Silvicultural models
Data has been gathered from existing projects in The Netherlands, France and Germany and combined with a literature study, to form three models. These silvicultural models have been developed for production purposes under Western European forest conditions and can be used as a basis for a management plan. The following models give an overview of how the desired wood quality can be reached under different management systems.
Plantation model
* Use top quality plant material between 150 - 250 cm;
* Plant a density between 300 - 600 trees/ha;
* Remove weeds during the first years;
* Prune every branch that is thicker than two cm every two years, from four years old onward, until the trunk is five - six m high;
* Thin every four years for an optimal crown and diameter development once the stand is 15 - 20 years old.
* Harvest the stand once the trees have reached the minimum diameter and a density of 80 - 130 trees/ha. The diameter can be reached within 50 - 60 years.
Multiple purpose forest model
The goal of this forest model is to create, more or less, a natural forest environment, in which there is a possibility to mix with other species such as Fraxinus sp., Acer sp., Alnus sp., Quercus rubra, and Larix sp. They can be planted in small groups.
* Use plant material between 80 - 100 cm;
* Plant a density between 4000 - 5000 trees/ha;
* Remove weeds during the first years;
* Thin after 7, 12 and 16 years so that undesirable trees are removed
* Select 250 - 350 future trees after 20 years;
* Prune future trees up to five - six metres to give a branch free trunk;
* Thin every four - five years in order to encourage an optimal crown and diameter development
* Harvest when the minimum diameter is reached, normally after 60 - 75 years at a stand density of 80 - 130 trees/ha.
Native cherry: 8 years old production forest in North France
Conversion forest model
A new image can be created in an old forest by planting native cherry in groups with a minimum radius of 50 m. This can increase the ecological, recreational and landscape value of the forest. Although the silvicultural treatment is the same as the mutiple purpose forest, a longer rotation of 70 - 80 years is necessary because of the competition from the surrounding trees. Oak forests (50 - 60 years old) are especially suitable for an understorey of cherry as the native cherry can help prevent epidormic branches on the oak and is still capable of producing quality wood.
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