Search

The study is focused on the distribution of the critically endangered Lopinga achine in the Hlučín region, near the border to Poland. Lopinga achine has been considered extinct there since the early 1970s. The paper provides data on the current distribution at several new localities in the vicinity of Vřesina near Opava, Píšt, Hať and Děhylov (Silesia). The population of L. achine is not abundant in the Hlučín region. Host plant of the larvae is the sedge Carex brizoides, which makes it different from most other European populations. Currently, two isolated populations of L. achine survive in the Czech Republic (i.e. populations in Silesia and southeastern Moravia). Both the populations are threatened with extinction due to changes in forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests as a part of landscape do not fulfil their economic function (timber production) only but a lot of other non-economic functions, especially ecological ones. Both economic and non-economic functions are indisputable and equally important for society. The aim of this paper is to identify current attitudes to forest perceptions by citizens in the Czech Republic. Primary data were obtained by means of a questionnaire research survey which was carried out in 2018. Altogether 824 respondents took part in this survey (n = 824). From the results follows that approximately 70% of respondents visit forest at least three times a month. In connection with this, the relationship between respondents' forest visit frequency and the forest density in the region where they come from was con- firmed. 60% of respondents consider the forest exploitation and forest management to be the most important cause of damage and threats to forest. In relation to forest, 46% of respondents consider forest conservation and protection to be the most important topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change on forest ecosystems may manifest itself by a shift in forest vegetation zones in the landscape northward and into higher elevations. Studies of climate change-induced vegetation zone shifts in forest ecosystems have been relatively rare in the context of European temperate zone (apart from Alpine regions). The presented paper outlines the results of a biogeographic model of climatic conditions in forest vegetation zones applied in the Central European landscape. The objective of the study is a prediction of future silvicultural conditions for the Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.), which is one of the principal tree species within European forests. The model is based on a general environmental dependence of forest vegetation zones on the long-term effect of altitudinal and exposure climates defined by the mean and extreme air temperatures and the amount and distribution of atmospheric precipitation. The climatological data for the model were provided by a validated regional climate database for 2010 – 2090 according to the SRES A1B scenario, bound to specific geo-referenced points in the landscape. The geobiocoenological data in the model were provided by the Biogeography Register database which contains ecological data on the landscape bound to individual cadastres of the entire Czech Republic. The biogeographic model applies special programs (the FORTRAN programming language) in the environment of geographic information systems. The model outputs can be clearly graphically visualized as scenarios of predicted future climatic conditions of landscape vegetation zones. Modelling of the regional scenario of changes in the climatic conditions of forest vegetation zones reveals that in the prediction period of 2070 and beyond, good and very good climatic conditions for the cultivation of forests with dominant Norway spruce will be found only in some parts of its today's native range in forest vegetation zones 5 – 8. Based on the results provided by the regional scenario, the authors of this paper recommend fundamental reassessment of the national strategy of sustainable forest management in the Czech Republic, stipulating that the current practice of spruce cultivation be reduced only to areas specifically defined by the biogeographic model. The paper shows that biogeographic models based on the concept of vegetation zoning can be applied not only in regional scenarios of climate change in the landscape but also as support tools for the creation of strategies of sustainable forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coppicing is a form of forest management in European broadleaved forests. While it is still practised in south-eastern Europe, in central and western Europe it was almost completely replaced by high forest management. Currently, there are increasing efforts to reintroduce coppice management into former coppice woods. However, little comprehensive knowledge is available about the extent and management of coppice reintroduction and the processes governing it. In this paper, we present an overview of localities in the Czech Republic where coppice reintroduction was taking place in 2020. We identified 8 localities and conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with experts involved in their management in order to understand what motivated them to restart coppicing and what obstacles they have had to face. The main motivation of site managers is nature conservation, while the most important obstacles are operational issues, such as bureaucracy, complicated land ownership and legal responsibilities or lack of workforce. Other motivating factors identified in other European countries (production of a renewable energy source and potential for rural employment) have so far played a minor role in the Czech Republic. We conclude that a major challenge for future forest policies will be to utilise the economic experiences of regions with active coppicing to foster the spread of coppice woods in order to combine renewable energy production with biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, due to the calamity of unplanned harvesting, the amount of biomass from wood products has increased. Forests occupy 33.7% of the total area of the Czech Republic; therefore, wood and non-wood forest products are important renewables for the country. Wood biomass consists mainly of branches and bark that are not used in the wood or furniture industry. However, it can be used in bioenergy, including wood processing for fuel. As spruce production in the Czech Republic increased from the planned 15.5 million to almost 36.8 million trees in 2020, the price of wood biomass can be expected to be affected. This study aims to develop a predictive model for estimating the decline in the price of wood biomass for wood processors, such as firewood or sawdust producers, as well as for the paper industry. Wood biomass prices are falling with each additional million m3 of spruce wood harvested, as is the decline in wood pulp, which is intended for the paper and packaging industries. The proposed predictive model based on linear regressions should determine how the price of wood biomass will decrease with each additional million harvested spruce trees in the Czech Republic. This tool will be used for practical use in the forestry and wood industry. The linear regression model is suitable for practical forestry use due to its simplicity and high informative value. The aim of the research is to model the dependence of the prices of firewood in the form of wood briquettes and pellets for domestic and industrial processing, as well as the prices of wood pulp on the volume of unplanned logging. It is a guide for the practice of how to use excess spruce wood from unplanned mining in the field of alternative processing with a sustainable aspect for households or heat production for households. The intention is to carry out modelling in such a way that it does not include prices of higher quality wood assortments, which are intended for the woodworking industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As ongoing research efforts contribute to elucidating the consequences of climate change as well as adaptation and mitigation options, aligning the current research knowledge with stakeholder