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In a 6 years' field experiment in a podzolized heather area in Norway the effects of liming and P and Cu fertilization were tested versus changes in vegetation and soil chemistry. The vegetation altered slowly, particularly the woody species, but pronounced over years. Liming had a positive effect on all species except Deschampsia flexuosa and Vaccinium myrtillus, P tended to favour all except V. myrtillus, and Cu promoted all except Nardus stricta, V. oliginosum and V. myrtillus. Surface spreading of liming material and fertilizers caused distinct lime, phosphorus and copper effects and interactions in the soil litter layer. Liming markedly increased pH and Ca level and stimulated microbial activity, whilst the fertilizers increased P and Cu availability in soil. Cu fertilization counteracted a feared Cu deficiency when liming marginal soils. Gradually the changes penetrated into deeper soil layers. This strong chemical influence led the podzol into a cambisol cycle, characterized by retention of humus in the E layer, accompanied by a slight increase in pH, elevated levels of Kjeldahl-N, AL dissolved and exchangeable Ca, and in CEC and BS.

The paper describes the regime and dynamics of the soil moisture content of sandy soils in Záhorská lowland during different growing seasons. Research plots are situated near Kamenný mlyn, approximately 3 km from Plavecký Štvrtok and 8 km southward from the town of Malacky. Changes in the soil moisture content are described by soil moisture constants (MCC, PDA, WP) and its relation to atmospheric precipitation and to the character of undergrowth is shown. The low water-holding capacity of sandy soils and their high drainage together with dense root system do not allow the sufficient saturation of soil during the growing season. The low wilting point value (2%) leads to the consumption of all available water in the soil. The most frequent is the semiarid interval of soil moisture (PDA -WP) with reduced availability of water to plants (> pF 3.1). The arid interval (< WP) occurrence on hot summer days results in a decrease in transpiration and assimilation intensity of plants, their physiological weakening and premature fall of assimilation organs.

This paper deals with transformation of pure even-aged forest stands to uneven-aged irregular stands on an example of the Klokočná Forest Range. The fully operational management system according to principles of shelterwood or selection systems has been executed here since 1993. An investigation of this transformation process started in 1999 and it is focused on the places with more distinct structural differences. On the basis of research analysis, it is possible to consider about the permanent uneven-aged forest stands in future here. But for successful achievement of this goal it is necessary to continue this transformation step by step for a long time. The transformation is still at the beginning and its result depends on the effort and the forest management goal and the priority of the particular forest functions.

The article presents original results of research on the humus form dynamics in a semi-natural European beech stand in the National Natural Reserve Voděradské bučiny, in the area of Training Forest Enterprise at Kostelec nad Černými lesy (Czech University of Agriculture inPrague). The accumulation and soil chemical characteristics of particular humus forms were studied: dry matter amount, pH, soil adsorption and exchangeable acidity characteristics as well as plant available and total nutrient contents. The humus form samples were taken in four replications from the particular humus form layers (L, F, H, Ah), and the analyses were performed individually. Samplings were done in the parts of the stand with closed canopy, and they were compared with the state in gaps formed during natural and semi-natural forest regeneration (the stage of stand breaking up left to spontaneous development). The results confirmed marked changes in the quantity and quality of surface humus in the gaps. The amount of dry matter decreased by ca. 25% several years after canopy opening, especially in the H horizon, the pH, base content and base saturation increased, as well as the content of macronutrients (with the exception of total calcium). The results proved considerable changes in the humus forms during the natural and semi-natural forest cycles connected with the stand regeneration.

