Myers Tree Farm --- Empowering Applied Forest Stewardship in Louisiana and Beyond
“We want to be good stewards of the land the Lord has given us, and we want this legacy to extend into future generations for our family. Research helps guide us in the application of best practices and superior genetics for our tree farm. We believe this will significantly improve our ability to meet our return, sustainability, and wildlife objectives. Joining FORTE is a great way to meet our learning and decision confirmation goals” – Preston Abbott, Myers Tree Farm, Grant Parish, LA – growers of quality pine and hardwood timber.
While this quote is personal to the owners of Myers Tree Farm, it is representative of the spirit, perspective, and vision of so many Southeastern US private forest landowners. They feel blessed to own the land, and they want to leave it better than they found it. The Forest Owners Research and Technology Exchange’s applied operational research platform empowers this.
On the Myers land, we will establish an individual study installation that is part of a larger existing study series. One that addresses a foundational question of Myers Tree Farm and many pine timberland owners: ‘What pine genotype should I plant, and how many seedlings should I initially plant per acre’. To do this, we will plant multiple advanced loblolly pine genotypes (at the family and control cross level) at multiple planting densities. Then we will compare the growth, quality, and return impacts of the varied treatment combinations. The attached picture shows a similar installation located on another FORTE Participant’s land in SE Oklahoma (Pushmataha County; pictured in October 2020 of it’s 2nd growing season) that compares genetically-improved Texas-source open pollinated loblolly pine, a Texas-source Control Mass Pollinated loblolly pine option, and an Atlantic Coastal Plain source option, all planted at both 360 and 454 initial seedlings per acre. Similar Genetics x Density Studies (with appropriate regional genotypes planted) already exist in E. Texas (Nacogdoches County), and SW Georgia (Randolph County). This series is further leveraged by a Pine Regime Optimization Study Series and multiple Silvicultural Activity Optimization Study Series; All combined to answer important questions of the forest investor.