CONSTRAINTS TO CONTINUOUS COVER

FORESTRY IN IRELANDMorgan Roche, Diplom Forstwirt

Objective of this paperObjective of this paper

To answer the question; To answer the question;

What are the hurdles to What are the hurdles to practising Continuous practising Continuous Cover Forestry in Ireland?Cover Forestry in Ireland?

What is CCF?What is CCF?

Continuous Cover Forestry Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) (CCF) A silviculture in which a continuous A silviculture in which a continuous canopy is maintained and where the canopy is maintained and where the principles of Near to Nature forestry principles of Near to Nature forestry are followed as prescribed by Pro Silvaare followed as prescribed by Pro Silva

Where do we find constraints Where do we find constraints to forestry in general?to forestry in general?

Physical Environment Physical Environment Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Social EnvironmentSocial Environment Information ResourcesInformation Resources Expertise BaseExpertise Base

Physical EnvironmentPhysical Environment

Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors Biotic factorsBiotic factors

Existing site & forests conditionsExisting site & forests conditions

StormsStormsDamage caused by Damage caused by storms is inevitable, storms is inevitable, but has greater but has greater consequences in consequences in plantations than plantations than under established under established CCFCCF Met Eireann

Timber harvested as a result of storm damage to forests in Switzerland over a 170 year period

Regeneration types after two Regeneration types after two major storms in Germanymajor storms in Germany

v. Gilsa H and Moosmayer M, Wiederbewaldung nach “Lothar”, AFZ/Der Wald 16/2002

ExposureExposure

High exposure is a High exposure is a greater constraint greater constraint to plantation to plantation forestry than to forestry than to established CCFestablished CCF

Otto, Hans-Jürgen, 1994: Waldökologie. Ulmer, Stuttgart

How does the How does the physical physical

environment impact environment impact on a forest stand?on a forest stand?

Over time Over time fragmentation of fragmentation of monoculture monoculture plantations occursplantations occurs

Conversion to CCF Conversion to CCF may be may be constrained or constrained or accelerated by accelerated by storm damage storm damage

Otto, Hans-Jürgen, 1994: Waldökologie. Ulmer, Stuttgart

Biotic FactorsBiotic FactorsFaunaFaunaFloraFlora

A number of useful species are not found in A number of useful species are not found in Ireland or are not native (Boar)Ireland or are not native (Boar)

A number of introduced species have affected A number of introduced species have affected the balance within our ecosystems (Grey the balance within our ecosystems (Grey Squirrel, Sika Deer, Rhododendron ponticum)Squirrel, Sika Deer, Rhododendron ponticum)

Most native tree species no longer have Most native tree species no longer have autochthon populationsautochthon populations

Useful speciesUseful speciesNot native but Not native but important to CCF in important to CCF in Europe:Europe:

BeechBeech Silver FirSilver Fir Norway SpruceNorway Spruce SycamoreSycamore

Light demanding speciesLight demanding species

A true Selection Systems (Plenterwald) is A true Selection Systems (Plenterwald) is not possible without shade bearing not possible without shade bearing speciesspecies

More light on the forest floor increases More light on the forest floor increases weeds such as grassesweeds such as grasses

Once established light demanding Once established light demanding species will need to be given much more species will need to be given much more room; they won’t wait like Beech or Firroom; they won’t wait like Beech or Fir

Resulting constraints in Resulting constraints in IrelandIreland

Very high degree of management skill Very high degree of management skill and resources (incl. deer management)and resources (incl. deer management)

The minimum woodland size required The minimum woodland size required to manage a forest with the Group to manage a forest with the Group Selection System (Femelschlag) is Selection System (Femelschlag) is greater than that needed for the true greater than that needed for the true Selection Systems (Plenterwald); at Selection Systems (Plenterwald); at least 5 to 30 ha least 5 to 30 ha

(Leibundgut, 1990, Waldbau im Privatwald, Haupt, Stuttgart)(Leibundgut, 1990, Waldbau im Privatwald, Haupt, Stuttgart)

Reduced stability, because Potential Reduced stability, because Potential Natural Vegetation differs considerably Natural Vegetation differs considerably from future-naturalnessfrom future-naturalness

Forest ConditionForest Condition Dominated by introduced species Dominated by introduced species Degree of ‘naturalness’ lowDegree of ‘naturalness’ low Highly splintered pockets of forestHighly splintered pockets of forest Under-thinned or plunderedUnder-thinned or plundered

Few examples of CCFFew examples of CCF

Existing site conditionsExisting site conditions Only 7% of the land mass Only 7% of the land mass

is forestedis forested

Soils have been Soils have been degraded, particularly on degraded, particularly on marginal land earmarked marginal land earmarked for forestryfor forestry

InfrastructureInfrastructure

CCF compared with plantations CCF compared with plantations

regarding sites conditionsregarding sites conditions Plantation forestry changes the Plantation forestry changes the

constraining site conditions through constraining site conditions through drainage, fertilizer and further inputsdrainage, fertilizer and further inputs

