Assessing the Health of Forest Plantations during Forest Inventory

Information on forest management is extremely important for decision-making by government authorities regarding forest conservation. An objective assessment of the condition of artificial plantations of different ages will allow for the intensification of forestry and increase its efficiency, as well as determine the quality of economic activity in this area. The aim of the research has been to develop criteria for assessing forest crops during forest stand inventory from the point of view of the need to design forestry measures for their conservation. Artificial plantations of coniferous-broad-leaved forests of the Republic of Mari El and south taiga forests of the Republic of Udmurtia have become the object of the research. The experimental data have been collected from databases of forest plots, including 11,735 units of artificial forest plantations. An analysis of current regulatory documents and methods for assessing the condition of forest crops at different stages of forest stand development has been carried out. The ambiguity in the assessment and decision-making process for the design of forestry measures has been revealed, affecting the success of silvicultural production in forest areas. Criteria and indicators for determining the condition of forest crops of different categories of forest lands in forest management have been proposed, depending on the need for forestry measures to preserve forests. In order to optimize the forest management process, minimize subjective errors, and improve the quality control system, unified criteria and algorithms for assessing for assessing forest crops should be legislatively established. The regulatory framework in the field of forest management should provide for the mandatory inclusion in documentation of additional information on previously formed forest crops. It is also necessary to recreate the provision in forest legislation regulating the timing and quantity of forest management measures, and to ensure its implementation in forestry regulations and forest development projects.