J. For. Sci., 2022, 68(12):519-528 | DOI: 10.17221/144/2022-JFS

State and productivity of mixed stands with silver birch and Scots pine in Ukrainian PolissyaOriginal Paper

Viktor Tkach1, Maksym Rumiantsev2, Volodymyr Luk'yanets1, Oleksii Kobets1, Iryna Obolonyk ORCID...*,3, Oksana Tarnopilska1, Sergiy Musienko1, Vira Bondarenko1
1 Department of Forestry and Forest Economics, Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G. M. Vysotsky, Kharkiv, Ukraine
2 Department of Reforestation and Protective Afforestation, Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G. M. Vysotsky, Kharkiv, Ukraine
3 Department of Scientific and Technical Information, Ukrainian Research Institute of Forestry and Forest Melioration named after G. M. Vysotsky, Kharkiv, Ukraine

The aim of the study was to assess the current state of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) stands in Ukrainian Polissya, as well as to identify optimal composition resulting in productive and resilient mixed birch forests. It was found that in forests managed by the State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine, birch stands grow on an area of 352 800 ha, covering 5.6% of the total area of forests in Ukraine. Within the study region of Ukrainian Polissya, birch stands cover 294 900 ha making 12.3% of the total forest area. Naturally originated birch stands were found to dominate in the study region, with 65.4% of vegetative stands and 25.2% of those grown from seeds. However, planted stands significantly prevail in terms of growing stock as compared to natural ones. In Ukrainian Polissya, silver birch trees grow as a part of mixed pine and birch forests on 632 400 ha. Our study found that mixed pine and birch stands with 80-90% of Scots pine and 20-10% of silver birch in the composition are the most productive.

Keywords: Betula pendula; growing stock; Pinus sylvestris; stand composition; stand origin

Received: October 2, 2022; Accepted: December 7, 2022; Published: December 15, 2022  Show citation

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Tkach V, Rumiantsev M, Luk'yanets V, Kobets O, Obolonyk I, Tarnopilska O, et al.. State and productivity of mixed stands with silver birch and Scots pine in Ukrainian Polissya. J. For. Sci. 2022;68(12):519-528. doi: 10.17221/144/2022-JFS.
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