Comparison of different forest regeneration methods after windthrow

Abstract

The prosperity of various forest regeneration methods was evaluated on the prepared windthrow area established in 2010 in a previously allochthonous coniferous stand growing in mid-elevations of the Czech Republic. The forest regeneration variants were as follows: (1) &ldquo;planting&rdquo; of target species (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and Fagus sylvatica (L.), (2) &ldquo;seeding&rdquo; of pioneer (non target) species (Betula pendula Roth) and (3) spontaneous &ldquo;succession&rdquo;. Two years after windthrow&nbsp;&nbsp; the &ldquo;planting&rdquo; was evaluated in accordance with the Czech forestry law as&nbsp; regeneration method with&nbsp; sufficient attributes, density (6,000&ndash;9,000 indd&middot;ha^&ndash;1) and regular spatial distribution of target tree species. The &ldquo;seeding&rdquo; and &ldquo;succession&rdquo; variants showed a insufficient attributes of target tree species &ndash; total density <br /> ca 3,000 indd&middot;ha^&ndash;1 (being ca 1,000 indd&middot;ha^&ndash;1 higher than 20 cm) and irregular distribution across the plot. The non-target species birch on the &ldquo;seeding&rdquo; variant showed a high density of plants (131,000 indd&middot;ha^&ndash;1) being eight times higher than the succession variant. The cost of the regeneration treatment was different between the variants &ndash; planting: 5,000&ndash;6,000 EUR&middot;ha^&ndash;1, 1,300 EUR&middot;ha^&ndash;1, succession: 1,000 EUR&middot;ha^&ndash;1. Comparing to &ldquo;planting&rdquo; the higher diversity of tree species and higher density of non-target species (20,000&ndash;134,000 EUR&middot;ha^&ndash;1) in the &ldquo;seeding&rdquo; and &ldquo;succession&rdquo; variants promise&nbsp; success for the future, however the real potential of&nbsp; regeneration methods that were used will be clear after long-term observations. &nbsp; &nbsp;