Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Forest management in riparian zones has consequences for the aquatic ecosystem. In 2015, Sveaskog
signed a water management agreement for the river Nissan with the purpose of promoting
broadleaves and improving the riparian ecosystems inside the agreement area. This study followed
up the conservation cuttings made in older stands in the agreement area through a field inventory.
To evaluate the need of future management, an Heureka StandWise analysis based on different field
trials of mixed forests was made.
The inventory showed that broadleaves had been favoured in the conservation cuttings by removing
conifers where there was established broadleaves, mainly along the water edge, where the highest
density of broadleaved stems where found. Where there were less broadleaves, inside the buffer
zone, larger gaps had been cut to provide opportunity for natural regeneration through reduced stem
densities and larger canopy openness. There were, however, field vegetation that might compete
with potential seedlings.
The StandWise analysis showed that active management is required to favour the broadleaves in the
future. If monocultures were established after the conservation cuttings, future management had
little effect on species composition. Future management should be adapted to each stands species
distribution and site conditions vary due to the size and distribution of the agreement area.