Database

Preserve wood in different stages of decay in the seasoning process

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

Preserve dead wood, or wood in various stages of decay (dry rot, flatwood, driftwood, stumps), as well as storm-damaged root wads. If possible, do not move flatwood and hardwood to any significant extent during felling.

Why?

Many species need dead and dying trees to survive. It is estimated that up to a quarter of forest fauna is associated with dead wood. These are mostly wood decomposing species, which are essential in nature, otherwise dead trees would accumulate in layers. They are also used by birds and other animal species as hollow predators.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Unless otherwise indicated, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.