Basal area or stocking percent: which works best in controlling density in natural shortleaf pine stands

Results from a shortleaf pine thinning study in Missouri show that continually thinning a stand to the same basal area will eventually create an understocked stand and reduce yields. Using stocking percent to control thinning intensity allows basal area to increase as stands get older. The best yield should occur when shortleaf pine is repeatedly thinned to 60 percent stocking, the minimum that will fully utilize a site.