Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine plantations
Since the early 2000s browsing damage to Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris) in the Götaland region of Sweden has been consistently estimated to be 15% per year, peaking at around 25% between 2009-2016, the highest of any region in the country. The Swedish Forest Agency has set a goal of achieving pine...
| Autor principal: | |
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| Formato: | Second cycle, A2E |
| Lenguaje: | sueco Inglés |
| Publicado: |
2022
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/17515/ |
| _version_ | 1855572908605177856 |
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| author | Noyce, Carl |
| author_browse | Noyce, Carl |
| author_facet | Noyce, Carl |
| author_sort | Noyce, Carl |
| collection | Epsilon Archive for Student Projects |
| description | Since the early 2000s browsing damage to Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris) in the Götaland
region of Sweden has been consistently estimated to be 15% per year, peaking at around
25% between 2009-2016, the highest of any region in the country.
The Swedish Forest Agency has set a goal of achieving pine damage levels below 5%
on average in the long-term, even if higher levels can be accepted in an individual year.
Damage levels are influenced by a range of factors e.g., Scots pine density, moose density,
tree species composition and forest stand management decisions. Scots pine monocultures
planted for production forestry purposes are at risk of being replaced by competing species
when browsing damage from moose (Alces alces) occurs.
The aim of this study was to evaluate if intentional Scots pine plantations can be a future
pine forest, or if browsing damage may be too severe to reach the goals of the investment.
Fieldwork was carried out in 22 young stands located in Götaland which were regenerated
with the planting of Scots pine between 2016-2018, on sites managed by forest owner
association Södra Skogsägarna – who have raised the issue of what will become of Scots
pine plantations. In addition, forest owners were interviewed regarding their aim with the
regenerations and what they think about the possibility to combine Scots pine plantations
with the population of moose.
Results from the fieldwork indicated that the average damage level of Scots pine across
all 22 stands was 25% and that Scots pine faces strong competition from regenerating
Norway spruce (Picea abies), birch (Betula spp.) and other broadleaved species. Scenario
analyses employed to determine the future dominant tree in stands revealed that targeted
thinning may be necessary of competing trees to ensure Scots pine plantations are realised
in the future. Results from the forest owner questionnaire indicated that forest owners’
management decisions are affected by browsing damage to Scots pine and that additional
guidance from forest owner associations and financial support from relevant authorities to
implement additional browsing deterrents is welcomed. |
| format | Second cycle, A2E |
| id | RepoSLU17515 |
| institution | Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences |
| language | Swedish Inglés |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | RepoSLU175152022-02-10T02:00:54Z https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/17515/ Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine plantations Noyce, Carl Forestry production Nature conservation and land resources Since the early 2000s browsing damage to Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris) in the Götaland region of Sweden has been consistently estimated to be 15% per year, peaking at around 25% between 2009-2016, the highest of any region in the country. The Swedish Forest Agency has set a goal of achieving pine damage levels below 5% on average in the long-term, even if higher levels can be accepted in an individual year. Damage levels are influenced by a range of factors e.g., Scots pine density, moose density, tree species composition and forest stand management decisions. Scots pine monocultures planted for production forestry purposes are at risk of being replaced by competing species when browsing damage from moose (Alces alces) occurs. The aim of this study was to evaluate if intentional Scots pine plantations can be a future pine forest, or if browsing damage may be too severe to reach the goals of the investment. Fieldwork was carried out in 22 young stands located in Götaland which were regenerated with the planting of Scots pine between 2016-2018, on sites managed by forest owner association Södra Skogsägarna – who have raised the issue of what will become of Scots pine plantations. In addition, forest owners were interviewed regarding their aim with the regenerations and what they think about the possibility to combine Scots pine plantations with the population of moose. Results from the fieldwork indicated that the average damage level of Scots pine across all 22 stands was 25% and that Scots pine faces strong competition from regenerating Norway spruce (Picea abies), birch (Betula spp.) and other broadleaved species. Scenario analyses employed to determine the future dominant tree in stands revealed that targeted thinning may be necessary of competing trees to ensure Scots pine plantations are realised in the future. Results from the forest owner questionnaire indicated that forest owners’ management decisions are affected by browsing damage to Scots pine and that additional guidance from forest owner associations and financial support from relevant authorities to implement additional browsing deterrents is welcomed. Sedan början av 2000-talet bedöms betesskador på tall (Pinus Sylvestris) i Götaland (Sverige) ligga på 15 % per men ännu högre, runt 25 % mellan 2008–2016, högst av alla regioner i landet. Skogsstyrelsen har satt upp ett mål att betesskadorna på tall ska ligga under 5 % i genomsnitt på lång sikt, även om högre betesskador nivåer kan accepteras under ett enskilt år. Betesskador påverkas av ett flertal faktorer till exempel, förekomst av tallskog, älgtäthet, trädslag i bestånden och skogsskötsel. Planterade tallföryngringar riskerar att utvecklas till skogar med andra trädslag på grund av betesskador från älg (Alces alces). Målet med den här uppsatsen var att utvärdera om tallmonokulturer kan utvecklas till de bestånd som var det tänkta, eller om betesskador gör att markägaren inte kan nå målet. Inventering gjordes i 22 föryngringar i Götaland med planterad tall mellan 2016–2018. Möjliga utfall efter röjning utvärderades i scenarier med och utan hänsyn till betesskadorna. Vidare, skogsägarna intervjuades gällande deras mål med föryngringen och vad de tror om möjligheterna att kombinera tallföryngringar med närvaron av höga älgstammar. Resultaten från inventeringen visade att medelvärdet av betesskador för de 22 bestånden var 25 % och att tall möter stark konkurrens från gran (Picea abies), björk (Betula spp.) och andra lövträd. Röjningsscenarierna visade att riktad röjning krävs för att försäkra att de framtida bestånden blir talldominerade i framtiden. Resultaten från skogägarenkäten visade att deras skogsskötsel-beslut påverkas av betesskador på tall samt att ytterligare vägledning från skogliga rådgivare och riktade stöd för skydd mot betesskador välkomnas. 2022-02-07 Second cycle, A2E NonPeerReviewed application/pdf sv https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/17515/1/noyce_c_220207.pdf Noyce, Carl, 2022. Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine plantations. Second cycle, A2E. Alnarp: (S) > Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre <https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/view/divisions/OID-295.html> urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-s-17515 eng |
| spellingShingle | Forestry production Nature conservation and land resources Noyce, Carl Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine plantations |
| title | Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine
plantations |
| title_full | Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine
plantations |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine
plantations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine
plantations |
| title_short | Evaluation of the forest composition in browsed Scots pine
plantations |
| title_sort | evaluation of the forest composition in browsed scots pine
plantations |
| topic | Forestry production Nature conservation and land resources |
| url | https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/17515/ https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/17515/ |