opinions and perceptions remains critical for adopting effective climate change policies. This paper utilizes an interactive survey to (1) address the aforementioned gap in studies involving three groups of stakeholders and opinion makers and (2) perform a comparative primary study of the climate change assumptions, risk perceptions, policy preferences, observations, and knowledge of Czech farmers, governmental policy-makers and researchers. This study shows that the stakeholder groups agree that the climate is clearly changing, attribute this change mostly to man-made causes and expect the negative effects to either prevail or be unevenly geographically distributed. The large majority of all three groups consider unmitigated climate change a major threat even by 2050 and agree that preparing in advance is the best sectoral strategy. Importantly, while investment in adaptation measures is considered the most efficient tool for accelerating the implementation of adaptation measures, the CAP and EU rules (as valid in 2016) are believed to hinder such measures. The results of this study have ramifications for the wider region of Central Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of the article is to describe the issue of determining the characteristics and parameters of raw timber natural losses due to shrinkage at long-term storage, defining the theoretical basis for creating standards, and verify its finding by means of a case study in raw timber storing. This issue is very topical in forestry practice in the Czech Republic as well as in other countries. The lower and upper limits of the standards were calculated, and the proposed mean value was grouped according to woody plants that reflected the most frequent commercial usage with respect to subsequent processing. Subsequently, experimental verification was carried out on a representative sample of 2 209.99 m3 of raw timber of Norway spruce (Picea abies/L./H. Karst.) at selected forest administrations. Furthermore, the article addresses the related accounting and tax issues of the standards of natural losses of raw timber. Currently, no legislation mandates an entity to establish standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the development possibilities of the venison market in the Czech Republic. The main factors affecting the primary game market were investigated, both production limitations on the side of the hunters and on the side of the game production purchase prices. These factors were analysed in the context of the consumer prices of general meat production and the purchase prices of common meat (beef, pork). Furthermore, the size of the total game market was estimated, taking into account the export and import of this commodity. The potential venison market size for the Czech Republic was also established in the study. The gap between the development of the market consumer prices and purchase prices of the venison was analysed. The conducted research further revealed that the respondents do not perceive a relationship between the production of venison and the protection of forest ecosystems. With few exceptions, they do not realise that by buying and consuming venison, they can contribute to the support of forestry. Furthermore, the perception of the role of the forest environment in relation to game meat by the public does not correspond to the need to regulate the game density to limit damage to forest stands. The results of this research are recommendations which mainly consist in expanding the offer of the primary production to products significantly closer to the consumer market (moving from a producer market to a consumer market), and the implementation of activation campaigns (tastings, presentations of opinion makers). At the same time, our work revealed the need for further development, and by increasing the value for the customer who, with the appropriate marketing strategy, can perceive this product as a premium organic food through which they contribute to sustainable forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exact determination of the rotation period is still a current and important essential issue of forestry. It attracts the attention of forest economists, managers and owners worldwide, not only of forest economists but also of forest managers. The rotation period is defined by physical, technical or financial parameters of forest management. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between the biological and the economic optimal rotation period. A fundamental challenge in forest management is the need for appropriate determination of the rotation period. The primary interest of our research was to compare the effective legislation for the determination of the rotation period in the Czech Republic and in the Slovak Republic. Scientific methods such as document analysis and questionnaire survey were applied. The results of the legislation analysis and other related documents were compared with the expert opinions of the relevant stakeholders. Those who affect the decision process related to the problem and those where are "affected" by the problem were involved in the study. Results show that respondents do not agree with the regulation of rotation period according to effective law. Moreover, they consider it as not usable as the conditions in forest ecosystems have changed recently, which is not considered in the legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Norway spruce dominates mountain forests in Europe. Natural variations in the mountainous coniferous forests are strongly influenced by all the main components of forest and landscape dynamics: species diversity, the structure of forest stands, nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and other ecosystem services. This paper deals with an empirical windthrow risk model based on the integration of logistic regression into GIS to assess forest vulnerability to wind-disturbance in the mountain spruce forests of Šumava National Park (Czech Republic). It is an area where forest management has been the focus of international discussions by conservationists, forest managers, and stakeholders. The authors developed the empirical windthrow risk model, which involves designing an optimized data structure containing dependent and independent variables entering logistic regression. The results from the model, visualized in the form of map outputs, outline the probability of risk to forest stands from wind in the examined territory of the national park. Such an application of the empirical windthrow risk model could be used as a decision support tool for the mountain spruce forests in a study area. Future development of these models could be useful for other protected European mountain forests dominated by Norway spruce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bohemian Forest represents the most extensive continuous forest landscape in central Europe. Two neighbouring national parks (NP), the Bavarian Forest NP in Germany and the Šumava NP in Czechia, protecting the most valuable part of this area have been recognized as an important site for monitoring of effect of climate change on central European biodiversity and ecosystem structure. For long time, a hydrological monitoring program in the Große Ohe headwater catchment and complex monitoring of glacial lakes recently recovering from acidification were flagships of long-term transboundary research in the Bohemian Forest. Recently published results of biodiversity research in the Bavarian Forest NP and experiences with monitoring of mires in the Šumava NP supported a necessity of multidisciplinary and transboundary research. To improve the cooperation of both national parks, optimize methodologies, and coordinate research activities in the region a new Interreg project No. 26 "Silva Gabreta Monitoring - Implementation of transboundary monitoring of biodiversity and water regime" was jointly prepared. The aims and monitoring methodologies of three main project activities are presented in this paper: (i) monitoring of forest biodiversity, (ii) monitoring of mires, and (iii) monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. In addition, we briefly