FOREST CARE ON THE TERRITORY OF THE “INTERMOUNTAIN FORESTRY” BRANCH: AN ECOSYSTEMIC APPROACH

Abstract

A comparative analysis of forestry activity (cutting) was conducted on the territory of the “Intermountain Forestry” branch of the Carpathian forestry office of the state enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” during 2020-2024.A targeted trend of forest care on the territory of the studied farm was established by reducing solid sanitary felling (9.8–17.7%) and transitioning to forest management by selective felling (35.0–67.0%), in accordance with the principles of the ecosystem approach.In 2024, among the maintenance fellings for the formation and rehabilitation of forests, the largest area was occupied byclearingfelling (16.6%) and lightingfelling (11.7%). From 2020 to 2023, such felling was used three times less: clearing 2.8–4.0%;lighting 0.5–1.4%. This approach will promote uniform distribution of trees of the main species and allow to provide better conditions for the formation of the optimal structure (composition and density of the stand), as well as to regulate the quantitative ratio between individual species.The share of passing types of felling changed over the years from 0.5% (2020) to 8.3% (2023) and amounted to 4.3% in 2024. These changes are environmentally directed. Such cuttings have a positive effect on the growth of the best trees due to the expansion of the area of light and soil nutrition. Logging is also of economic importance, as it contributes to a significant increase in the marketability of the stand itself.In accordance with the concepts of the ecosystem approach, in the process of forest care, the “Intermountain Forestry” branch almost does not use reshaping, reconstructive and landscape felling. Other activities related to forestry management are or are not carried out on an area of no more than 40hectares.It has been established that for wood harvesting most suitable are forests of the fourth category (185– 323 ha), less of the third (81–226 ha) and second category (37–162 ha). From 2020 to 2023, no work on wood harvesting was carried out in forests of the first category, however, forestry activities were carried out on an area of 2 hectares in 2024.It was found that the renewal of forest ecosystems on the territory of the “Intermountain Forestry” branch takes place mainly in a natural way.