ZLV Online

In this paper, a thinning experiment aimed at silvicultural and production issues is analysed. The long-term experiment was established 53 years ago in a beech stand located in the central part of Slovakia. Tending of the stand started at the age of 36 years. Research was conducted in three treatment plots: (i) heavy thinning from below (C degree according to the German forest research institutes from 1902), (ii) free crown thinning, and (iii) control plot (without thinning). The basic stand quantitative parameters (number of trees, basal area, and volume of the timber to the top of 7 cm, diameter and volume increment, total yield) were evaluated from 12 biometric measurements, which were performed during the 53-year-period of investigation. From quantitative production perspective, the best results were almost in all cases obtained in the plot with heavy thinning from below, followed by the free crown thinning. The worst parameters showed the control plot.