Silvicultural Alternatives in Bottomland Hardwoods and Their Impact on Stand Quality

--Bottomland hardwoods occur on some 35 million acres of forest land in swamps, creek margins, river bottoms, and brown loam bluffs from Virginia to Texas. These hardwood types are very important because the wood has great value and is in demand by forest industries. This article discusses silvicultural alternatives such as site-species relationships, how hardwood timber is used, protection, timber s~and improvement, thinning, choosing harvesting systems, and artificial regeneration as an alternative or supplement to natural regeneration. If the various alternatives ~re intensely and correctly applied, the landowner can produce quality hardwood timber that will command a premium price •. Additional keywords: Brown loam ,bluffs, site, regeneration, plantations, direct-seeding, forests. : , -"Bottomland hardwoods occur on about 33 million acres of forest land iq ~'swamps,minor stream bottoms, and river bOttoms from Virginia to Tex.as . (McKnight and Johnson 1980). Another 2.0 million acres along the brown loam bluf·fsofthe lower Mississippi Valley also produce high quality hardwoods (Sternitzke 1976). . The bottomland hardwood types are very important because the wood has g·reat value and beauty and is highly so'ught after by forest industries. It is 'excellent as habitat for tlaterfowl, deer, squirrels, turkeys,and,many varie:"ties of non-game song birds. The southern hardwoods are extrem~ly diverse in species, site require-:-, ments. wood qual:Lties. and uses. Certain species grow on particular sites; some occur in even-aged stands, but most grow in uneven-aged communities or forests. 'Factors entering into management decisions are complex. The landowner should study and know the various management alternatives but r~~ognize that sound judgment,experience, and if needed. the advice' of a professional forester can' iincrease returns from management. SITE-SPECIES RELATIONSHIPS , ' , Most natural hardwood stands are hodgepodges of species ranging in age . from seedlings to mature trees growing on a variety of soils. Johnson (1981). citingdata.from Putnam et al. (1960) and Hodges and Switzer (1979), lists eight species groups and associated physiographic positions in major stream valleys; these are: . !! Principal Silviculturists, Southern Hardwoods Laboratory, Stoneville, Miss ••. maintained by the Southe,rn Fores.t Experiment Station, USDA Forest Setvice. in cooperation with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Southern Hardwood Forest Research Group.