Objective
Improve understanding of the effects of stand manipulation on factors that influence the successful transformation of stands from an even-aged structure to continuous cover.
Background
Manipulation of the stand, through the use of thinning regimes, is one of the main silvicultural tools available to managers when transforming stands to continuous cover silviculture (Mason and Kerr, 2004). However, traditional thinning regimes are primarily designed to maintain cumulative volume production and prepare the stand for clearfelling; our prognosis is that they have limited application for use in transformation.
Forestry Commission Information Note 40 (Mason and Kerr, 2004) recommends the use of crown thinning in transformation. However, the knowledge base to support this recommendation is weak.
The main aim of this project is to increase understanding of the interaction of thinning with factors in order to achieve successful transformation, such as:
- Economics
- Seed production
- Stand stability
- Stand microclimate
- Ground flora
- Browsing impacts
- Establishment and recruitment.
Current work areas
- Monitoring the transformation to continuous cover at the Glentress Trial Area in joint work with Forestry Commission Scotland (present progress is reported in Kerr et al. 2010).
- Modelling the costs of transformation
- Growth, survival and form of Abies alba provenance experiments planted in 1966.
- Interactions of thinning and deer browsing
- Interaction of thinning and the production of cones and viable seed.
Main contacts
References
Mason, B. and Kerr, G. (2004). Transforming even-aged conifer stands to continuous cover management (PDF-88K). Forestry Commission Information Note 40. Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.
Kerr, G, Morgan, G., Blyth, J. and Stokes, V. (2010). Transformation from even-aged plantations to an irregular forest: the world's longest running trial area at Glentress, Scotland. Forestry, 83: 329-344.
