Forest seed and seedlings production and planted forests

Abstract

In the post-war period, numerous activities were undertaken in the Republic of Srpska with the aim to renew and improve the state of seeds and seedlings production and planted forests. Among the first activities were the publishing of numerous manuals and publications, organizing seminars and conferences and carrying out organizational transformations such as the establishment of the Center for seed and seedlings production in Doboj city (as a separate organizational unit within the PFE “Šume RS”). Among the most important activities are certainly the significant financial investments related to the purchase of the equipment for the processing and the storage of seeds, as well as the container production of seedlings. Nowadays, Norway spruce, Scotch and Austrian pine seedlings (about 85% of the total number of seedlings) dominate in the production of forest seedlings in PFE “Šume RS”, which indicates that not much has changed in the established procedures of seedlings production from earlier periods. Such assortments largely do not correspond to the structure of the habitats where afforestation is carried out, nor do they correspond to the actual ecological-vegetative zoning. When referring to deciduous trees, especially from the category of valuable and rare ones, the participation of other tree species is generally small. Besides that, the ratio of the seedlings of the bare root system in relation to container seedlings has not been significantly changed till now. Practices, methods and procedures which applied for years in the production of forest seedlings have been maintained. Considering the world trends in the “target seedling production” for a previously known habitat (or buyer), the conclusions of this paper provides the recommendations and proposals, with the aim to improve seed and seedlings production (FRM) in the Republic of Srpska. With the aim of improving and increasing the success of forest establishments, activities are carried out regarding the following: adequate selection of species for afforestation, production of planting material with desirable characteristics and defining the parameters such as: planting density, habitat preparation and planting technology. Based on the new method of assessing the compatibility of habitats and species by applying the Ellenberg coefficients, a new assortment of species that needs to be produced in the Republic of Srpska in the next 30 years hasbeen defined. Dominant species are: beech (14%), fir (11%), black pine (11%), sessile oak (11%), Norway spruce (9%) and Downy oak (5%), while the remaining 39% consists of 44 different species of trees. The stress emphasis is on the use of improved planting material and on a significant increase in the participation of container seedlings (about 50%). The condition of the karst was examined and it was determined that there are large areas that are suitable for afforestation. For planting it is necessary to use the species adapted to the habitats exposed to the unfavorable effects of climatic factors. Afforestation in the Republic of Srpska can have a significantly greater success and effect if an adequate choice of species and types of planting material is made, if more attention is paid to the management of newly established forests and if afforestation is adapted to the new climate change trends.