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Preliminary Notes on Seeding and Seedlings in Red and Hard Beech Forests of North Westland and the Silvicultural Implications
Authors: A. KirklandPublication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 1959, Issue N.Z.J.For. 8(3) 1961, pp 482-497, Nov 1961
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry
Abstract: Evidence supporting the correlation of heavy flowering years and climatic factors in beech species is presented. The pattern of the 1960 seed fall is described. Estimates are made of the volume of seed which falls in mature red and hard beech forests during a mast year. The number of resultant seedlings and their early survival rate is described. It is shown that mortality is high in the virgin forest and few seedlings persist to become part of the forest floor advance growth. The nature of the virgin forest advance growth is discussed and it is shown that beech seedlings can persist for many years beneath the parent stand, even though light demanding. The growth rates and the response to full light of advance growth seedlings are considered and it is demonstrated that such seedlings may make up a large proportion of regenerated stands. It is shown that heavy shade is favourable and heavy duff unfavourable to seedling establishment. Past thought on silvicultural systems for beech forests is reviewed and a modified uniform system is recommended for conversion of virgin forest to even-aged beech stands. This is designed to minimise the understocking which may result from competition by weed species, seedling mortality, swamping, etc., under a clear-felling-with-seed-trees system. The aim is to build up a full stocking of sturdy advance growth, years prior to logging, so that the new crop is already present when the old crop is felled. The early results of a trial of this system are reviewed.