New Site Productivity Estimates for Red Pine in the Lake States

Abstract

Current site productivity estimates for red pine (Pinus resinosa) in the Lake States are based on old normal yield tables for unmanaged (unthinned) stands. New growth models, based on permanent remeasured plots, indicate that expected yields of merchantable cubic-foot volume from unthinned stands are 18 percent higher, and from thinned stands 32 percent higher than current estimates on average sites. On better sites the differences are greater. Proposed new productivity curves are strongly supported by red pine yields reported in the literature.