Comparative Assessment of Valuation Indicators of Siberian Larch (Larix sibirica) Forest Plantations when Introduction into the Nizhny Novgorod Region

The practice of using Siberian larch in artificial reforestation on the territory of the Nizhny Novgorod region in the forests of the Bogorodsk district is considered. It should be noted that the relevance of the development of forest plantations with the diversification of their species composition is due to the prospects for the expansion of the forest industry, which is determined by the State Program “Forestry Sector Development in the Russian Federation”. At the same time, despite of a wide range of possibilities of economic use of Siberian larch in the Nizhny Novgorod region, it is practically not used here when developing artificial stands for various purposes and structures. Scots pine is mainly used in the development of forest plantations in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Although the positive effect of the introduction of Siberian larch into the stand composition is confirmed by a comparative assessment of valuation indicators in forest plantations on the territory of the Bogorodsk district forestry. Based on the research results, 3 plots with the same types of forest site conditions were examined. High-quality Siberian larch stands with various species composition were formed on the plots. The work was carried out by the field methods; the principle of single logical distinction was their methodological framework. The characteristics of the trial plots were given on the basis of an on-site survey. All research results were statistically significant. A relationship has been established between the species composition and the stock of these stands. In larch plantations mixed in species composition, a larger stock has been accumulated than in pure stands. Also, the study revealed a relationship between the age of stands and the variability of the tested valuation indicators. The research results confirmed the effectiveness of the development of Siberian larch forest plantations in the Nizhny Novgorod region and the acceptability of using the forestry fund areas with forest site conditions of category C2 for these purposes. The obtained results will be useful in development of Siberian larch plantations in the Middle Volga region, since it has been revealed that the plantations in the Bogorodsk district of the Nizhny Novgorod region achieve the high productiveness at the age of 54.For citation: Ulitin M.M., Besschetnov V.P. Comparative Assessment of Valuation Indicators of Siberian Larch (Larix sibirica) Forest Plantations when Introduction into the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2020, no. 6, pp. 33–41. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2020-6-33-41