Using Prescribed Fire in the Silviculture of Loblolly Pine

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is the most important forest species in the southern United States. It is a dominant pioneer species in secondary succession on the uplands; however, in later stages of succession it is commonly found with and often replaced by a broad spectrum of hardwood species when the successional trend is unchecked. While oaks, gums, and hickories are the most common associates, species composition varies by soil, moisture regime, and topographic position.

Although young loblolly pine stands less than 12 to 15 feet tall are highly susceptible to wildfire, prescribed fire is an excellent management tool for stands over 15 feet tall. Prescribed fire is effective for manipulating understory vegetation, reducing excessive fuel (hazard reduction), disposing of logging slash, preparing planting sites and seedbeds, and improving wildlife habitat. Responses of the understory to prescribed fire vary with frequency and season of burning. Periodic winter burns will keep the hardwood understory in check, while a series of annual summer burns will usually reduce vigor and increase mortality of the hardwood rootstocks.

While prescribed fire can be used in loblolly stands, care needs to be taken not to stress the trees. The added stress from burning may induce or exacerbate the effects of southern pine beetles. This is especially critical when burning dense stands or when using growing season burns.

For additional information on the use of prescribed fire in the silviculture of loblolly pine, see:

• Managing Loblolly Pine, from the manual Silvicultural Systems for the Major Forest Types of the United States (Burns 1983), provides additional information on how prescribed fire can be used in combination with different silvicultural systems to manage loblolly pine.
• Silvics of Loblolly Pine, from the on-line Silvics of North America (Burns and Honkala 1990), provides information on loblolly pines habitat (range, climate, soils, topography, associations), life history (reproduction and early growth, sapling and pole stages to maturity); special uses; and genetics.
• Fire Ecology and Management of Loblolly Pine, in the Fire Ecology section of this encyclopedia, provides a review of historical fire regimes in the loblolly-shortleaf pine range, fire effects, and the use of fire for ecological restoration and maintenance.
• Pinus taeda, from the on-line Fire Effects Information System, provides a review of the fire ecology, fire effects and management considerations of loblolly pine.