Database

Leave large-diameter retention trees with distinctive features

Habitat	Function	Type of work
Forest	Living environment	Clear-cutting

In order to maintain biodiversity and ensure ecological coherence, forest management shall maintain the structural elements of habitats (e.g. trees from the previous felling period, old-growth trees and stumps, flatwoods, hardwoods, hollow trees, trees with burn marks, shrub species and species of trees that are not very common in the forest), also taking into account their potential impact on forest health, timber quality, ecosystem condition and human safety.

Description of the action

Retention trees should include large-diameter trees with distinctive features (living or standing dead trees and stumps, including topped trees). Preferred retention tree features include trees from previous cutting periods, trees of higher biological value species (elm, wych elm, linden, oak, ash, aspen, black alder), trees with hollows or burn marks, trees with fungal fruiting bodies, broken or multi-topped trees, resinous trees, trees with witches’ brooms, trees with thick branches and/or low branching (e.g., pasture spruce, wooded meadow oak). Simply put, a retention tree is suitable if its wood quality is low, meaning it has some wood defect. In coniferous forests, if possible, also leave deciduous trees as retention trees.

Why?

Retention trees provide habitats for multiple species and improve landscape aesthetics.