Forests need to be renewed and managed in ways that ensure their long-term sustainability and productivity, as well as rapid carbon sequestration and high quality timber.
Description of the action
Prefer clear-cutting for renewal cutting, as it provides sufficient light and nutrients for the growth of a new forest generation. Shelterwood cutting is suitable in Estonian conditions only in pine forests. For shelterwood cutting, prefer gradual cutting and bring the density to 30-40%. In strip cutting, the strip is too narrow, and approximately 10m from the forest edge, the clear-cut area does not regenerate successfully. Therefore, approximately 20m of the strip regenerates poorly. In gap cutting, the regeneration area is also insufficient. Shelterwood cutting also has a greater disturbance (the same area must be logged over several years) and overall has a larger environmental footprint (e.g., fuel consumption) and is economically inefficient.
Why?
Shelterwood logging is not climatically suitable for Estonia. It can be used in second- and third-class dry pine forests where strong grass growth and spruce understory do not hinder young pine growth. However, shelterwood logging is particularly risky in moist and wet habitat types and spruce forests, as it increases wind damage. It also reduces the reserves of new forest generations and thus lowers carbon sequestration capacity.
