Forest Ownership, Management, and Water Production in Longleaf Pine Forests: A Stochastic Frontier Analysis

Abstract

This study employed stochastic frontier analysis to determine the effects of forest ownership and management on the technical efficiency of water production from longleaf pine forests in the southern United States. Data at the forest-plot level were obtained from the Forest Inventory Analysis, climatic models, and water supply relationships. Results showed that the provision of water was inefficient and significantly different between public and private ownership. Longleaf pine forests under public ownership were modestly more efficient (2.2%–1.5%) in the production of water than private longleaf pine forests. Forest management had a negative impact on the efficiency in water production for privately and publicly owned longleaf pine forests. If 1 hectare of longleaf pine supplied on average 5,000 cubic meters of water per year, the production of water on public and private lands would be reduced to 4,960 and 4,800 cubic meters per year, respectively, with forest management. Efficiency in water supply was found to decline over time in both types of forest ownership.