present several supplementary project activities and tasks, such as modelling of mesoclimatic conditions, monitoring of effect of deicing salt, project conference and common database. As well as sampling design, methods and strategies, and brief overview of the preliminary results are mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We analyze the forest carbon stock development following the recent historically unprecedented dieback of coniferous stands in the Czech Republic. The drought-induced bark-beetle infestation resulted in record-high sanitary logging and total harvest more than doubled from the previous period. It turned Czech forestry from a long-term carbon sink offsetting about 6% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 to a significant source of CO2 emissions in recent years (2018–2021). In 2020, the forestry sector contributed nearly 10% to the country's overall GHG emissions. Using the nationally calibrated Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS3) at a regional (NUTS3) spatial resolution, we analyzed four scenarios of forest carbon stock development until 2070. Two critical points arise: the short-term prognosis for reducing current emissions from forestry and the implementation of adaptive forest management focused on tree species change and sustained carbon accumulation. Results: This study used four different spruce forest dieback scenarios to assess the impact of adaptive forest management on the forest carbon stock change and CO2 emissions, tree species composition, harvest possibilities, and forest structure in response to the recent unprecedented calamitous dieback in the Czech Republic. The model analysis indicates that Czech forestry may stabilize by 2025 Subsequently, it may become a sustained sink of about 3 Mt CO2 eq./year (excluding the contribution of harvested wood products), while enhancing forest resilience by the gradual implementation of adaptation measures. The speed of adaptation is linked to harvest intensity and severity of the current calamity. Under the pessimistic Black scenario, the proportion of spruce stands declines from the current 43–20% by 2070, in favor of more suited tree species such as fir and broadleaves. These species would also constitute over 50% of the harvest potential, increasingly contributing to harvest levels like those generated by Czech forestry prior to the current calamity. The standing stock would only be recovered in 50 years under the optimistic Green scenario. Conclusion: The results show progress of adaptive management by implementing tree species change and quantify the expected harvest and mitigation potential in Czech forestry until 2070. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forestry Journal (03231046) is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The achievement of sustainable forest management requires the incorporation of ongoing environmental changes into long-term planning. Moreover, in time of climatic change and changing company demands, importance of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is still increasing at the expense of other tree species due to its low ecological requirements. The aim of the study was to compare the structure and production of Scots pine stands managed under different silvicultural systems on four research plots, assess the structural and diversity indices, and analyse the increment structure using tree-ring dating in the Czech Republic and Spain. Area of study was Western Bohemian and Guadarrama Mountain range in Central Spain. The results indicate that stand volume on the investigated plots ranged from 231 to 441 m3·ha-1 with tree density 276-996 trees·ha-1. Intensively managed (uneven-aged) permanent research plots showed increased growth on basal area. The difference was evident also for older trees. The transition to uneven-aged forest does not negatively influence stocking and wood production and provide higher benefits for diversity and structural complexity in comparison to regular stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union's current pressure on the Member States to adopt both the Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package is leading to an accelerated drive to put in place measures to meet the 2030 climate targets. At the same time, many discussions at the international bilateral meetings of EU country representatives raise the question of the realism of setting climate targets, and therefore, the ability to meet these commitments. The results elaborated in this analytical study offer a realistic picture of the possibilities of meeting strategic climate targets using the example of the use of forest dendromass. The data assess the possibility of achieving a 22% share of renewable energy sources (RES) in gross final energy consumption by 2030 in the Czech Republic. The study points out that at present, the use of forest dendromass from primary production is at its maximum and meeting the climate targets for increasing the share of RES in the energy mix represents a major problem in the long term. The findings published in this study also point to the objective threat of the increased use of dendromass in the energy sector to the maintenance of sustainable forest management and the preservation of forest quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas serve as stepping stones for the preservation of biodiversity, and can provide economic and social benefits to communities. National parks aim to limit human intervention to safeguard natural communities and processes. This study analyzes the impacts of transforming the Křivoklátsko Protected Landscape Area into the proposed Křivoklátsko National Park in the Czech Republic, which is a program promoted by political parties. Using the quintuple helix model, it assesses the change from a sustainable development perspective. The analysis considers economic, social, and environmental aspects, including the impact on the local inhabitants, the economy, forestry, business activities, and regional development. The existing management in the Křivoklátsko region exemplifies sustainable multifunctional forest management. Based on the evaluation, the study finds insufficient arguments for declaring the Křivoklátsko National Park. The study emphasizes the need to balance the social demand for nature protection with the awareness of existing measures and specific area conditions. Nature protection should integrate itself into all human activities within the culturally and historically created landscape, rather than solely pursuing political goals. Participatory forestry management plays a crucial role in landscape transformation. The study highlights the importance of sustainable landscape development and the interactions between the university, government, industry, and civil sector actors with the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phone data were used to examine the differences in the number and structure of visitors to the Forest Promotion Complex Sudety Zachodnie in 2019 (pre-pandemic year) and 2020 (pandemic year). The studies not only compared the total number of visitors in each year, but also distinguished four pandemic and restriction periods. This allowed us to capture the dynamics of the impact of the pandemic on visits to forest areas. The results show that although the total number of visitors increased in 2020 compared to 2019, different trends were observed in each pandemic period. In general, the number of visitors to forest areas decreased during the first lockdown, as well as during the ban on entering green areas and forests. However, during the easing of restrictions and the second lockdown in the fall of 2020, there was an increase in visitor numbers. The article also shows the evolution of visitor numbers at a very detailed level of a grid of 750 × 750 m. During the pandemic, the structure of visitors also changed taking into account the place of residence. Local tourism was more important than national tourism. A significant decrease in the number of visitors from abroad was also observed, which is a consequence of the introduced restrictions on travel between countries. The methodology presented in