ZLV Online

This paper presents a research project aimed at optimizing the utilization of logging residues in forests with regard to nutrient balance and sustainability of forest production. After final harvest in each locality, following treatments of logging residues use and soil preparation were applied: (1) burning of logging residues in the terrain, (2) removal of logging residues, (3) bunching of logging residues into heaps, and (4) chipping of wood residues in the terrain. Further large-scale soil preparation with forest plough was performed in all treatments. The first results in a model locality Municipal Forests Doksy (Central Bohemian Region) confirmed immediate impact of soil preparation and logging residues use on selected soil chemical properties in the uppermost soil layer. In deeper soil layers the differences among treatments were lower. In some cases basic hypotheses about the impact of particular treatment on the poorest sites were not confirmed as in the case of higher humus content and lower soil reaction in treatments with burning of logging residues.