An Example of Uneven-Aged Forest Management for Sustainable Timber Harvesting

Abstract

This paper presents a system of uneven-aged forest management consistent with the principles of close-to-nature silviculture with treatments adopted to the requirements of individual tree stands, depending on their development phase, growing stock volume, DBH distribution and regeneration status. The study involves an experimental forest (property of the University of Agriculture in Cracow, Poland) with an area of 455.86 ha, located in the Western Carpathians. Data about stand characteristics and development processes, including regeneration, survival and removal, were obtained by measurements conducted at 10-year intervals on 413 permanent sample plots in the years 1976–2016, resulting in a total of four measurement periods. In the first period (1976–1986), harvesting intensity was low at 2.16 m³/ha/year but subsequently increased with the development of growing stock, higher volume increments and improved age and species structure, to finally reach 10.34 m³/ha/year in 2006–2016. The mean volume of timber harvested over the entire study period was 6.12 m³/ha/year, corresponding to 65.2% of the volume increment and 2.8% of the total growing stock. Management by the close-to-nature silviculture method had a positive impact on the forest characteristics. The improved species and age structure and the increased volume increment and growing stock translated into greater stand productivity without detriment to the implementation of non-timber forest functions.