"Pitlolly" pine plantations: ecological catastrophes

 

We had a great trip to Crane Hollow and Hocking County (Ohio) last Tuesday, October 6. Shauna gave her excellent talk on bobcats: their history in the state, natural history, and recent recolonization, which is still going strong. She's giving it next on November 19 for the Toledo Naturalists' Society in Toledo.

Anyway, while taking a scenic route back home we ran across this ecological atrocity. It is a recent - and huge - clearcut that was then planted to a monoculture of "pitlolly" pine. This is a hybrid between pitch pine (Pinus rigida) and loblolly pine (P. taeda). The former species is native to SE Ohio, while the latter is a coastal plain species not found here. When hybridized, the "pitlolly" pines can add up to five feet of growth annually, thus producing a crop of pulp wood or post material in 20-25 years.

Ironically, these artificial plantations are at their most biodiverse in the first few years, as plenty of asters, goldenrods, and other pollinator plants can thrive in still open sunny spots. But the rapidly growing pines soon eliminate sunlight to the forest floor, and we quickly end up with a major dead zone on a site that prior to this, was swathed in rich oak-hickory forest that fostered biodiversity galore.

Years ago, I took a trip to southern Ohio with two professional foresters with MeadWestvaco (then, just Mead) and they showed me one of these pitlolly plantations - the first I had seen. They were quite proud of it and asked me what I thought. Even then, I instinctively reacted with horror, just as I did yesterday. It was the middle of summer, and I pointed out that the place was nearly silent: no singing birds, singing insects, nothing. Botanical diversity was near nil. I was less than impressed. Maybe good for growing a quick crop but disastrous for biodiversity.

Also note the tremendous erosion caused by the logging skidders. It should be noted that herbicides are often used in tandem with these plantings. They essentially nuke all other botanical life forms just prior to planting to eliminate competitors with the pines. After a forest has endured two, three or even four such logging cycles, it stands to reason that long-term damage (and we doubtless have no idea of the extent) to hydrology, subterranean fungal communities and who knows what else occurs, affecting how the forest regenerates (assuming it's not paved over with pitlolly pines). Industrial silviculture like this has no place in our environment and is incredibly destructive.

Hocking County, Ohio, October 6, 2026.