Forest resources of Arkansas

Abstract

The 1988 Forest Survey of Arkansas revealed new trends in forest resources. After decades of decline, forest area increased 3 percent. Pine plantation acreage increased substantially while acreage in natural pine stands decreased. Softwood inventory was down 5 percent, with growth also declining. Loblolly pine volume exceeded that of shortleaf pine for the first time in Arkansas history. The outlook for hardwood resources is positive. Inventory and growth have increased, and loss of bottomland hardwood acreage appeared to be at a standstill.Front cover: Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) image of Arkansas produced from data collected by the NOAA-11 satellite of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on April 11, 1991. In general, forest land is dark red; nonforest land is light red or blue; water is dark blue.l Some 8.0 million acres of timberland supported young, well-stocked stands where no obvious treatment was needed to improve prospective growth. On the remaining 9.3 million acres, the forest survey identified management opportunities that would increase prospective growth.

Relationships between land use and stream chemistry in the Mulberry River basin, Arkansas

“…Growth of trees on land that is not forested, and/or the conversion of hardwood or mixed hardwood‐pine stands to pine monocultures through hardwood group selection are common management practices in the southern United States for increasing lumber yield in the southern United States (Berthrong, Jobbágy, & Jackson, 2009; Lane, 1975). Due to forest management practices, the volume of live‐tree softwoods in the Ozark region of Arkansas has increased from 20 million cubic meters in 1978 to 51 million cubic meters in 2010 (Beltz, Bertelson, Faulkner, & May, 1992; Rosson & Rose, 2015). Afforestation can increase acid loading to surface waters by increasing evapotranspiration rates and subsequent washing of deposited solutes to nearby waters, filtering of precipitation and subsequent increase in occult precipitation solutes, and the creation/alteration of forest floor vegetation which is often acidic (Hornung et al, 1987; Jenkins, Cosby, Ferrier, Walker, & Miller, 1990; Kreiser, Appleby, Natkanski, Rippey, & Battarbee, 1990).…”

“…Growth of trees on land that is not forested, and/or the conversion of hardwood or mixed hardwood-pine stands to pine monocultures through hardwood group selection are common management practices in the southern United States for increasing lumber yield in the southern United States (Berthrong, Jobbágy, & Jackson, 2009;Lane, 1975). Due to forest management practices, the volume of livetree softwoods in the Ozark region of Arkansas has increased from 20 million cubic meters in 1978 to 51 million cubic meters in 2010 (Beltz, Bertelson, Faulkner, & May, 1992;Rosson & Rose, 2015).…”