Dougherty & Dougherty Forestry Services, Inc.

While all seedlings look fairly similar, not all are created equal. Prices for seedlings currently range from $30/thousand to $380/thousand. Their potential for growth, their disease resistance, their straightness, their limb quality, and their intrinsic and internal values (micro fibril angle and specific gravity) differ substantially. But no matter how good the seedlings that you purchase, if you mistreat them they will not exhibit their true potential.

A major plantation forestry investment period began in the U.S. after WWII. With each passing decade, our capability to produce increased per-acre timber volumes grew as we improved our management techniques. Decades later, industrial forestland owners now have the potential to produce nearly double or triple the average volumes that were produced in the 1970’s. These same opportunities exist for non-industrial private forest landowners today, yet so many still operate at productivity potential levels from 2-3 decades ago.

Implementing site specific forestry is the key to reaching your land’s productive capability. Correctly evaluating the limitations of the land, choosing the right species for the site and your objectives, and completing the right management practices at the right time, are important for maximizing value.

At Dougherty & Dougherty, we help our clients who have a focus on timber productivity and value to reach their potential through a detailed approach:

We identify land which is suitable for high production plantation forestry

We assess the site limitations (accessibility, nutrient availability, drainage)

We identify the most beneficial tree species and genotypes for planting

We identify, evaluate, and rank feasible potential management regimes

We implement the best management regime

We follow-up, by auditing the growth and progress over time

When implemented well, this straightforward process will yield progressive results. The secret to success is in the details. Whether it is identifying whether nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or a micronutrient is limiting growth, prescribing the right tank mix of herbicide to control the existing hardwood and brushy competition, timing the fertilization for maximum uptake and correct response period, or choosing the right seedling “family”, cross, or clone for planting, these individual decisions made during the life of your forest stand all affect the final value and returns. Feel free to contact us if you need professional assistance to maximize the value of your existing timber stands or to establish a new timber stand.

At Dougherty & Dougherty, we have access to elite seedlings and we control the competing weeds, hardwoods and natural pines, to release the newly planted seedlings and allow them to get off to a strong start. The seedling pictured is from an elite family, known for its excellent form, straightness, and volume production. Note the dead, controlled grass surrounding the seedling and the strong flush of new growth.

1st Year Growth: Private landowner Joel Hubbard poses with his young, mass-control pollinated loblolly pine trees in Elbert County, GA. These trees were machine planted in February 2006 following a fall chemical site preparation treatment. A spring herbaceous weed control treatment was completed after planting. Pictured here in early August 2006, with height between 2.5' and 3' partway through the first growing season, the trees are off to an excellent start. Based on the exhibited growth, the genetics and the soil profile, we estimate the potential for this stand to be 85' to 90' in height at age 25.

2nd Year Growth: Ryan Chitwood of Lavonia, GA shown here with his 10' height pole, measuring growth at the end of the 2nd growing season in his family's young loblolly pine plantation in Franklin County, Ga. This particular tree was 9' tall. Tree heights in the stand averaged around 7' at the end of the second growing season. This plantation was machine planted with elite genetics and received 2 effective herbaceous weed control treatments.

7th Year Growth: This loblolly pine plantation in Robeson County, NC is pictured after going through 7 growing seasons. At age 11, this stand was thinned using an in-woods chipping machine. The leave or crop trees were marked with paint. The thinning contractor removed all non-marked trees in the remaining 6 rows. Going in the 12th growing season, the average residual crop tree has a diameter of 9" and the stand is exhibiting growth on a site index 78' growth curve (base age 25).

13th Year Growth: This loblolly pine plantation in Scotland County, NC was thinned at age 13, leaving 140 trees per acre and 55 to 60 ft. of basal area. The average tree after thinning was 9" in diameter and 47' tall. The stand was fertilized at age 9 and will be fertilized again prior to a scheduled final harvest at age 23. At age 16, the average tree is 10" to 11" in diameter. At age 23, the estimated average tree measurements are 14" to 16" in diameter and 72' to 78' in height, with an estimated per acre value of $4,500 to $5,000/acre.

Forest Productivity