This study deals with the assessment of increment losses in Scots pine trees caused by the maturation feeding of pine shoot beetles Tomicus piniperda (L.) and T. minor (Hart.) (Col., Scolytidae) in even-aged stands growing during their entire life span within range of the influence of a sawmill and its timber yard. In spring 2004, on three sample plots, 0.2 ha in size, situated 60, 200, and 500 m from the yard, height and dbh of all trees were measured and increment cores were taken from randomly selected sample trees. An agreement between the spatial distribution of losses in tree increments and the distribution of damage to crowns of investigated stands indicated that the losses resulted from the maturation feeding of pine shoot beetles migrating from the sawmill timber yard. Divergence of growth in the about 25-years-old stand indicated the beginning of intensive feeding of beetles in pine shoots with a high level of probability. In comparison with the control stand the basal area losses in stands growing 60 and 200 m from the beetle source amounted to 57% and 46%, respectively. The difference in the height of trees was as large as almost 100%.

The effects of soil conditioners Frisol, TerraCottem, Bi-algeen, and fertilisers Silvamix Forte and Cererit on the welfare of Austrian pine were observed in a seven-year experiment on Loket spoil bank. Simultaneously the economic aspects of growing the Austrian pine until the stage of established plantation were examined. The application of products one year and a half after planting did not cause seedling mortality. The elongation growth of young plants conditioned by the application of Silvamix Forte and Frisol was statistically significant whereas these effects manifested themselves in the second year: they persisted till the end of the experiment for Silvamix Forte, and for three years in total for Frisol. The other products - TerraCottem, Bi-algeen and Cererit - also showed generally better, though statistically insignificant results as compared to those of the control plants. The elongation growth for all products culminated in the fifth year and then declined. The stem diameter growth for the best products reached its maximum in the second year. Regarding the overall height growth after seven years, the average number of the highest plants on the experiment location was on plots treated with Silvamix Forte; these plants exceeded the control plants by 46.2 cm. Pines treated with Frisol were higher by 23.4 cm. However, the application of soil conditioners and fertilisers to the given location proved economically ineffective because there was no need to improve the soil at the location, the same applies to mowing and hoeing since almost no forest weed grew there and the substrate surface remained well-aerated and porous.

The paper deals with the occurrence of fungi and rusts, viruses and insects on main woody species in riparian stands along the middle courses of the Slatina and Hron rivers in Slovakiain 2002-2004. Forty fungal species, rusts and viruses and 79 insect species were found. The highest number of fungi occurred on the branches and twigs of poplar where Cryptodiaporthe populea (Sacc.) Butin and Phellinus igniarius (L.) Quél. had the highest representation and so the influence on the health condition. Melampsora alliipopulina Kleb., Poplar mosaic carlavirus, Venturia po-pulina (Vuill.) Fabr. and Venturia tremulae Aderh dominated on the leaves. The most frequently present fungus on the aspen was Armillaria sp., Phellinus igniarius (L.) Quél., on the alder a new hybrid from the genus Phytophthora - alder Phytophthora, Valsa oxystoma Rehm., Inonotus radiatus (Sowerby) P. Karst. and Inonotus obliquus (Fr.) Pilát. From the insect species Melasoma vigintipunctata Scop. and Phyllodecta vitellinae L. caused total defoliation on willows. The highest occurrence on the black poplar was on the leaf stalks represented by Pemphigus spirothecae Pass. species, on the alder it was Cryptorrhinchidius lapathi L. on the twigs and Agelastica alni L. on the leaves.

The article deals with economic aspects of sustainable forest management. The analysis stems from Plíva's typological system. Several hundreds of variants were calculated for forest silviculture profitability classified according to management intensity, target management system, proportion of ameliorating and improving species, proportion of natural regeneration, and set of forest types. The results show a possibility of labour saving and also marked differentiation of the effect of wood production function depending on natural and production conditions and management intensity.

Natural regeneration is an important part of close-to-nature forestry. However, natural regeneration also has either natural or technological limits. Among the most important natural limits are a low sum of precipitation and site type. The study concentrates on Žatec region where the long term average sum of precipitation is only 440-450 mm per year. Dry periods during the vegetation time are quite frequent. The study was conducted on clear cut area, stand edge, shelterwood area and stand interior. The results showed the highest population densities in a shelterwood system, the lowest in the stand interior. On the other hand, the dry seedling biomass is lower for seedlings from shelterwood area than from clear cut area.

