Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Since the 1950s, forestry in Sweden have predominantly relied on Rotation Forestry Management (RFM), replacing the high-grading system due to its previously unsustainable practices which left Sweden’s forests exceedingly sparse. Despite RFM's dominance, interest in Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) has recently gained traction as a complimentary approach to RFM. CCF has emerged as an important topic, offering forest owners diverse strategies for sustainable forest management. Since RFM has historically dominated as the primary forestry method, research has primarily revolved around this silvicultural practice, resulting in a scarcity of long-term studies of CCF and thus restricted the understanding of this practice.
CCF practices, known as non-clearcut forestry in Sweden, maintain tree cover without large clearcuts with the purpose of creating diverse structures both vertically and horizontally containing mixed species. Techniques such as gap cuttings and target diameter cutting (TDC) are employed to manage forests and maintain a continuous tree cover. Gap cuttings create openings to facilitate natural regeneration, while TDC involves harvesting trees once they reach a predetermined diameter. However, CCF include the risk of insufficient regeneration, which could undermine the forest's ability to maintain its continuity and function. This study assesses the natural regeneration and species diversity within these CCF practices and examines its success in Rogberga in southern Sweden.
The study evaluates the effectiveness of various CCF methods in promoting natural regeneration using 17 sample plots: six controls, five TDC, and six gap cuttings. Results showed higher regeneration rates within gap cuttings compared to TDC and control. However, gap size and seedling placement did not significantly impact the regeneration outcome at this stage in the stand’s development. While spruce and birch seemed to thrive in CCF, other species like pine seemed to face challenges with establishment and will probably be phased out in the future, creating a mixed stand of spruce and birch. Despite the risk of insufficient seedling regeneration involved in CCF, this site showed promising results with high seedling counts per hectare at this stage. However, findings are site specific and may not be applicable at other sites and may change with time. Continued monitoring and data collection are crucial for future forest management decisions.