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Optimising the management of even-aged Pinus sylvestris L. stands in Galicia, north-western Spain

Optimisation de la gestion des peuplements équiennes de Pinus sylvestris L. en Galice dans le Nord-ouest de l’Espagne

Annals of Forest Science volume 64, pages 787–798 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The study developed management instructions for even-aged Pinus sylvestris stands in Galicia (north-western Spain). Although these stands are highly productive, no silvicultural management schedules have been proposed so far for them on the basis of systematic analyses. This study used data from 2160 optimisation runs to develop the management instructions. Land expectation value was used as the objective function. Different prices of timber assortments were considered and the discounting rate was varied from 0.5 to 5%. The method employed to find the optimal management schedules of stands was the combination of a stand simulator and an optimisation algorithm. The simulator uses an earlier growth and yield model for Pinus sylvestris in Galicia to predict the future development of the stand with a given management schedule while the optimisation algorithm seeks the best management schedule among all the possible alternatives. The results show that optimal rotation lengths vary widely between 42 and 170 years, high discounting rates and good site quality resulting in the shortest rotations. Four thinnings were found to be suitable for all sites and discounting rates. With discounting rates higher than 1% the commercial thinnings should gradually decrease the stand basal area towards the end of the rotation.

Résumé

Cette étude développe des instructions de gestion pour des peuplements de Pinus sylvestris en Galice (Nord-ouest de l’Espagne). Bien que ces peuplements soient hautement productifs, aucun plan de gestion sylvicole basé sur des analyses sytématiques, n’a jusqu’ici été proposé. Cette étude utilise les données de 2 160 séquences d’optimisation pour développer des instructions de gestion. Une attente de valeur foncière a été utilisée comme fonction-objectif. Différents prix de lots de bois ont été pris en compte et le taux d’escompte a varié de 0,5 à 5 %. La méthode employée pour évaluer le programme optimal de gestion a été la combinaison d’un simulateur de croissance de peuplement et d’un algorithme d’optimisation. Le simulateur utilise un modèle existant de croissance et de production de Pinus sylvestris en Galice pour prédire le développement du peuplement pour un plan de gestion tandis que l’algorithme d’optimisation recherche le meilleur plan gestion parmi toutes les alternatives possibles. Les résultas montrent que la durée optimale de rotation varie entre 42 et 170 ans. Des taux d’escompte élevés et des stations de bonne qualité permettent les révolutions les plus rapides. Quatre éclaircies semblent appropriées pour toute les stations et tous les taux d’escompte. Avec des taux d’escompte plus élevés que 1 % les éclaircies commerciales doivent abaisser graduellement la surface terrière des peuplements vers la fin de la rotation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Forestry, University of Joensuu, PO Box 111, 80101, Joensuu, Finland

    María Pasalodos-Tato & Timo Pukkala

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  1. María Pasalodos-Tato
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  2. Timo Pukkala
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Correspondence to María Pasalodos-Tato.

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Pasalodos-Tato, M., Pukkala, T. Optimising the management of even-aged Pinus sylvestris L. stands in Galicia, north-western Spain. Ann. For. Sci. 64, 787–798 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2007059

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Annals of Forest Science

ISSN: 1297-966X