This paper deals with natural abundance of ¹⁵N and ¹³C in the soil and needles of the pine forest (Pinus roxburghii, Sargent) along an altitudinal gradient. The study area lies in the elevation range of 1,200 m to 2,200 m in Kathmanduvalley of Nepal. The higher altitude soil was found to be much more depleted of ¹³C than the lower altitude soil. The decreasing trend of C-isotope (as well as the trend of N-isotope) might be attributed to the lower mineralisation rate and net nitrification rate at the higher altitude. The observed differences in isotopic N- and C-contents of needles and soils across altitudinal gradients in this study are a result of the combination of environmentally induced variations in physiological and morphological differences. For example, altitudinal variation in needle δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C at the research site indicates that the needle isotopic composition is related to nitrogen availability at a site.

This research deals with a comparative study of two different N-saturated forests: 1. beech forest and 2. spruce forest at the same locality of \solling, Central Germany. The present results show that ¹⁵N natural occurrence in the rainfall (both above and below canopy) at Solling site is similar (δ¹⁵N = -15‰ to +19‰) to other sites of the world (such as NITREX sites, USA etc.). Furthermore, ¹⁵N values in the soil water ranged from -4.32 (± 2.09) to +5‰ (± 1.47), which also corresponds to NITREX sites and other sites of Europe and USA. In both forests, δ¹⁵N enrichment of both NH₄-N and NO₃-N showed a decreasing trend of their values from bulk precipitation to the upper soil layer, but increasing in the deeper soil layer again. An increase in the ¹⁵N enrichment of soil water from upper soil depth to lower soil depth was observed in our study and it is assumed to be due to the strong net nitrification taking place in the upper layer (organic surface layer) of soil. The soils at both sites showed characteristic low (negative) δ¹⁵N values in the upper organic layers, strongly increasing to positive δ¹⁵N values in the mineral soil. In the lower depths of mineral soil horizons of both stands, an increase in δ¹⁵N values was found to culminate at +3 to +5‰. In contrast to the mineral soil horizon, in the organic soil horizon (0 to 6 cm depth) of both sites there was almost a similar or slight decrease in δ¹⁵N values with depth. This is attributed to the high nitrification rate in the organic soil horizon, resulting in excessive seepage water NO₃-output at both sites (especially at the spruce site).

From the economic point of view the issue is comprehensive namely for its long-term character. At present, there is little experience in complexly understood economic calculations concerning the effect of climate change on forest management. Therefore a new methodology had to be proposed to solve the assigned task, i.e. to analyse the results of research on the effect of climate change on forest management. The issue is closely related to changes in production characteristics of commercial species, i.e. site quality and species composition or health conditions and rotation period of each species and stand. In this case it concerns with a higher proportion of deciduous species at the expense of conifers, namely spruce. This issue also includes the question of further afforestation of non-forest agricultural land, that means the question of land delimitation between agriculture and forestry.

A decline of macromycetes, especially of ectomycorrhizal species, has been described in the last decade in various parts of Europe. These changes are attributed to direct or indirect effects of air pollution. In Central Europe these changes correlate with visual damage of forest. Many ectomycorrhizal fungi seem to be very suitable bioindicators of the disturbance of forest ectotrophic stability. Stages of this disturbance can be linked directly to particular phases of impoverishment of ectomycorrhizal mycocoenoses. These conclusions have been obtained from long-term research on permanent plots (1,000-2,500 m²) in spruce and oak forests in the Czech Republic, but it seems that they are valid generally. For the quantification and study of mycorrhizal activity a special method has been developed and applied. The analyses of mycorrhizas from the same plots in the period 2000-2002 indicate large mycorrhizal dynamics. These data correlate with data obtained from a fruiting bodies survey. Both the percentage of ectomycorrhizal species and the ratio of active mycorrhizas are highly sensitive to outer impacts (air pollution, acidification, fertilization). Their decrease is in correlation with the strong defoliation of trees and can be used for the prediction of further development in comparable stands.

