Regeneration under a shelterwood system of spruce-dominated forest stands at middle altitudes

Abstract

An experiment with regeneration under the shelterwood of spruce-dominated mature stand was established at middle altitudes of the Žďárské vrchy Hills in 1971. The paper brings a comparison of the development of basic forest stand characteristics for the plot under shelterwood and for the control plot. Analyses of annual rings demonstrated a higher diameter increment of sample trees on the plot under shelterwood, a more pronounced increase in the increment being however observed only 12 years after release. A subsequent forest from the combined regeneration occurs on 88% of the plot under shelterwood and on 67% of the control plot. The required proportion of beech and fir is established on both plots with spruce as the main commercial species having been retained. The subsequent forest stand is differentiated in terms of height and diameter and the two plots exhibit a rather varied structure.