The contribution of agrotechnical works following a fire to the protection of forest soils and the regeneration of natural forest

Abstract

During 1997 a fire destroyed about 62% of the urban forest in the city of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. Between 50 and 80% of the forest vegetation was burned within the watersheds of the six torrents that flowed across the destroyed area. In this area the forest service constructed agrotechnical, and flood-protection works in the streams and the basins of the torrents to prevent erosion and to protect the city from flooding. The agrotechnical works consisted of channelling, drifts of branches and log erosion barriers. In the present study the effectiveness of the operation of the agrotechnical works in the protection of the erosion phenomena is examined. The success of the agrotechnical works are examined 7 years after their construction and the contribution of these works to the natural regeneration of the forest is evaluated. The erosion prevention and flood protection measures that were constructed contribute significantly to the stability of the forestal soil and the protection of floods. Their contributions in assisting the natural reforestation works were also remarkable.