Yellowing of the Norway spruce is a relatively common problem in many areas of the Czech Republic. In some of them, it is also connected with forest decline; it was studied in the Šumava (Bohemian Forest) Mts. and in the western part of the Krušné hory Mts. This unfavourable phenomenon is initiated by several ecological as well as anthropic processes, one of the most important being the imbalance of forest stand nutrition. Particular reasons lead to the deficiency of nutrients, especially of magnesium. Solution of this undesirable trend is the profound ecological analysis and cause-oriented treatments. Besides lowering the air pollutant input, fertilization with deficient nutrients is a successful treatment in the forest stand management in affected areas. In the areas of interest, the application of a relatively small amount of appropriate fertilizer (SILVAMIX Mg) led to considerable improvement in the defoliation dynamics and yellowing progress since the first years after use.

This material describes parameterization of allometric functions applicable to biomass estimation of European beech trees. It is based on field data from destructive measurements of 20 full-grown trees with diameter at breast height (dbh) from 5.7 to 62.1 cm. The parameterization was performed for total tree aboveground biomass (AB; besides stump), stem and branch biomass, respectively. The allometric functions contained two or three parameters and used dbh either as a single independent variable or in combination with tree height (H). These functions explained 97 to 99% of the variability in the measured AB. The most successful equation was that using both dbh and H as independent variables in combination with three fitted parameters. H, as the second independent variable, had rather a small effect on improving the estimation: in the case of AB, H as independent variable improved prediction accuracy by 1-2% whereas in the case of branch biomass by about 5%. The parameterized biomass equations are applicable to tree specimens of European beech grown in typically managed forests.

We evaluated the growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) seedlings on peat and bark substrates, on their mixes and on their mixes with agroperlite. We examined the basic quantitative traits (seedling diameters and heights), the number of produced seedlings per unit area, main root lengths, number of axial shoots and dry weight of shoots and roots. Besides the study of substrate influence on the biometrical characteristics of seedlings applied standard fertilisation an experiment was established as the second variant where the effect of biostimulants was tested; they were supplied by the Jaminex Company. The experiment was established with three replications by standard technologies used in forest operations. A conclusion can be drawn that in our experiments peat was found to be the most suitable substrate for production of Norway spruce seedlings. Positive effects of biostimulants were highly significant on almost all tested substrate mixes.

Changes in radial increment of Norway spruce in 25 stands more than 100 years old were analysed. Stands were growing on sites of different exposure situated at 450-1,200 m above sea level in the Polish Western Beskids Mountains. In the mid-1990s a considerable increase in annual ring width was observed. The greatest increase occurred in trees growing at the highest altitudes. This phenomenon occurred after a long period of increment decrease at the turn of the 1970s. After 1990 as the annual ring width was increasing, the variation and amplitude of ring width also increased. The cause of a long-term increase in radial increment was the improvement of thermal and pluvial conditions during late winter and early spring having a substantial effect on Norway spruce growth. In the 1990s the period of rapid changes in thermal and pluvial conditions of summer began. After moist and cold summers there were hot and dry summers. This resulted in increased variations and amplitude of the growth responses of Norway spruce and contributed to the weakening of trees above 100 years of age. The increasing break-up of Norway spruce stands growing in the lower mountain zone of the Polish Western Beskids Mountains, observed in recent years, is the final effect of this process.

The condition was evaluated of tissues of declining young spruce stands in selected localities of the Orlické hory Mts. It refers to stands occurring in top parts affected by an air pollution disaster in the last century. Several types of damage of a different symptomatic character were distinguished. A high NO_x input appears to be the risk factor of spruce dieback in the Orlické hory Mts. One of the main causes in the complex of factors is the unbalanced cause of meteorological factors during the year and unbalance in mineral nutrition. The result is decrease in lignification, immaturity of tissues before the winter period and increased susceptibility of damaged tissues to parasites. Several potentially pathogenic species of micromycetes have been identified which can be considered to be significant pathogenic agents in case of declining spruce in the Orlické hory Mts., however, not a main cause.

