Die Bestandesbehandlung zur Wertsteigerung

The increase of value production by stand treatment - In this paper three major items are under discusion : 1. The  aims and possibilities of stand treatment     2. The measurable effects of treatment     3. A proposal for a modified approach to stand treatment     Stand treatment and silviculture in general must go out from a broadened  conception of « value production », taking into account the necessity to  increase the social function of the forest in Europe.     To increase value production and to reduce production costs, each stand element  and each tree must be given a definite function in the stand as soon as  possible. In order to build up stabilized stand structures, showing a maximal  degree of vitality, positive selection on a phenotypical basis and especially  the formation of environment must start shortly after regeneration or  afforestation. The opinion is stated, that, contrary to the views of  Schädelin, genotypical selection has only a reduced signification and is  better done outside of the forest.     A basis for early and positive stand treatment is to be found in the  results of research on treatment effects by different authors.     There is growing evidence that in untreated stands the most vital, but also  the most valuable trees with the highest potential for growth and value  production tend to concentrate the the upper layer of the forest stand.  Treatment has to reckon with this phenomen by making the early dominant trees  the main object of care and growth regulation.     As a consequence it is proposed to consider only two stages in stand  evolution : young stands and old stands, the differentiation between these  stages taking place the moment the growing stand volume becomes measurable.      Early treatment of the young stands aims at reducing all costs, the control  of competition, the consequent selection of the most promising trees and the  building up of a solid frame for the future stand structure.    In the second stage the main objective of treatment should be the  regulation of growth and the concentration of increment in the better  dominant trees.     At this stage positive selection can be only have a restricted  importance.