Pinus taeda growth areas allocated to mesozones

*The dataset shows climatically optimum growth areas and yield estimates of Pinus taeda allocated to mesozones. Yield estimates were derived from Schulze R.E. and Maharaj M. (2007) and then allocated to mesozones by combining with a base mesozone layer obtained from the CSIR Geospatial Analysis Platform (GAP). *The map shows the climatically optimum growth areas to be along the north coast of the Eastern Cape, significant tracts in the midlands of KwaZulu-Natal, and parts of Mpumalanga. Major climatic growth constraints are drought related. Highest Mean Annual Increments (MAIs), according to Smith's (1994) equations, are 20 - 22 t/ha/annum and these coincide with the climatically optimum growth areas.