Utilization of Beetle-Killed Southern Pine

George Woodson – Prepared under contract with the Forest Service, U.S. Dpearment of Agriculture Forestry Associate Professor, Wood Utilization, School of Forestry, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA.

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, General Technical Report WO-47.

The Southern Pine Resource

The southern pines occur on more than 100 million acres of commercial forest land in the United States either as a mixture with other species or as pure stands. The bulk of the resource is located south of the Mason-Dixon line and east of the Great Plains (Koch 1972). There are 10 species of southern pines, but loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.), and slash (P. elliottii Engelm.) make up most of the total inventory.

As a source of raw material for the wood industry, the southern pines are an important national resource. The trees can be grown rapidly in pure stands over a broad range of sites, and the physiography and environmental conditions favor their growth, utilization, and marketing. The wood from southern pines has many desirable properties. It has outstanding strength for lumber and plywood. The color and fiber strength make it desirable for paper and fiber products, and it is easily dried and treated with preservatives.

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