Productivity of artificial forest plantations in the northwestern Caucasus

¹ Voronezh State University of Forestry and Technologies named after G.F. Morozov, 394087, Voronezh, Russia
² Novocherkassk Reclamation Engineering Institute named after A.K. Kortunov, FSBEI HE Donskoy State Agrarian University, 346428, Novocherkassk, Russia

^* Corresponding author: n.v.yakovenko71@gmail.com

Abstract

Intensive exploitation of forest resources in the last 40-50 years, the use of various deforestation methods and reforestation technologies in oak, beech and fir plantations necessitate a scientific generalization of the achieved results of forestry production and the development of proposals for optimizing forestry management, taking into account the exceptional ecological significance of the forests in the region. The purpose of the work is to analyze the productivity of artificial forest plantations with a predominance of oak and its related species growing in the northwestern Caucasus. The object of the research was artificial forest plantations growing on the territory of Maikop forestry, Seed plantation forestry, and Kurdzhipsky district forestry. The study is based on the method of trial plots. Processing of field materials was carried out by methods generally accepted in forestry and taxation. Artificial plantations of Maykop forestry are characterized by high productivity. At the age of 70 years the maximum value of the stock is 534.448 m³/ha with a density of 0.7. At the same time, the stock of plantations is 60.616 - 534.448 m3/ha. A silvicultural assessment is given of the expediency of preserving undergrowth and creating forest plantations, depending on the group of forest types. The probability of undesirable change of tree species on cuttings is analyzed. When creating new artificial plantations, pedunculate oak, Hartwiss oak, red oak, Caucasian hornbeam, oriental beech, and Scots pine should be used as the main species. We recommend using red oak on soils poorer in mineral nutrition, as it is less demanding soil fertility and is able to grow even on acidic soils.