this article can be used not only to study the impact of the pandemic on visits in forest, but also to manage forest areas with a view to adapting forest management to the needs of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic instruments are political tools created to promote environmental stewardship by influencing consumption and production patterns, fostering technological innovation, and improving the environment; however, if current failures in their formulation or implementation persist, they can negatively impact the environment and society. This research aims to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of economic instruments by extracting these aspects from the forest policy documents of the EU, Austria, and the Czech Republic using the qualitative content analysis method. It has been found that the EU channels its resources from economic instruments through various financing programs that make distribution more effective and align with the environmental objectives of the EU. Additionally, the SWOT analysis indicates that the economic instruments applied in the EU present significant differences in the application and management of forests and the performance of the financial instruments according to the national strategies and action plans used. These identified challenges, limitations, and improvement areas allow for generating suggestions that policymakers can apply concerning the use, implementation, dissemination, and access processes of financing mechanisms for sustainable forest management in the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to traditional forest management, the primary goal of which is the production of raw wood material, commercial forest stands are characterized by low biodiversity. At the same time, commercial forests make up the majority of forests in the Central European region, which means a significant impact on the biodiversity of the entire large region. Saproxylic species of organisms are a frequently used criterion of biodiversity in forests. Based upon the analysis of 155 scientific works, this paper defines the fundamental attributes of the active management supporting biodiversity as well as the preservation of the production function. Using these attributes, a model management proposal was created for three tree species, which takes into account the results of research carried out in the territory of the University Forest Enterprise of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, since 2019. The optimum constant volume of deadwood in commercial stands was set at 40–60 m3/ha, 20% of which should be standing deadwood. The time framework is scheduled for an average rotation period of the model tree species, while the location of deadwood and frequency of enrichment must comply with the rate of decomposition, the requirement for the bulkiest dimensions of deadwood possible, and the planned time of tending and regeneration operations in accordance with the models used in the Czech Republic. The goal of active management is to maintain the continuity of suitable habitats for sensitive and endangered species. The estimates of the value of retained wood for decomposition can be as high as 45–70 EUR/ha/year for spruce and beech, and about 30 EUR /ha/year for oak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the possibility of harmonising the needs of society and the possibilities of the forest property manager. The Municipal forest enterprise of the city of Hradec Králové (MLHK) in the Czech Republic (CZ) is an example of this principle, which proves that the intensive development of a recreational service is possible without limiting this principle. The forest enterprise manages 3707 ha of forest in the immediate vicinity of the city with 92,000 inhabitants. The forest enterprise pays the city rent and makes a profit. The data were obtained by analysing the economic data of the surveyed company, the annual observation of the forest attendance, the surveys of the characteristics of the forest visitors and the surveys of selected 16 companies (from seven countries) managing the forests of some European cities. The main results concerning MLHK are as follows: the share of recreational service costs in the total costs of the forestry activities is 19.7%. The recreational services of the forest are financed from 71.5% from revenues from the sale of raw wood, 17.5% from revenues from the sale of sand from its own quarry, 3.9% from revenues from the recreational services and 7.1% from subsidies. The operation of the gravel quarry contributes to the economic result of the forest enterprise roughly by an amount corresponding to the costs of the recreational services. An average annual forest attendance is 243 people/ha. The inhabitants of the city account for 61.5% of the visitors, 20.4% of the visitors live within a distance of up to 30 km, and 18.1% of the visitors live at a distance of more than 30 km. The main results of the survey among the forest enterprises managing the forests of the selected European cities are as follows: the share of costs for the recreational services in the total costs of the forestry activities is 21–72% for cities with a population of over 100,000, and 3–14% for cities with less than 100,000 inhabitants. As a source of financing recreational services, the forest enterprises from mentioned cities with over 100,000 inhabitants, the money especially came from the city budget (70–100%). Forest enterprises from cities under 100,000 inhabitants stated that they fund a recreational service with 95–100% of the revenues from the sale of raw wood. Data on the MLHK show that it is possible to finance a recreational forest service from its own resources if this is the owner's priority. However, this only applies under certain conditions, such as that, in addition to the income from forest management, there are other sources of income (in this case, sand mining or subsidies from public programmes). If the forest owner did not have these resources, they would have to pay for the recreational service from their own other resources (e.g., from the city budget). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.), blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.) and cowberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) are the most important forest berries collected in the Czech Republic (CZ). The average annual value of these collected berry species is estimated to be worth more than EUR 86 million at 2018 prices. The data concerning the collection and use of forest fruits have been systematically collected in a highly detailed structure since 2008, which enables the application of the advanced statistical methods used in this paper. The results of the analyses inter alia demonstrate that collecting forest berries is not only an important recreational activity, but it has an important economic effect. Therefore, this article also deals with the collection of forest fruits, especially bilberries, as a potentially important non-wood forest product (NWFP) for sustainable forest management and also analyses the external factors influencing the total annual amount of collected forest berries. A deeper knowledge of the customer and his or her behaviour—customer insight—are prerequisites for the proactive management of forest ecosystems. The first step to "berry picker insight" is to learn more about the demand, its structure and factors which influence this demand. Thus, one of the research questions concentrates on the analysis of the sociodemographic characteristics of the berry picker that are relevant for explaining the amount of collected forest berries in the Czech Republic. Knowledge of these factors can contribute to a more effective application of marketing methods for shaping and influencing the demand so that, in terms of time and place, it is more in line with the supply, which is limited by the natural conditions, growing season and production potential of forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visibility analyses in geographical information systems (GIS) are used to quantify the visible and non-visible parts of the landscape. This study aims to evaluate the changes