Cupressaceae -- Cypress family

    Donald B. Zobel

    Port-Orford-cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), also called Lawson  cypress and Port Orford white-cedar, is known for its grace in ornamental  plantings and for its versatile wood. As logs, mostly exported to Japan,  it brings higher prices than almost any other conifer in the United  States. This valuable tree, however, has a very limited range and an  uncertain future. Management of Port-Orford-cedar has become impossible in  much of its range since the introduction of a fatal root rot that is still  spreading. Old-growth forests are being depleted rapidly, and the use of  second-growth forests is complicated because early growth is relatively  slow. The commercial future of one of the most beautiful and potentially  useful trees will depend on development of silvicultural practices that  minimize infection by root rot.