Forest Management Commons^™

Comparing Economic Returns Of Red Pine Plantation Thinning Scenarios Using Forest Vegetation Simulator (Fvs), Curtis L. Vanderschaaf, Gordon Holley, Andrew Arends, Joshua Adams, Donald Deckard

Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait) plantations are an important cover type of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) lands because of relatively high yields and economic value. Out of the approximate 400,000 acres of Minnesota red pine plantations one-fifth of the acreage is managed by the DNR. The DNR recently established a policy to rescind purposeful management to manage all red pine plantations to extended rotation ages, or rotation ages beyond those maximizing economic returns or biological yields. With recent state budget issues, DNR management is under greater scrutiny by the public, particularly on School Trust lands. Hence, most red pine …