engleski

Long-term and country scale projection of even-aged forest management: a case study for Fagus sylvatica in Croatia

Out of the 901, 848 ha forests of the European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in Croatia, 383, 473 ha are even-aged beech forests with irregular age-class structure. Potential forest management of the even-aged beech forests (including the conversion of coppice even-aged beech forests) was studied using a dynamic model system, in the context of long-term planning at the national level in Croatia. Three management policy scenarios were defined regarding the area control method, that is, planned area for annual regeneration felling was given as a function of (1) total forest area (conservative approach scenario_CAS), (2) area of stands older than 50 years (moderate approach scenario_MAS), and (3) area of stands older than 80 years (intensive approach scenario_IAS). Projections of future trends in the annual area of regeneration, age-class distribution, standing volume and annual felling, and thinning cut were obtained for each scenario. Management according to the Scenario 3 would lead to achievement of a best age-class balancing and more sustainable management in the next 50 years. The structure of the growing stock and the quality of harvested timber would also improve as a result of this approach. Intensive regeneration felling (4460 ha per year) and conversion of coppice forests (420 ha per year) is required to reach this goal.

age-class structure; beech forests; even-aged management; dynamic system model; regeneration scheduling

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