During the construction of model logging costs for valuation of forest stands, by accident I found out differences between some species included in the groups of tree species. Differences within the groups of species may cause errors in logging costs of some species, for example with hornbeam, all species of linden, all species of rowans and horse chestnut. With the help of simple calculations it was proved that the differences could be very large, that they were more than forty per cent, it means they were significant. On the basis of my further research it is envisaged to increase the number of groups of trees from 13 to 16. The purpose is to give the most accurate background to make up a model of logging costs. In the second step it is expected that the model can provide the results for more or fewer groups of trees more easily if statistical methods are used. But this problem is not a part of this paper.

Large areas were deforested as a consequence of the immission calamity in the Czech Republic in the last decades. As a part of restoration activities, preparatory species were utilized, both planted and sown, to cover forest soils, to prevent soil erosion and to regenerate forest microclimate, necessary for reintroduction of target, climax species. Birch (especially Betula pendula Roth.) was among the mostly common preparatory species. Presented paper documents the effects of birch in the case of its cultivation on an intact soil. In this case, birch was documented as a species suitable in a short-time perspective, improving soil characteristics and forming effective shelter against increased humus mineralization.

Expansion and invasion of plants indicate successful colonization and competitive abilities of species. There are fewer invasive and expansive woody plants than herbs. Main expansive (native species) trees and shrubs are Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus, Clematis vitalba, Crataegus sp. div., Fraxinus excelsior, Prunus spinosa, Rubus sp. div., Sambucus nigra. Main invasive (alien species) are Acer negundo, Ailanthus altissima, Amorpha fruticosa, Cytisus scoparius, Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Lycium barbarum, Mahonia aquifolium, Physocarpus opulifolius, Pinus strobus, Populus × canadensis, Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, Rhus typhina, Robinia pseudoacacia, Symphoricarpos albus, Syringa vulgaris. Dominant characteristics of expansive and invasive species are dispersibility of seeds and capacity of vegetative propagation.

The paper deals with the study of bionomics and population dynamics of Ips typographus (L.) in the area of the Praděd National Nature Reserve (NNR). Data were collected on the basis of detected feeding marks, beetles caught in traps, and also according to the frequency of occurrence or increase in the number of standing dead trees killed by the bark beetle attack in localities where sanitation felling was not performed. Finally, evaluation of the present condition of forest stand and population dynamics of Ips typographus was carried out. The results showed that the stands currently occur in the stage of disintegration when the role of the bark beetle is irreplaceable. Based on the research findings, the management of the bark beetle was proposed that would enable to achieve so-called regulated disintegration of natural spruce forests in the area of the Praděd NNR.

In a controlled pot trial, plants of birch (Betula pendula Roth) were treated in six variants: acid watering (pH 3), acid watering with spraying, drought, ammonium sulphate fertilisation, ammonium sulphate fertilisation in combination with drought, and control. The response to the treatment with ammonium sulphate in terms of the increment was discordant as it increased the sensitivity of birch to frost. Drought had a negative effect on increments. A combination of ammonium sulphate and drought; drought; ammonium sulphate and sprayed acid watering delayed the shedding of leaves; this was due to a longer vegetation period, significantly higher nitrogen content in these variants, with the exception of drought.

