Effect of spacing on 23-year-old lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia) in southern Sweden

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare volume growth and external timber quality properties of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia) stands planted in different spacings (1.41×1.41, 2.00×2.00, 2.83×2.83, 4.00×4.00) in southern Sweden. In northern Sweden lodgepole pine has been grown for a long time and shows superior volume production compared to Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.). The Swedish Forestry Act restricts establishment of lodgepole pine plantations in southern Sweden. However, it is important to increase the knowledge about lodgepole pine and its potential use also in this part of the country. Two experiments in southern Sweden were studied. Each trial was designed as a random block experiment with two blocks. Both investigated stands had an age of 23 years at the time of assessment. The mean diameter and the volume production differed significantly between the spacings. The highest volume production was found in the narrowest spacing, 313% compared to the widest spac...