in viewshed outputs after the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data refinement for the near surroundings of the observer. This research accounts for the influence of data age, mainly due to vegetation growth, and the impact of the input data quality on the final study output. The raw data that were used for UAV refinement were publicly available data (one dataset at the global level, two datasets at the national level of the Czech Republic) and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. Three localities were selected in order to compare the viewshed evaluation that was processed over ten raster elevation models. The comparison was performed using the kappa coefficient, which considers not only the matching visible pixels, but also false visibility and invisibility. Over the span of five years (2013–2018), the visible area at two sites has decreased by more than 7%. Although with some variations (kappa coefficient varied from 0.02 to 0.92), all the study sites showed a decreasing trend of the visible area with the data aging, which was caused by the vegetation growth or landscape changes. The results showed the effect of data aging in forested areas on the resulting visibility within a couple of years. At all the sites, major changes in visibility were observed after three years (2021 vs. 2018) due to vegetation growth, forest management, and natural phenomena, such as windfalls. This study concludes that UAV data will increase the accuracy of visibility analysis, even when using freely available low-resolution data, and may also help us to update obsolete input data. The results of this research can be used to refine visibility analysis when current digital surface model (DSM) data is not available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cordulegaster heros is included in the EN category on the IUCN Red List for the territory of the Czech Republic, where it inhabits an area of approximately 100 km2. All of the localities are located in the forest complex in Chřiby hills, and all of the forests fall into the category of management forests. Most of the forest stands have a high and very high degree of naturalness; they are natural forest stands. The predominant management units are Nutrient sites in middle elevations (78.2% of the area) and Oligotrophic sites in middle elevations (2.1% of the area), with stand types of Fagus sylvatica representing 92.5% of the area, and forest stand types of Quercus sp. representing 5.7% of the area. The wider alluvia in forest streams are classified as being in management unit alder and ash sites on waterlogged and floodplain soils (1.1%), with the forest stand type of Alnus glutinosa. The forest stands are restored by regeneration under shelterwood (97.8% of the area). The waterlogged alluvia, if a separate management unit is established for them, are restored by a regeneration by strip method. Realistically, seven factors were recorded in C. heros habitats, but they mostly have only point effects. Within forestry management, the factors of logging directly in the habitats and the subsequent transport of harvested timber in the habitat were recorded. The most intrusive effects were found on tractor logging roads, where fine soil washes into the stream and causes prolonged turbidity. Of the water management structures in the study area, logging roads with bridges and culverts are constructed, stream banks are reinforced with longitudinal walls at points, and stone steps in the channels are constructed only sporadically. The current forest management system can be described as a nature-friendly system, and therefore, it fully ensures the conditions for the survival of the C. heros population in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the non-growing season, beavers fell woody plants that they primarily use as a food source. It is well known that parameters such as woody plant availability, trunk diameter, and distance of woody plants from water influence food selection. Less information is available on the felling of specific species in different stand types where different forest management takes place. This makes the beaver a conflict species that causes damage to commercial forests, and information on foraging behavior in relation to environmental factors is very important. Especially as beaver populations continue to increase. In the three types of forest stands (monoculture, mixed forest, and natural forest), species selection, the intensity of felling, the distance of felled woody plants, and trunk diameter vary. The beaver, which generally prefers non-commercial tree species (willow, poplar, etc.), also adapts to and uses commercial oaks in commercial forests. These are most preferred at stand ages up to twenty years, i.e., smaller diameters but greater stand densities. The results suggest that by using knowledge of foraging behavior, economically profitable species can be protected by encouraging the non-commercial species most preferred by beaver (predominantly willow) near the shoreline. In addition, the natural tree composition around rivers or lakes will be promoted. Native ecosystems have been transformed by humans into cultural landscapes, resulting in the disruption of natural interactions, with some species unable to adapt and disappearing from such landscapes. Other species were able to adapt their behavior to current environmental conditions. In some places, forest management has gradually transformed native diversified forests into stands converted for the greatest profit in the wood matter, thereby affecting the food availability for herbivores, among them the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber Linnaeus, 1758). This study summarizes knowledge on non-vegetation diet selection by beavers in commercial and natural forests in the Czech Republic. A sample size of 25,723 woody plant specimens checked in 288 forest stands showed that beavers prefer willow, poplar, or hazel, but where these are less available, commercial tree species such as oak may dominate the diet and cause economic losses in forestry. Significant differences were also observed in a preference for different trunk diameters and distances from water in different types of stands. In terms of stand types, commercial monocultures are the most felled, while the probability of felling decreases with the age of stands. Based on these results and discussion, it is suggested that commercial forest stands including economically valuable woody plant species (e.g., oak, ash) could be protected through appropriate management measures, such as increasing the proportion of deciduous softwood stands along the riverbanks, which would distract the beavers from commercial woody plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem services are investigated from many perspectives, but there are very few studies comparing the perception of forest and demand for forest ecosystem services (FES) in a cross-cultural analysis. This study aims to map the demand for FES and find out the forest perception of forest visitors in both Czech and Chinese societies. Data were collected by structured questionnaire among three different groups of respondents (n = 847) in six forest areas. The questions were focused on the demand for FES, expectations from the forest, preference for the visual form of the forest, and the willingness of forest visitors. Analysis demonstrates that the demand for some FES is related to geographical and cultural conditions. The results indicated that provisioning and regulation services are perceived as more important than cultural services. The differences by country were obvious in the cultural and provisioning services: Chinese demand more relaxing and meditation activities, whereas Czech demand mushroom picking. A significant outcome is a high demand of Chinese respondents for recreational facilities. Tree planting was rated as one of the most popular voluntary activity across the whole sample. Meanwhile, some findings point to an increasing pressure on forest ecosystems and their protection, which emerge due to the strong demand for recreational facilities. According to the findings, active involvement of forest