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of dynamics of species diversity, abundance, distribution of fruiting bodies and dominance of macromycetes in mycocoenosis of beech monocultures. The problems were studied in beech monocultures on three permanent research plots with various impacts of air pollutants generated by the aluminium plant in Žiar nad Hronom. Over the research period we determined 121 macromycete species and one species of imperfect fungus. We found relatively balanced values of abundance, fruiting body distribution and species dominance on all the examined plots. The species diversity in groups consisting of the most dominant species was practically the same on each plot. As for the ecotrophic requirements of individual macromycetes, we can conclude that the diversity of tree parasites decreased with decreasing pollutant load. We also found out relatively balanced numbers of lignicolous saprophytes and terrestrial saprophytes on each research plot. Air pollutants also influenced the species spectrum of ectomycorrhizal macromycetes negatively (only 6 species on the plot with highest pollution stress and 21 species on the plot with lowest pollution stress).

The analyses of the activity of cambium and the study of the increment of wood during one growing season of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) under conditions of a floodplain forest is provided. The following parameters were studied: the beginning and end of the cambial activity, differentiation of wood fibres (libriform) and vessels and analysis of the total increment of wood during vegetation in dominant (D), co-dominant (CD) and subdominant (SD) trees in relation to ecological factors of the environment. The course of wood formation corresponds to typical growth curves which are modified by factors of the environment (mean daily temperature, precipitation, soil water supply). The rate of growth is limited by factors of the environment and under the lack of some of them it is reduced resulting in the decrease in the total production of cells. Oak is a species sensitively responding to the period of drought which is particularly manifested in wood increment in subdominant trees. Sufficient supplies of water during spring months accelerate the formation of early wood including differentiation of spring vessels as corroborated by the results. The total formation of wood is dependent not only on the characteristics of the respective growing season but particularly on the social position of trees in the stand.

The paper evaluates the growth, structure, production, quality, leaf area index and dendrochronology of 100 years old Austrian pine (Pinus nigra ARNOLD) monoculture situated in the forest type group Fageto-Quercetum in the locality Horné Lefantovce (Nitrianska Streda Forest District, Topoľčianky Forest Enterprise). Codominant trees, trees with stem of high quality, with medium-sized crown, medium dense and straight crown are the most abundant in the stand. The tree number in the stand is 1,024 trees/ha, basal area 51.75 m2/ha, growing stock 571.56 m3/ha, aboveground biomass stock 348.76 t/ha and leaf area index 21.85 ha/ha. Dendrochronological analyses examined the response in individual sample trees and minimum annual ring width was found in 1920, 1922, 1925, 1929, 1933, 1938, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1954, 1963, 1968, 1976, 1982, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2001. Marked maximum values of annual ring width in the years 1919, 1923, 1926, 1930, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1997 were found as a positive productive feature. Beginning in the year 1993, dry Austrian pine trees occurred in the stand as a result of the fungal infection by Sphaeropsis sapinea (Fr.) Dyko et Sutton.

The paper summarises main ideas concerning the structure of natural forest ecosystems at middle altitudes and documents the changes of humus forms and their chemistry in the natural forest of Žákova hora National Nature Reserve, in typical selected parts with different tree species composition: European beech - Norway spruce. The species composition, age and spatial structure are discussed and analysis of the uppermost soil layer is done in particular parts of the natural forest regeneration cycle, of different stages respectively. We compared the amount and layer composition of surface humus and basic pedochemical characteristics of holorganic and upper mineral horizons. The results document changes in the character of humus forms as a consequence of the tree species change. On the contrary, a high portion of uncertainty as for the species, age and spatial structure follows from discussion about the structure of natural forests at middle altitudes.

