Timber production and ecological characteristics of trees in coppice forest in the Voskop nature reserve in Český kras - a case study

A new approach to forestry that increasingly values non-timber forest functions brings new interest and value also to coppice forests. A case study in the Voskop nature reserve located in the Cesky kras Protected Landscape Area was focused on a comparison of the timber production of individually growing trees and in multistemmed trees resprouting after cutting (stools). We recorded tree ecological characteristics of trees such as existence of stem cavities, whether the tree grows individually or from a stool and whether or not the tree is broken, dead or has a dying crown. In total 2,670 trees were sampled on a 1,875 ha sample plot. The main tree species forming coppice stands are Quercus petraea and Carpinus betulus . The total stock volume of only 136 m 3 ·ha -1 is very low at 84 years of age. The stock volume of individually growing trees is 84 m 3 ·ha -1 and the stock volume of trees in stools is only 52 m 3 ·ha -1 although the number of individually growing trees is lower.