North American Tree Plantations - Code: Ne13C

Like all other aspects of the landscape, forests are all too often managed for anthropocentric purposes. Large swaths of forested areas in North America are tree plantations which are planted for the rapid production of wood products, principally lumber and paper. In most cases, these plantations are monotypic, consisting of a single species of tree, with dominant species varying by region. Typically tree plantations are created after an area has been clear cut and exist largely on private land but also in some publicly managed forests.
Tree plantations differ from naturally occurring forests in a number of ways. As already mentioned, most tree plantations consist of a single species and lack the diversity of natural forests. Tree plantations are also even-aged meaning all trees are of uniform height and spacing and lack multiple layers. Third, tree plantations are quite young ecologically, with most tree plantations being harvested every 10-60 years, depending on species and climate. Young forests lack many important structural features found in mature forests, especially large cavities, dead snags, and fallen logs.  Tree plantations also lack variations in the forest like meadows and tree-fall clearings. Often the understory of tree plantations is quite open and lacking in shrubs.
Many of the trees used in tree plantations are fast growing hybrids, that are often disease resistant. While tree plantations are often comprised of native tree species, the industry preference for a single species can threaten habitats and species dominated by less commercially desirable species. In the se. United States, most tree plantations are comprised of fast-growing and relatively straight, Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) or Loblolly Pine hybrids. Farther north in the east, hardwoods are more common with Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) and hybrid poplars being planted for pulp and paper products, while oaks (Quercus spp.) and maples (Acer spp.) are used primarily for furniture. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) and Red Pine (Pinus resinosa) are primary lumber trees. In the west, plantations are heavily dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) though Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata), Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and Insence-Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens). Tree plantations in montane areas of Mexico are generally dominated by pine species (Pinus spp.), while lowland sites are often planted with teak (Tectona spp.) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) – both of which are extremely fast growing. Tree plantations are rare in the boreal zone due to the slow-growing nature of trees in this climate and the abundance of natural forests.