics of growing/producing cottonwood waned for pulp, the Company sold their holdings and most all the original plantings are now in perpetual USDA Wetland holdings.