Transformation of even-aged spruce stands at the School Forest Enterprise Kostelec nad Černými lesy: Structure and final cutting of mature stand

Abstract

This paper deals with the transformation of pure even-aged forest stands to mixed and more uneven-aged stands on an example of selected even-aged Norway spruce stands in the School Forest Enterprise (SFE) in Kostelec nad Černými lesy. A forest stand where individual tree felling was used as the main method of forest stand regeneration was chosen as a conversion example. The main criterion of tree maturity is the culmination of mean volume increment of a single tree. The analyses confirmed a very high variability in the growth potential of individual trees. The potential and actual increment was strongly influenced by the stand position of tree and by crown release. These results show a high potential level of tree growth even at the age of 120 years. From 30% to 9% of all trees on particular experimental plots achieved felling maturity.

Keywords

• even-aged stand
• uneven-aged stand
• single tree selection
• final felling criteria
• mean and current increment