Cooperation of Czech and Saxon forest scientists
Scientists from Forestry and Game Management research institute attended a 2nd bilateral workshop of research organizations from the Czech Republic and Saxony (Staaatsbetrieb Sachsenforst) held in Wermsdorf, Saxony on November 5th – 6th 2019. Czech participants presented 10 topics that included effects of drought on forests, imbalanced nutrition, bark beetle outbreak impacts, damage to forest stands by spruce bud blight disease, experience with non-native tree species, silvicultural guidance for practice to grow substitute species stands, preservation and reproduction on mountain spruce, utilization of “in vitro” propagation for forest management purposes and new methods to monitor populations of hoofed game. German colleagues presented both experience and new approaches applied in forest management to cope with changing climatic conditions. The second day was devoted to field trip to Wermsdorf’s forest where Sachsenforst foresters showed practical experience with afforestation using hybrid larch clones, artificial plantation, establishment and maintenance of mixed stands with sessile oak and other broadleaves, soil improving measures on gleyic sites and inclusion of successive pioneer tree species into new stands after removal of spruces died due to bark beetle outbreak. It was obvious that planting mixed stands is an efficient way how to verify which tree species are to be appropriate in condition of ongoing climate change.
Dušan Kacálek
Field trip site No. 1 – presentation of site and forest conditions of the Wermsdorf’s forest and afforestation with hybrid larch including future maintenance of the stand
