

Site Release

Once pine seedlings are planted and begin to grow, they require enough sunlight and nutrients to become firmly established. Surrounding vegetation such as maple, sweet gum, and locust can overpower the pine seedlings and must be controlled (until pine seedlings attain 4-5 feet in height). Control of competing vegetation is called release. Release can be accomplished by mechanical or chemical means, or by a combination. The videos above show a helicopter spraying and then refueling as it is being used to complete a site release on a Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation planted pine forest.

In the video above, a black bear, approximately 2.5 years old is traveling through a mixed hardwood forest on WBWF property.

The photos below are from the left: shortleaf pine that is around 5 years old surrounded by 100 year old oak forest; a loblolly that didn’t fare very well after a bear encounter;  and mass producing hardwood.
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