Abstract
The Glentress Trial Area is an extensive research area in southern Scotland of 117 ha where a long-term trial of the transformation of even-aged plantations to continuous cover has been in progress since 1952. During the assessment of permanent sample plots in 1990 information on the species and spatial position of saplings (trees taller than 1.3 m with a diameter at breast height of < 7 cm) was recorded. This provided a unique opportunity to investigate the long-term survival of saplings during the transformation process when the Trial Area was reassessed in 2009. The main finding was that 37% of saplings survived the 19-year period and the majority developed into trees (≥7 cm diameter at breast height). There was considerable variation between species, the lowest survival of saplings was European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) (13%) and the highest European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) (55%); however differences between species were not significant. There were, however, significant differences between the six management areas with three with high sapling survival (55% to 61%) but others much lower (27% to 32%). If this result is confirmed by other studies, covering a broader range of sites, management guidance that assumes 90% survival will need to be revised.
Highlights
In Great Britain recent policy has encouraged the use of “continuous cover” and “low impact”approaches to forest management in wind-firm conifer plantations [1,2,3]
The Glentress Trial Area is an extensive research area of 117 ha where a long-term trial of the transformation of even-aged plantations to continuous cover has been in progress since 1952 [16]
Most of the remaining saplings had developed into a tree but a small number (16) had not reached the point at which they could be classed as a tree, i.e., 7 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)
Summary
Approaches to forest management in wind-firm conifer plantations [1,2,3] This represents a significant change of direction for silviculture, as until recently the dominant system was patch clearfelling followed by restocking [4]. In forests managed by the Forestry Commission restocked areas must have at least 2500 stems per hectare five years after planting to be considered established [6]. After this there is an assumption, justified on the basis of practice over many decades, that survival will generally be high until self-thinning commences or silvicultural operations remove trees
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