In the paper we evaluate the influence of crown thinning with positive selection, different intensity (moderate PRP III and heavy PRP IV) and 5-year frequency on development of growth, production, quality and leaf area index of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) monocultures growing on the series of three permanent research plots (PRP) Sikenica (Levice Forest Enterprise, Levice Forest District) as observed in 1978-2003. The trends of development of mean stem, basal area, standing volume and aboveground dendromass (in dry matter) were mainly influenced by heavy crown thinning. The index of growth was as follows: basal area 169.01%, standing volume 262.12%, aboveground dendromass (in dry matter) 324.48%. At the age of 64 years the black walnut monocultures tended by heavy crown thinning had the following parameters: basal area 31.03 m²/ha, standing volume 463.88 m³/ha and aboveground dendromass 194.98 t/ha. Mean periodic increment reached the values: basal area 0.51 m²/ha/year, standing volume 11.48 m³/ha/year and dendromass 5.39 t/ha/year. The index of increment percent growth was: basal area + 31.75%, growing stock + 30.85% and dendromass + 0.79%, compared to the control. The total production was also significantly influenced by heavy thinning. At the stand age of 64 years the tended stands had the total basal area of 4.92 m²/ha, total volume production of 572.77 m³/ha and total weight production of 246.04 t/ha. The total mean increment of basal area is 0.67 m²/ha/year, of volume 8.95 m³/ha/year and of weight 3.84 t/ha/year, which is by 24.07%, 23.96% and 16.01% more than on the control plot. The leaf area index at the age of 64 years ranges from 6.54 ha/ha (PRP III) to 7.82 ha/ha (PRP V). Dendrochronological analyses revealed minimum widths of annual rings in the years 1952, 1961, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1993, 2000, maximum ones in 1951, 1957, 1959, 1967, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1989, 1999.

In 1986 (1987) research plots were established in a forest stands on the south-western slope of Šerlich Mt., Orlické hory Mts. (Kristina Colloredo-Mansfeld - Forest Administration Opočno), at the altitude of 950 to 970 m, to study deposition, chemistry of precipitation and soil water and development of soil chemistry. The plots were established on a clear-cut area, in a young stand and a mature stand of spruce, in a mature beech stand, and in an advanced growth of spruce and European mountain ash. The content of solutes in creek water was studied at the same time. Since 1993 the concentration of substances in precipitation water intercepted in the summit part of Šerlich Mt. has been measured. Research on water chemistry in the stands terminated in 1997. Soil analyses were done in 1986 (1987), 1993 and 1999. The load of acid air pollutants in these forest ecosystems was high in the eighties. After 1991 the deposition of H⁺, S/SO₄^2-, N/NO₃^- + NH₄⁺, Mn, Zn, Al decreased. Similarly, an increase in pH was observed in soil water, and the concentrations of SO₄^2-, and N, Al compounds decreased. But in 1993 the concentrations of SO₄^2- and Al increased again under the spruce stand for several months. The concentrations of NO₃^-, Mn, Zn and Al in the stream water also gradually decreased in the nineties. On the contrary, the average values of S-ions increased compared to those of 1987 to 1991. Strongly acid soil reaction developed in deeper layers until 1993. In the second half of the nineties the pH/H₂O value somewhat increased again, however the reserve of K, Mg, Ca available cations in the mineral soil constantly decreased. The saturation of sorption complex by basic cations in the lower layer of rhizosphere did not reach even 10% in 1999. The forest ecosystems of Šerlich Mt. were also loaded by a high fall-out of Pb, and increased fall-out of Cu. The lack of balance of N-compound transformations and consumption in the soil and increased leaching of N in the form of nitrates contribute to soil acidification on the investigated plots.

The paper describes the policy, legislative and organisational context and structure of financing the forestry from public funds in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland and Slovenia in the 90's. The first half of the nineties was the period of the most significant changes, whereas more stable and systematic financing of forestry was generally started in the second half of the nineties. The supported activities reflected main problems and challenges facing the forestry in individual countries. In the Czech Republic the substantial support was designed for protective measures and restitution of damaged stands. In Poland, the increase of forest area and restitution of forest stands damaged by air-pollution were the priority. Slovenian budget supported mainly the improvement of road infrastructure, forest management planning, as well as sustainable utilisation of forests through marking of trees for cutting. Estonian forestry received the relatively lowest subsidies allocated mainly to the preparation of management plans and extension services. Subsidies were the most important instruments of support. In Poland, however, tax exemptions and concessions were significantly higher than the value of financial means allocated from the public funds.