CONSTRAINTS TO CONTINUOUS COVER FORESTRY IN IRELAND Morgan Roche, Diplom Forstwirt
CONSTRAINTS TO CONTINUOUS COVER
FORESTRY IN IRELANDMorgan Roche, Diplom Forstwirt
Objective of this paperObjective of this paper
To answer the question; To answer the question;
What are the hurdles to What are the hurdles to practising Continuous practising Continuous Cover Forestry in Ireland?Cover Forestry in Ireland?
What is CCF?What is CCF?
Continuous Cover Forestry Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) (CCF) A silviculture in which a continuous A silviculture in which a continuous canopy is maintained and where the canopy is maintained and where the principles of Near to Nature forestry principles of Near to Nature forestry are followed as prescribed by Pro Silvaare followed as prescribed by Pro Silva
Where do we find constraints Where do we find constraints to forestry in general?to forestry in general?
Physical Environment Physical Environment Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Social EnvironmentSocial Environment Information ResourcesInformation Resources Expertise BaseExpertise Base
Physical EnvironmentPhysical Environment
Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors Biotic factorsBiotic factors
Existing site & forests conditionsExisting site & forests conditions
StormsStormsDamage caused by Damage caused by storms is inevitable, storms is inevitable, but has greater but has greater consequences in consequences in plantations than plantations than under established under established CCFCCF Met Eireann
Timber harvested as a result of storm damage to forests in Switzerland over a 170 year period
Regeneration types after two Regeneration types after two major storms in Germanymajor storms in Germany
v. Gilsa H and Moosmayer M, Wiederbewaldung nach “Lothar”, AFZ/Der Wald 16/2002
ExposureExposure
High exposure is a High exposure is a greater constraint greater constraint to plantation to plantation forestry than to forestry than to established CCFestablished CCF
Otto, Hans-Jürgen, 1994: Waldökologie. Ulmer, Stuttgart
How does the How does the physical physical
environment impact environment impact on a forest stand?on a forest stand?
Over time Over time fragmentation of fragmentation of monoculture monoculture plantations occursplantations occurs
Conversion to CCF Conversion to CCF may be may be constrained or constrained or accelerated by accelerated by storm damage storm damage
Otto, Hans-Jürgen, 1994: Waldökologie. Ulmer, Stuttgart
Biotic FactorsBiotic FactorsFaunaFaunaFloraFlora
A number of useful species are not found in A number of useful species are not found in Ireland or are not native (Boar)Ireland or are not native (Boar)
A number of introduced species have affected A number of introduced species have affected the balance within our ecosystems (Grey the balance within our ecosystems (Grey Squirrel, Sika Deer, Rhododendron ponticum)Squirrel, Sika Deer, Rhododendron ponticum)
Most native tree species no longer have Most native tree species no longer have autochthon populationsautochthon populations
Useful speciesUseful speciesNot native but Not native but important to CCF in important to CCF in Europe:Europe:
BeechBeech Silver FirSilver Fir Norway SpruceNorway Spruce SycamoreSycamore
Light demanding speciesLight demanding species
A true Selection Systems (Plenterwald) is A true Selection Systems (Plenterwald) is not possible without shade bearing not possible without shade bearing speciesspecies
More light on the forest floor increases More light on the forest floor increases weeds such as grassesweeds such as grasses
Once established light demanding Once established light demanding species will need to be given much more species will need to be given much more room; they won’t wait like Beech or Firroom; they won’t wait like Beech or Fir
Resulting constraints in Resulting constraints in IrelandIreland
Very high degree of management skill Very high degree of management skill and resources (incl. deer management)and resources (incl. deer management)
The minimum woodland size required The minimum woodland size required to manage a forest with the Group to manage a forest with the Group Selection System (Femelschlag) is Selection System (Femelschlag) is greater than that needed for the true greater than that needed for the true Selection Systems (Plenterwald); at Selection Systems (Plenterwald); at least 5 to 30 ha least 5 to 30 ha
(Leibundgut, 1990, Waldbau im Privatwald, Haupt, Stuttgart)(Leibundgut, 1990, Waldbau im Privatwald, Haupt, Stuttgart)
Reduced stability, because Potential Reduced stability, because Potential Natural Vegetation differs considerably Natural Vegetation differs considerably from future-naturalnessfrom future-naturalness
Forest ConditionForest Condition Dominated by introduced species Dominated by introduced species Degree of ‘naturalness’ lowDegree of ‘naturalness’ low Highly splintered pockets of forestHighly splintered pockets of forest Under-thinned or plunderedUnder-thinned or plundered
Few examples of CCFFew examples of CCF
Existing site conditionsExisting site conditions Only 7% of the land mass Only 7% of the land mass
is forestedis forested
Soils have been Soils have been degraded, particularly on degraded, particularly on marginal land earmarked marginal land earmarked for forestryfor forestry
InfrastructureInfrastructure
CCF compared with plantations CCF compared with plantations
regarding sites conditionsregarding sites conditions Plantation forestry changes the Plantation forestry changes the
constraining site conditions through constraining site conditions through drainage, fertilizer and further inputsdrainage, fertilizer and further inputs
CCF forestry uses mainly native CCF forestry uses mainly native species adapted to site conditions to species adapted to site conditions to improve them over time and improve them over time and increase stabilityincrease stability
Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Conversion to CCF Conversion to CCF
costs money, but costs money, but not converting not converting may be more may be more costly in the long costly in the long termterm
Once converted Once converted the economic the economic argument for CCF argument for CCF are strongare strong
v. Gilsa H and Moosmayer M, Wiederbewaldung nach “Lothar”, AFZ/Der Wald 16/2002
DM Millions
10 Years of Forest conversion in SachsenBy Dietrich Butter, AFZ-Der Wald 19/2001
The cost of controlling our
populations of forest damaging fauna
Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Continuity of timber supply is Continuity of timber supply is
necessary to be economically viablenecessary to be economically viable The volume required to achieve an The volume required to achieve an
economically viable supply is smaller economically viable supply is smaller with increased quality and cost with increased quality and cost effectivenesseffectiveness
Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Plantation forestry Plantation forestry
vs.vs.