visitors in various activities is recommended so that their appreciation of FES will constantly increase and to take into account the profile of visitors and incorporate them in forest management and planning in order to meet societal demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afforestation has been a popular restoration procedure for spoil heaps in the sites affected by coal open-cast mining in the Czech Republic. Forest replantation is a frequent restoration variant when spoil heaps are recovered, but unreclaimed sites are often left to spontaneous succession. Studies on the dynamics of such restored forests are missing, and the evidence of restored forests with respect to their recreation value is also sporadic. To study the dynamics and management of restored forests—both replanted and recovered by spontaneous succession—on spoil heaps, we used a matrix growth model, which accounts for harvest, artificial and natural regeneration, and recreation value of these forest stands. The model calibration was performed on data from 250 inventory plots distributed across the Velká Podkrušnohorská spoil heap and the Matyáš spoil heap in the Sokolov brown-coal mining area. The growth model was applied on six restored forest types to simulate—over 65 years with a 10-year cutting cycle—the effect of various management regimes of thinning on their recreation value and aboveground biomass (AGB). The results indicate that initial planting density and stand type have an effect on the dynamics of restored forest stands in the short-term horizon. Applying the thinning management resulted in an increase in recreation value for all types of restored stands, while AGB decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive forest and agroforestry management has greatly reduced the biodiversity of saproxylic organisms. Large trees are one of the most important refuges of saproxylic beetles. These large trees that grow outside and inside the forest are declining in the wider landscape. Heritage trees are one of the essential groups of beneficial trees in the landscape. We investigated saproxylic beetles associated with 35 selected oak heritage trees in Litovelské Pomoraví in the eastern Czech Republic. The study aimed to investigate the distribution of saproxylic beetles on trees growing inside or at the edge of forest stands, or on free-growing heritage trees. The other studied variables were the height, DBH, and light condition (sunny or shady) of heritage trees. The results showed that sunny habitats were the only significant factor found for all saproxylic species. However, the significance of increasing tree trunk dimension was found for the endangered species. Diversity indices q = 0 (species richness) and q = 1 (exponential of Shannon entropy index) were also higher for sunny trees, while solitary trees showed a high Shannon index value despite the low number of samples. Redundancy analysis of saproxylic species showed that the preferred habitats of most species were sunny massive solitary oaks. The results indicated that strictly protected heritage trees scattered in the landscape are crucial sanctuaries for many species—especially in landscapes where there are not enough suitable habitats for saproxylic beetles. Finding, conserving, and protecting these rare types of massive trees in the landscape has a significant impact on the conservation of saproxylic beetle biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluctuations in forest soil properties were described using a time series analysis of the clay content, the chemical (CaO, MgO, Corg, and Ntot) and physicochemical (pH and base saturation (BS)) soil parameters from 1953 to 2008. The analysis involved the dominant acidic, nutrient-rich, and waterlogged forest ecosystems on the territory of the Bohemian Massif and the Outer Western Carpathians (Czech Republic). Trends in the development of the time series of soil properties were optimized by Gauss-Newton's transformation of the exponential combination of the cyclometric function and Euler's number. Identical functions of regression equations on the fluctuations of nutrients, pH, BS, and Corg indicated parallel trends of soil development in different forest ecosystems. Equations representing identical, predictable patterns in Corg fluctuation indicated the stability of the trend. Differences in temporal patterns of nutrients, pH, and BS in different forest ecosystems indicated the susceptibility of developmental trends to external factors. Different regression equations of fluctuations of soil clay and Ntot indicated the occurrence of permanent differences during the soil development. During the period of 1953-2008, soil pH, BS, and CaO concentration decreased but the content of Corg and Ntot increased. Regression functions indicate that pH and BS of forest soils in the Czech Republic have temporarily increased and the content of Corg and Ntot have decreased during the period 2009-2014. Continuous increase in BS is only sustainable if concurrent with an increase in Corg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive organisms represent great threats to ecosystems and great challenges to forest management. In Europe, the black timber bark beetle (Xylosandrus germanus) is an invasive secondary pest that mostly attacks the logs of felled trees. We showed the invasion history for Europe and using many local surveys, we summarize the current distribution and other available information on X. germanus in the Czech Republic. We report that this species is distributed from the lowlands to the mountains in the Czech Republic; it is widespread in the eastern half of the country, where it is more abundant in the warmer south and southeast areas than in the cooler areas. Most (78%) of the known localities are at elevation below 400 m a.s.l. Although an ice storm greatly increased X. germanus abundance near the border with Austria, its high abundance did not result in damage to standing trees. Presence of X. germanus in the Czech Republic for over 10 years has not led to heavy tree infestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermittent streams are naturally dominant landscape features of Mediterranean and arid regions, but also occur more and more in humid climates, such as in the Czech Republic. Organism abilities to cope with drying (i.e. resistance forms) have been quantified in naturally intermittent streams from Mediterranean and arid regions, in which long‐term flow intermittence patterns have promoted physiological adaptations. In contrast, the capacity of aquatic communities to persist without requiring resistance adaptations under recent intermittent flow regimes in more humid climates is virtually unexplored, along with its contribution to community recovery upon rewetting.Here, we addressed the ability of aquatic invertebrates devoid of specific desiccation‐resistance forms (e.g. cysts or eggs) to cope with climate change‐induced flow intermittence from rivers in continental climate. Owing to the high relative air humidity, the importance of riparian cover and the short duration of drying events, we expected taxonomically and functionally rich communities to persist in the dry streambed during phases with no surface water and to contribute to community recovery upon flow resumption.To explore these ideas, we collected invertebrate communities in the riverbeds before, during and after drying from 10 intermittent rivers in the Czech Republic. We quantified the pool of organisms remaining alive in the dry riverbeds and determined its taxonomic and functional contribution to the recovery of benthic communities upon rewetting.Of the organisms collected, 83%, belonging to 22 taxa, were able to survive during the dry phase without producing desiccation‐resistance forms. This pool of organisms contributed substantially both taxonomically and functionally to the quick recovery of benthic communities. The exponential decrease in taxonomic and functional richness implies an initial quick loss of sensitive taxa, while a pool of less sensitive taxa persisted long in the dry riverbeds, hence contributing to the fast community recovery upon rewetting.Survival rates of active