Forestry’s golden rule and the development of the optimal forest rotation literature

In this paper, a discussion of the development of the optimal forest rotation literature and an extensive bibliography is presented. The body of literature has grown at an almost constant rate for the past two decades, with no apparent let-up likely. A total of 313 published works have appeared in books and over sixty journals, with individuals contributing to this body of work. Developed from the relatively simple question of the determination of the value of timberland, the optimal rotation literature has grown into a mature discussion that embodies a full range of issues and topics.