Analysis of selected silvicultural systems with regard to their economic efficiency and sustainability

Dmytro Khmarskyi

Master's thesis

Abstract:

My diploma thesis focused on the analysis of selected silvicultural systems (traditional based on the age class forests versus so called close-to-nature silviculture) with the aim to assess their economic efficiency and also the sustainability of forest management.Two types of management were taken for the main types: shelter wood and clear-cutting silvicultural systems. They and their subtypes were described in detail both in theory and analyzed data from real life. The main source of field information was the Forest Enterprise in Kostelec nad Černými lesy. Also used were the data from official sources, about volumes, revenues and prices of wood.By analyzing and comparing all available information in detail, we can draw several fundamental conclusions that can be used in the forest business to improve productivity. First, we can confidently state that the shelter wood silvicultural system has been found to be more effective than the clear-cut system. Especially the more efficient type with 100% share of natural regeneration. The visual difference can be clearly seen in diagram 2. An important point is that the time of crisis and current data are different from usual times. It is difficult to predict when the crisis will end, but risks can be reduced. By analyzing the new data in detail, it can be argued that risks can be reduced by cultivation of mix stands with lower proportion of the main species. We can see how much spruce has fallen in price, but prices for some other tree species have risen. Thus, with a large variety of trees species, you can cover losses from one species, by another tree species that has increased in price. It is more and more important to save costs for regeneration and shelter wood system is effective in this way.It is also important to choose suitable species, for example price for larch, row timber is very stable when we compare years 2015 and 2019, and also oak. The result of oak is much better than beech. When we make decision about target species composition, we not only taking into consideration ecological demand of the species and the site conditions, but sometimes we have more choice and we include price as one more factor. For example, beech or oak, and oak is much better regarding to price. Also, accordance to the climate change, if here will be more and more warm temperature so oak will have advantage compared to beech. Oak is better adopted in warmer climate than beech.Thus, based on the diploma thesis, we can confidently recommend to apply shelterwood system with cultivation of mix stands with lower proportion of main species up to 30%. And to use the following principles: on the one hand - to save costs, to use nature processes instead of artificial regeneration / tending, and on the other - to choose the optimal species and reduce the risks. This way of management will increase total profit by lower costs for logging and silvicultural operations and decrease risk of losses from price declines of main species.

Keywords

silvicultural systems, economic efficiency, sustainability

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 15. 6. 2020

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Jiří Remeš, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences

Master programme / field:
Forestry Engineering / Forestry, Water and Landscape Management