aquatic macroinvertebrates devoid of specific desiccation‐resistance adaptations have rarely been quantified. Probably promoted by benign environmental conditions prevailing on dry riverbeds in this study, their survival demonstrated the need to protect communities in dry riverbed and their adjacent riparian environments so that assemblages can recover rapidly from short periods without river flow. Riparian forest management along intermittent streams from continental climates could help conserve the value of dry streambeds as a source of resilience for riverine communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A forest management plan based on ecological principles and forest management sustainability was elaborated for the Domogt Sharyn Gol Company, Mongolia. We presented possibility of use of principles and methods traditionally utilized in forest management planning in the Czech Republic. A used methodology was adjusted for the forestry legislature in Mongolia. A stratification of site characteristics and the forest development type concept was used as a framework for assessment of a forest property state via an operational forest inventory. A randomly generalized network of 354 inventory plots on the total area of 3 194 ha with spacing of 300 × 300 m was established for measurements of tree species, natural regeneration and a volume of lying deadwood. We produced a text, table, graph, figure and map material consisted of areal, tree species and wood volume structuring including calculation of decenal logging, thinning treatments, plantation activities and natural regeneration support. This forest management plan provides a feasible perspective not only towards immediate commercial benefits but also towards sustainability of forest yield and other ecological forest functions. This way of management planning is also a save way towards mitigation of current environmental issues in a Mongolian forest landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest ecosystems worldwide are subjected to human-induced stressors, including eutrophication and acidification, and to natural disturbances (for example, insect infestation, windstorms, fires). The occurrence of the later is expected to increase due to the ongoing climate change. These multi-stressor forcings modify ecosystem biogeochemistry, including the retention of limiting nutrients, with implications for terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity. Here we present whole ecosystem nutrient (N, Ca, Mg, K) mass balances in the forested catchment of Plešné Lake, CZ, which has undergone transient changes linked to the recovery from anthropogenic acidification and to the forest disturbances caused by severe infestations by the bark beetle (Ips typographus). Measured fluxes and storage of nutrients in the lake-catchment ecosystem were used to constrain the process-oriented biogeochemical model MAGIC (Model of Acidification of Groundwater In Catchments). Simulated lake water chemistry and changes in soil nutrient pools fitted observed data and revealed that (1) the ecosystem N retention declined, thus nitrate leaching increased for 10 years following the bark beetle disturbance, with transient adverse effects on the acid–base status of lake water, (2) the kinetics of nutrient mineralisation from decaying biomass coupled with nutrient immobilisation in regrowing vegetation constrained the magnitude and duration of ecosystem losses of N, Ca and Mg, (3) the excess of mineralised base cations from decomposing biomass replenished the soil cation exchange matrix, which led to increased soil base saturation, and (4) the improvement of the catchment soil acid–base status led to an increase of lake water pH and acid neutralising capacity. Forested ecosystems underlain by nutrient-poor soils and bedrock are prone to human-induced damages caused by acidification and eutrophication, and any natural disturbance may further lead to nutrient imbalances. We demonstrated that in this natural forest ecosystem protected from human intervention, disturbances together with natural post-disturbance vegetation recovery have temporally positive effects on the nutrient stores in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forests are being increasingly studied within the framework of social sciences, especially in relation to environmental problems and global climate change. This article deals with the perception of Czech forests and their management at two basic levels: at the level of sociological analysis of in-depth interviews with experts in the field of forestry and at the level of public opinion research. The main aim of this study was to describe the attitudes of professionals and the general public towards forests and forestry, especially with regard to climate change. Qualitative analysis of interviews with professionals discerned two main categories of opinion: ecological realism and social constructionism. The results of the study show that the Czech public, in agreement with ecological realists, considers it highly important to preserve and support the non-productive environmental functions of forests. The public also prefers close-to-nature forest management practices. Czech Republic is witnessing a fundamental shift in the mindset about forests. Although the public still expects forests to retain their production function, it perceives their environmental functions as increasingly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used the Gini index for evaluation of the 40-year transformation to selection forests in the Training Forest Enterprise Masaryk Forest Křtiny (Czech Republic). The Gini index values for particular forest stands were compared with the reference values derived from the diameter distribution model curve (type E) by Meyer. From a total of sixteen stands which were evaluated in 2013 (the last periodic inventory), only two stands reached the desired diameter structure. Four other stands reached the desired diameter structure at least once during the transformation period. We recommend the application of Gini index for determination of a success rate of even-aged stand transformation to selection forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forestry Journal (03231046) is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Correct derivation of climatic characteristics of forest vegetation zones is the Achilles heel of Forest site classification in the Czech Republic. A combination of low density of climatic stations, and their unsuitable location (in regard to distribution of forest complexes) make obtaining data problematic. An important contribution to this issue is an application of aladin-climate.cz model materials from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) for the second time period of normal climate years 1961-1990, and the current period from 1991-2009. Calculation of climatic (temperature, precipitation, etc.) fields was conducted on a basis of observation stations. The original station series were subjected to quality control, meaning they were homogenised and supplemented by missing values in measurements. The actual calculation of the technical series is based on the IDW (Inverse Distance Weighting) method; data is used when surrounding stations are first standardised to altitude point, for which we expect a new line, and then calculated a weighted average of new value. The station data were interpolated using the geostatistical linear kriging method. The outputs are the spatial averages for basic climatic zonal forest vegetation level, occurring in the different Natural Forest Areas (NFA). The individual climate parameters of forest vegetation zones were evaluated by regression analysis. The climate-vegetation segments (CVS) of the Czech Republic, which share similar climatic characteristics of the forest vegetation zones (FVZ), were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automatic discrimination of tree species and identification of physiological stress imposed on forest trees by biotic factors from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) offers substantial advantages in forest management practices. