An Inventory of the Southern Coastal Plain Pine Forests, Belize

The results of an inventory of pine in 1 400 km2 (540 mi2) of the southern Coastal Plain are presented. The inventory included the assessment of the standing volume of wood and, in part of the project area, of the replacement stocking. By the interpretation of aerial photography of scale 1:15 000, fourteen forest/vegetation types were identified and mapped. The map accompanies this report. Seven of the fourteen forest/ vegetation types were sampled. Six of the seven are pine or mixed pine/broadleaved forest types, distinguished from each other by pine canopy density. The seventh type is grassland with pine seedlings and/or very scattered overmature pine. Sampling of both standing timber stocking and regeneration was carried out in all seven of the forest/vegetation types sampled. The project area was divided into three sampling blocks. The sampling results were computed separately for each forest/vegetation type sampled in each block. As a background to the forest inventory, relevant aspects of the environment are described, with emphasis on soils and vegetation. The principal type of vegetation in the project area is savanna, the distribution of which depends on the incidence of fire as well as on climate and soil.