Build factoryBuild factoryWhich both produces Which both produces
the tree and is the the tree and is the plantation itselfplantation itself
Sell the factory and Sell the factory and start building from start building from scratchscratch
CCFCCF
Build factoryBuild factoryRegularly sell a Regularly sell a
sustainable volume of sustainable volume of treestrees
Improve and maintain Improve and maintain factory to reduce factory to reduce costs of producing costs of producing trees in the futuretrees in the future
So why haven’t we done So why haven’t we done this?this?
Initial return on investment is delayed with CCFInitial return on investment is delayed with CCF Part of this initial investment remains Part of this initial investment remains
committedcommitted Plantations of hardy conifers grew where Plantations of hardy conifers grew where
natives performed badlynatives performed badly This was mistaken as a vindication that This was mistaken as a vindication that such such hardy species were better in all hardy species were better in all circumstancescircumstances Native species are seen as necessary to Native species are seen as necessary to fulfil fulfil social/environmental commitment, but not social/environmental commitment, but not commercially relevantcommercially relevant
Social EnvironmentSocial Environment Limited tradition of long-term forestry Limited tradition of long-term forestry
managementmanagement Our relationship as a society with Our relationship as a society with
forestry has been relatively poor forestry has been relatively poor The general publics understanding of the The general publics understanding of the
multi-functionality of forests and their multi-functionality of forests and their acceptance of the need to utilize land acceptance of the need to utilize land resources is poorresources is poor
Information ResourcesInformation Resources PerceptionPerception
Inventory data, mappingInventory data, mapping LearningLearning
Research results, field tripsResearch results, field trips Anticipation Anticipation
model analysismodel analysisGäfgen, 1968
Potential Natural VegetationPotential Natural Vegetation
The state which would develop if The state which would develop if people’s influence were completely people’s influence were completely and permanently removed. And the and permanently removed. And the resulting succession were finished in resulting succession were finished in a single instant a single instant (Peterken, 1996, Natural Woodland, Cambridge (Peterken, 1996, Natural Woodland, Cambridge University Press)University Press)
Potential Natural VegetationPotential Natural Vegetation Highly modified Highly modified
vegetationvegetation Highly modified Highly modified
site conditionssite conditions
Future-naturalness Future-naturalness more relevantmore relevant
ResearchResearch Experimental plotsExperimental plots
e.g. Ted Horgan's e.g. Ted Horgan's work with Coillte at work with Coillte at Balleyhooley WoodBalleyhooley Wood
Information ExchangeInformation Exchange
FieldtripFieldtrip SeminarsSeminars Literature studyLiterature study
Tradition & Expertise BaseTradition & Expertise Base Lack of experience Lack of experience
with CCF and forest with CCF and forest management in management in generalgeneral
Relatively limited Relatively limited forestry tradition; a forestry tradition; a tradition which tradition which would help us to would help us to appreciate the appreciate the longer term nature longer term nature of forestryof forestry
RecommendationRecommendation
To manage the existing plantations To manage the existing plantations as a stage in the succession to as a stage in the succession to forests under Continuous Cover forests under Continuous Cover Forestry with species that often Forestry with species that often require the pioneer function of such require the pioneer function of such plantations, but plantations, but out-performout-perform them them once establishedonce established
ConclusionConclusion Plantations are effective to establish Plantations are effective to establish
forests, but once established, CCF forests, but once established, CCF management is more resilient to the management is more resilient to the constraints facing forestry and constraints facing forestry and foresters in generalforesters in general
It is a lack of experience and It is a lack of experience and confidence in CCF that is a greater confidence in CCF that is a greater constraint to it’s acceptance than the constraint to it’s acceptance than the physical and economic environmentphysical and economic environment
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