Науковий вісник НЛТУ України (Nov 2017)

STRUCTURE OF THE FOREST FUND AND FUNCTIONS OF BEECH FORESTS ON UKRAINIAN PLAINS

  • S. I. Myklush,
  • Yu. S. Myklush,
  • V. M. Savchyn

DOI
https://doi.org/10.15421/40270809
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 8
pp. 64 – 69

Abstract

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Based on the forest inventory materials, silvicultural and inventory indices of beech stands on the plains of Ukraine as of 01.01.2015 and main functions that are performed by these stands were analyzed. Forest area with beech participation in composition is equal 216113,4 hectares (total number of plots – 47231 pieces), and forests with beech prevailing in composition equals 118902,9 hectares (as of 01.01.1996 – 104,8 thousand hectares). It was found that natural seed forest stands prevail in lowland conditions. Forest stands with the participation of beech are formed mainly in fresh (more than 44%) and moist (39.4%) soil types. Pure beech forest stands grow on 8.6% of the area. Considering covered area middle-aged (occupying 36.9%) and mature forest stands (occupying 27.1%) are dominating.Seed beech forest stands of both natural and planted origin are characterized by the same middle site class – Ia,5 and more than 36% of beech forest stands, regardless of origin, are characterized by a relative completeness of 0.7. More than 51% of the areas of plain beech stands belong to protective, recreational and health improving forests and forests of nature conservation, scientific, forests of historical and cultural purposes. Among the recreational and health improving forests, the largest share of the area belongs to the management area of the green zones of settlements – 20.7 thousand hectares, of which almost 14.6% are represented by natural seed forests. More than 3 thousand hectares (2.8%) of beech forests are attributed to the woodland part of the forests of green zones.It is pointed out that intensive forestry activities in middle-aged and mature forest stands significantly reduce their relative density and growing stock. Sixteen categories of protectiveness were singled out taking into consideration functions that are predominantly performed by a stand. Transition to a selection system of forest management is proposed in order to ensure formation of highly productive beech forest stands and efficient use of forest resources.

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