CCF forestry uses mainly native CCF forestry uses mainly native species adapted to site conditions to species adapted to site conditions to improve them over time and improve them over time and increase stabilityincrease stability

Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Conversion to CCF Conversion to CCF

costs money, but costs money, but not converting not converting may be more may be more costly in the long costly in the long termterm

Once converted Once converted the economic the economic argument for CCF argument for CCF are strongare strong

v. Gilsa H and Moosmayer M, Wiederbewaldung nach “Lothar”, AFZ/Der Wald 16/2002

DM Millions

10 Years of Forest conversion in SachsenBy Dietrich Butter, AFZ-Der Wald 19/2001

The cost of controlling our

populations of forest damaging fauna

Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Continuity of timber supply is Continuity of timber supply is

necessary to be economically viablenecessary to be economically viable The volume required to achieve an The volume required to achieve an

economically viable supply is smaller economically viable supply is smaller with increased quality and cost with increased quality and cost effectivenesseffectiveness

Economic EnvironmentEconomic Environment Plantation forestry Plantation forestry

vs.vs.

Build factoryBuild factoryWhich both produces Which both produces

the tree and is the the tree and is the plantation itselfplantation itself

Sell the factory and Sell the factory and start building from start building from scratchscratch

CCFCCF

Build factoryBuild factoryRegularly sell a Regularly sell a

sustainable volume of sustainable volume of treestrees

Improve and maintain Improve and maintain factory to reduce factory to reduce costs of producing costs of producing trees in the futuretrees in the future

So why haven’t we done So why haven’t we done this?this?

Initial return on investment is delayed with CCFInitial return on investment is delayed with CCF Part of this initial investment remains Part of this initial investment remains

committedcommitted Plantations of hardy conifers grew where Plantations of hardy conifers grew where

natives performed badlynatives performed badly This was mistaken as a vindication that This was mistaken as a vindication that such such hardy species were better in all hardy species were better in all circumstancescircumstances Native species are seen as necessary to Native species are seen as necessary to fulfil fulfil social/environmental commitment, but not social/environmental commitment, but not commercially relevantcommercially relevant

Social EnvironmentSocial Environment Limited tradition of long-term forestry Limited tradition of long-term forestry

managementmanagement Our relationship as a society with Our relationship as a society with

forestry has been relatively poor forestry has been relatively poor The general publics understanding of the The general publics understanding of the

multi-functionality of forests and their multi-functionality of forests and their acceptance of the need to utilize land acceptance of the need to utilize land resources is poorresources is poor

Information ResourcesInformation Resources PerceptionPerception

Inventory data, mappingInventory data, mapping LearningLearning

Research results, field tripsResearch results, field trips Anticipation Anticipation

model analysismodel analysisGäfgen, 1968

Potential Natural VegetationPotential Natural Vegetation

The state which would develop if The state which would develop if people’s influence were completely people’s influence were completely and permanently removed. And the and permanently removed. And the resulting succession were finished in resulting succession were finished in a single instant a single instant (Peterken, 1996, Natural Woodland, Cambridge (Peterken, 1996, Natural Woodland, Cambridge University Press)University Press)

Potential Natural VegetationPotential Natural Vegetation Highly modified Highly modified

vegetationvegetation Highly modified Highly modified

site conditionssite conditions

Future-naturalness Future-naturalness more relevantmore relevant

ResearchResearch Experimental plotsExperimental plots

e.g. Ted Horgan's e.g. Ted Horgan's work with Coillte at work with Coillte at Balleyhooley WoodBalleyhooley Wood

Information ExchangeInformation Exchange

FieldtripFieldtrip SeminarsSeminars Literature studyLiterature study

Tradition & Expertise BaseTradition & Expertise Base Lack of experience Lack of experience

with CCF and forest with CCF and forest management in management in generalgeneral

Relatively limited Relatively limited forestry tradition; a forestry tradition; a tradition which tradition which would help us to would help us to appreciate the appreciate the longer term nature longer term nature of forestryof forestry

RecommendationRecommendation

To manage the existing plantations To manage the existing plantations as a stage in the succession to as a stage in the succession to forests under Continuous Cover forests under Continuous Cover Forestry with species that often Forestry with species that often require the pioneer function of such require the pioneer function of such plantations, but plantations, but out-performout-perform them them once establishedonce established

ConclusionConclusion Plantations are effective to establish Plantations are effective to establish

forests, but once established, CCF forests, but once established, CCF management is more resilient to the management is more resilient to the constraints facing forestry and constraints facing forestry and foresters in generalforesters in general

It is a lack of experience and It is a lack of experience and confidence in CCF that is a greater confidence in CCF that is a greater constraint to it’s acceptance than the constraint to it’s acceptance than the physical and economic environmentphysical and economic environment

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