Indicators of forest site productivity may exhibit considerable spatial and temporal variability that should be considered in sustainable forest management. It is generally assumed that natural site conditions and, in turn, site productivity changes gradually and predictably. Our review illustrates many exceptions to this paradigm. Consequently, uni-dimensional productivity indicators such as the commonly used site index (estimated based on stand height) is not always sufficient to characterize site productivity for apparently homogeneous forest stands. To alleviate this problem, we suggest a hierarchical procedure for the estimation of forest site productivity including site mapping, unthinned reference stands (against which to measure growth performance) and adaptive modelling. The level and detail at which site mapping should be conducted (region, forest, management unit or subunit), depends on the objective (research vs. operational forestry), forest type and expected deviations in site productivity estimates compared with the cost of site mapping. Unthinned reference plots should preferably be maintained in the long term and the number of plots should increase with increasing site or stand heterogeneity (for homogeneous land we recommend one plot in 10 ha, two in 100 ha, etc.). With adaptive modelling site specific parameters can be updated at any time when new information has become available. Finally, the review indicates a need to re-define traditional measurement procedures to achieve a contemporary and rational statistical basis for the estimation of site productivity.

Ash dieback caused by the invasive alien fungal pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus often has devastating consequences for the survival, growth and wood quality of Fraxinus excelsior. We analyse the silvicultural implications of ash dieback in forest stands in Europe and review the advice on how to modify management accordingly. We draw on literature as well as unpublished observations and personal experience. The relevant strategy depends on the management objective, the site type (moist or dry), the stand type (pure or mixed stands, even-aged or uneven-aged stands), the age and the degree of dieback. Generally, the strategy should be conservative and trees that are healthy or slightly damaged may be marked and retained. Where dieback is severe, the suggested approach is to harvest remaining commercial timber before value depreciation and to regenerate or replant the area with other tree species. In forests of high value for habitat conservation, it may be advisable to let natural succession proceed unhindered. In all situations, forestry practice plays a key role in implementing in situ and ex situ conservation strategies for ash by preserving trees with low damage levels in all phases of stand development. Wherever there are infected ash trees, risks for operational staff, forest visitors and infrastructure posed by damaged, destabilized ash trees must be minimized.

Models for predicting the biomass of forest trees are becoming increasingly important for assessing forest resources and carbon sequestration in forests. We developed functions for predicting the biomass and basic density of above- and below-ground parts of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in Denmark. Separate models were developed for branches (including foliage), stem and the below-ground stump and root system as well as for the aggregate components of total above-ground biomass and total tree biomass. Trees were sampled in 14 forest stands, reflecting the range of growth conditions and thinning practises of Norway spruce in Denmark. Because of inclusion of experimental plots, data reflected a wider range of thinning practices than commonly used in forestry practice. The data included measurements of biomass and basic density from 114 trees, two of which were regarded as outliers and consequently excluded in the final model estimation. The final models reflected known properties of tree growth and allocation of biomass among different tree components of even-aged Norway spruce. The models were successful in predicting biomass, basic density and biomass expansion factors across a wide variety of tree sizes, stand treatments and growth conditions. The models are believed to substantially improve national estimates of carbon sequestration and biomass resources.

The aim of this study was to investigate to which extent forestry professionals, other “green” professionals (mainly landscape architects) and natural resource students in Denmark agree with the general population regarding their recreational preferences for contrasting stem densities in young, even-aged stands of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.). The study was based on five pairs of colour photographs from each of the five recently thinned experimental plots in a 13-year-old stand. The plots represented five different residual stem densities: 7000 (unthinned), 5300 (traditional thinning), 1000, 300 and 100 stems ha⁻¹. All cut trees were left on the ground. The analysis was carried out as a survey of forest and landscape experts (n=158) and the general public (n=243) based on questionnaires. Interviewees ranked the photographs according to the criterion: “Which forest environment do you prefer as a visitor?” Principal component factor analysis showed that the general public tended to perceptually group photos according to similar overall pattern of openness, presence of row structure and stand accessibility (including presence/absence of slash). As long as a stand appeared accessible, stand density had little influence on their preferences for a wide range of stand densities (5300−300 stems ha⁻¹). In contrast, foresters, other “green” professionals and students seemed to perceptually group photos according to treatment type, and the presence of slash had little influence on their preferences. This suggests an influence of professional background, making experts visually analyse and evaluate stands according to contemporary management standards and paradigms within their own profession.

The objective was to quantify the influence of thinning, high pruning and slash management on crop tree and stand growth in young even-aged stands of planted silver birch (Betula pendula Roth). This study was based on two field experiments, aged six and eleven years at initiation and re-measured after six and eight years, respectively. Treatments included the unthinned control, moderate thinning mainly from below (removing 28–33% of standing volume), point thinning to favor 300 trees per ha and with no thinning elsewhere in the plot (removing 16–25%), and heavy thinning leaving 600 evenly distributed potential future crop trees per ha (removing 64–75%). Slash management (extraction or retention) was applied to heavily thinned plots. High pruning removing 30–70% of the green crown was carried out in some plots with point or heavy thinning on 300 or 600 trees per ha, respectively. Stand volume growth increased with increasing pre-treatment mean annual volume increment and decreased with increasing thinning intensity as compared to the unthinned control. LS-means estimates indicated a reduction for moderate thinning by 14%, for point thinning by 12% and for heavy thinning (combined with pruning) by 62%. However, in the youngest experiment, heavy thinning (without pruning) reduced growth by 54%. Combining these results with results from a similar experiment in Canada, the reduction in stand volume growth (Red_Iv%) depending on thinning removal (Rem_V%), both expressed as a percentage of the unthinned control, was quantified as Red_Iv% = −23.67 + 1.16·Rem_V% (calibration range: 30–83%). For heavy thinning (large quantities of slash), slash extraction resulted in no reduction in stand volume growth as compared to slash retention. The instantaneous numeric reduction in the average stem diameter of the 300 thickest trees per ha (D₃₀₀) due to thinning was 3.5, 15–21% and 955–11% with moderate, point and heavy thinning, respectively. The subsequent average annual increase in D₃₀₀ during the observation period was 8.5%, 25 and 18%, respectively. In the youngest experiment, pruning in unthinned plots led to a reduction in the annual increase of D₃₀₀ by 14%, and heavy thinning in unpruned plots led to an increase by 30%. The growth of pre-selected potential future crop trees increased with increasing thinning intensity. In heavily thinned plots, pruning reduced growth increasingly with increasing pruning severity; LS-means estimates indicated 21% larger growth on stem diameter for unpruned trees and 3% for pruned trees. As an adverse side effect, heavily thinned plots with only 600 trees per ha were at increased risk of windthrow for some years after the thinning intervention. In the oldest experiment, 95–21% of the trees in these plots were damaged by wind.