Patterns of Growth and Productivity of Pine Plantations on Individual Growth Stage (1–6 years)

This article discusses the formation of pine plantations established by planting of container seedlings on clear cuttings with and without soil scarification. Experimental plantations were laid down in the framework of “Taiga – Model Forest” international project in the Republic of Karelia in triplicate for each case and continued for 12 years. An old overgrown pine clear cuttings with fresh green moss on podzolic illuvial iron-rich sandy loam soils was planted by container seedlings, two-year bareroot seedlings and sowing. It was shown that forest regeneration material and soil preparation play important roles within the first 6 years. Five years’ pine plantations regenerated by container seedlings with soil scarification had 1.35 m average height and 98% survival rate, container seedlings without soil scarification had 0.8 m average height and 63% survival rate and sowings 0.57 m average height and 15–55% survival rate in the seed area. The bare-root seedlings had the same average height and survival rate as container seedlings. Substantiated density planting of container seedlings for Southern Karelia is 2500 seedlings per ha. After 10–12 years of planting the forest regeneration material and soil reparation influenced to a lesser extent on the growth of the pine plantations and the difference between the options of experience has become less significant.