This report maps Forest Management Models (FMMs) that are applied on 10 Case Study Areas (CSAs) within 9 countries of the ALTERFOR consortium, namely: Germany (2 CSAs), Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and Turkey. Besides the description of their main silvicultural features, FMMs are ranked according to their capacity to provide different ecosystem services. In addition, available technology and knowhow and restrictions set by legislation were described in a so called “Technological landscape”  analysis. 

 

 

 

This report provides details about the alternative forest management models (FMMs) that the project partners identified at stand level. The overview of the results shows that concern for biodiversity is among most frequent rationales for alternative FMMs in all areas, followed by increased timber production for mainly economic reasons. Regulatory ecosystem services and especially protection of water is another frequent motivation. Many of the alternative FMMs aim at raising the proportion of broadleaves in mixed species stands whereas monocultures of broadleaves are more unusual.

 

This report has two primary aims. Internally, it serves the ALTERFOR partners by establishing an overview of prevailing silvicultural practices that will be used as the benchmark descriptions when examining the alternative FMMs at the later stages of the project. Externally, the thorough and systematic mapping of current FMMs might serve any reader interested in approaches to forest management as currently applied under a variety of ecological and socio-economic conditions on the European continent.

 

 

The implementation of alternative forest management models in each case study area is an important task for ALTERFOR. For this reason forest owners’ guidelines are produced. The guidelines are country-specific and written in the national language. They give basic knowledge and instructions for silvicultural measures. They also give a short overview of the impacts on the forest ecosystem and summarize problems and possibilities.

 

 

Guidelines for Slovakia in Slovakian 

 

The implementation of alternative Forest Management Models (aFMMs) in each Case Study Area is an important task for ALTERFOR. For this reason, forest owners’ guidelines are produced and demonstration sites (demo-sites) are established. Demonstration sites can be utilized for educational purposes at many different levels, from information to public and to forest owners, to experienced forest managers, but also at academic level.