Methodology for establishing the degree of naturalness of forest stands

Abstract

Forest stands naturalness degree represents the real tree species composition comparison with the tree species on natural vegetation level – It means forest typology units. The natural tree species composition is derived from Typological System of UHUL (Forest Management Institute). The degree of naturalness of forests is one of the attributes for the assessment of the ecological stability of forests, whilst the broader basis for analysis of sustainable development of the territory.The real tree species composition comes from the forest management planes database and the natural potential vegetation one from typological sites units (forest site complex). Forests types complex is a higher unit of this system hierarchy. The solution based on comparison of the real species composition with natural potential vegetation, e.g. forest stands naturalness degree, is to be used in the ecosystem platform way. The preparation of entry data, e.g. allocation of structured stand type code to the real and natural species composition precedes the analysis itself. Then follows the tree species index calculation which means the final sum of tree index present and any absent species. This index presents the difference between the real tree condition and the model one. It is used entirely original concept algorithm of structured stand types.This algorithm allows for the application computer technology and process so the range from forest stand group of up to the large territory (CZ).The naturalness degree classification is defined on 0–6 levels, from zero degree for introduced species, 3rd degree for cultural forests, to 6th degree for those with natural tree composition. The limited criterion is the stand naturalness degree which should be on 4th level and above. This method is for 15 years of application not only in the works of forestry sites typology completely worked.