Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The interest in management of forests using Continuous Cover Forestry treatments has been increasing in Sweden during the latest decades among private landowners. Swedish research has however focused on rotation-forestry, clearcutting, meaning that what knowledge currently exists is based either on international studies or simulations.
Due to the lack of knowledge of, and increased interest in CCF, simulations were conducted to determine management’s effect on biological growth and economical revenue. Three types of management regimes were simulated: (1) 100 % management using rotation forestry, (2) 100% management using Continuous Cover Forestry treatments, and (3) a combined treatment where part of the property was managed using Continuous Cover Forestry treatments and the rest using rotation forestry.
Results indicated that CCF performs worse than rotation forestry, both in terms of biological growth, and economical revenue. The combined treatment, when the correct stands are chosen for CCF, can yield growth and economical revenue similar to, or with some loss when compared to rotation forestry. The simulation did indicate issues with regeneration within spruce-dominated stands, resulting in stagnated growth. Further research on, and refinement of, Heureka´s regeneration models are necessary to determine whether spruce stands are simulated correctly.