Heartwood Formation in Loblolly and Longleaf Pines for Red-cockaded Woodpecker Nesting Cavities
Information on the relationship of heartwood development to site quality, competitive index, tree age, and tree size for loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and longleaf (P. palustris Mill) pine is presented. Twenty-nine loblolly and 26 longleaf pine stands representing a range of age classes (30 to 170 years) and site indices (12 to 37 m) were sampled in the Southeast. At age class 50, a portion of the loblolly pine growing on site index 24 m and better sites contained sufficient heartwood (≥12.7 cm at 6.7 m) for redcockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) (RCW) cavity activity. None of the longleaf...