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel workflow for facilitating tree species classification and the detection of healthy, unhealthy, and dead trees caused by bark beetle infestation using ultra-high resolution 5-band UAS bi-temporal aerial imagery in the Czech Republic. The study is divided into two steps. We initially classified the tree type, either as broadleaf or conifer, and we then classified trees according to the tree type and health status, and subgroups were created to further classify trees (detailed classification). Photogrammetric processed datasets achieved by the use of structure-from-motion (SfM) imaging technique, where resulting digital terrain models (DTMs), digital surface models (DSMs), and orthophotos with a resolution of 0.05 m were utilized as input for canopy spectral analysis, as well as texture analysis (TA). For the spectral analysis, nine vegetation indices (VIs) were applied to evaluate the amount of vegetation cover change of canopy surface between the two seasons, spring and summer of 2019. Moreover, 13 TA variables, including Mean, Variance, Entropy, Contrast, Heterogeneity, Homogeneity, Angular Second Moment, Correlation, Gray-level Difference Vector (GLDV) Angular Second Moment, GLDV Entropy, GLDV Mean, GLDV Contrast, and Inverse Difference, were estimated for the extraction of canopy surface texture. Further, we used the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to conduct a detailed classification of tree species and health status. Our results highlighted the efficiency of the proposed method for tree species classification with an overall accuracy (OA) of 81.18% (Kappa: 0.70) and health status assessment with an OA of 84.71% (Kappa: 0.66). While SVM proved to be a good classifier, the results also showed that a combination of VI and TA layers increased the OA by 4.24%, providing a new dimension of information derived from UAS platforms. These methods could be used to quickly evaluate large areas that have been impacted by biological disturbance agents for mapping and detection, tree inventory, and evaluating habitat conditions at relatively low costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general objective of the study was to assess the main drivers for visiting the forest and the frequency of the visits in the Czech Republic. A nationwide collection of data of the sociological research as part of The Market & Media & Lifestyle Research Project was carried out every year in the Czech Republic under the licensed cooperation with Kantar Media. The project is unique by the large scope of the questions in the questionnaires and by the high number of respondents. A total of 8794 Czech inhabitants aged 12 years and above from all the regions were involved in the survey in 2018. Information about the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of all the respondents were obtained. In the closed questions, the respondents reported the frequency of the forest visits and its drivers. The main driver for visiting the forest was just to go for a walk or just to enjoy the outdoors, especially during their holidays or weekends, amounting to 79% of the inhabitants. Meditation and relaxation as well as sport in the forest, were also considered as important motives for forest recreation. On the contrary, 95% of the visitors did not practice game hunting, although game has a long tradition in the Czech Republic. Improvement on managing the forest for recreation should focus on participatory forest management to find a consensus between the public and forest stakeholders. Common decisions may help set up forest recreational goals with positive impacts on forest ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the decline in spruce wood prices is a serious problem for the forestry sector in the Czech Republic. We estimate that the fall in wood prices in European markets causes losses not only to the forestry companies producing, harvesting, and processing the wood, but also to the workers in the sector. These losses are mainly caused by a combination of several natural factors: drought, climate change, and the effects of bark beetles. In particular, spruce bark beetles cause the greatest damage. Due to this bark beetle calamity, unplanned logging has increased. In 2019, these damages have culminated. Almost 100 million m3 of wood has been harvested over the last decade due to the bark beetle and more than half of this volume has been mined in the last four years. Therefore, the losses in the forestry sector are around EUR 1.12 billion. The aim of this study is an analysis of the relationship between the volume of incidental logging and the decline in the price of spruce wood. These results show the strong correlation between the measure of unplanned wood harvesting and the decrease in wood prices, as well as an estimate of price development if the upward trend of incidental mining continues. The average price of wood in the Czech Republic could thus reach a historical minimum of EUR 79.39 per m3 of spruce and category SM/JE II (spruce/fir). In addition, the decline in wood prices will be reflected in the management of forestry and timber businesses, including stagnant wages for forestry workers. The socio-economic impact of the bark beetle calamity is high and is most affected by the decline in spruce timber prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Highlights: Determination of merchantable wood volume is one of the key preconditions for sustainable forest management. This study explores accuracy of calibrated predictions of merchantable wood volume of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) using stem taper curves (STC) in a form of a mixed model. Background and Objectives: The study is devoted to the determination of merchantable wood volume (over bark) of individual standing stems based on the integration of an STC model calibrated using upper diameter measurements. Various options of upper diameter measurement were tested and their impact on the accuracy of merchantable wood volume prediction was evaluated. Materials and Methods: To model stem taper curves, a Kozak 02 function was applied in a form of a nonlinear, mixed effects model. Accuracies of calibrated merchantable wood volume predictions obtained through remote (optical) upper diameter measurements were compared to accuracies corresponding to contact measurements by a caliper. The performance of two alternative methods used in the Czech National Forest Inventory (NFI) and forestry practice, involving diameter at breast height and total tree height as the only predictors, were also tested. The contact measurements were performed at identical stem positions after felling the respective sample tree. The calibration was done in order to account for factors inherent in particular location, and, optionally, also in a particular sample stem (within the respective location). Input data was sourced as part of a dedicated survey involving the entire territory of the Czech Republic. In total, 716 individual spruce trees were measured, felled and analysed at 169 locations. Results: In general, the best merchantable volume predictions were obtained by integrating the STC fitted (and calibrated) by minimising errors of stem cross-sectional areas instead of diameters. In terms of calibrated predictions, using single-directional, caliper measurement of upper diameter at 7 m (after felling) led to the best accuracy. In this case, the observed mean bias of merchantable volume prediction was only 0.63%, indicating underestimation. The best optical calibration strategy involved upper diameter measurements at two heights (5 and 7 m) simultaneously. Bias of this volume prediction approach was estimated at 2.1%, indicating underestimation. Conclusions: Concerning the prediction of merchantable stem volume of standing Norway spruce trees, STC calibration using two optical upper diameter measurements (at 5 and 7 m) was found to be practically applicable, provided a bias up to 3.7% can be accepted. This method was found to be more accurate than the existing national alternatives using diameter at breast height and the total tree height as the only predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]