The establishment of a crop tree model experimental site on Criptomeria japonica in Omyojin forest
2016
Fujita, Y. | Aso, S. | Trzebiatowski, J. | Keck, F. | Kikuchi, T. | Watanabe, A. | Sugawara, D. | Sasaki, K. | Hein, S. | Sawaguchi, I.
A 'Crop Tree Model' was introduced to Japan by German forest engineers, and the method has been imported to a lot of forests in Japan. It is, however, unclear whether or not this method can be accepted in Japanese artificial forests because the knowledge and techniques were originally developed in European natural forests. Therefore, Iwate University Forest, along with University of Applied Forest Science Rottenburg, has established an experimental site on Japanese cedar (Criptomeria japonica) and will maintain it in the long term. After the experimental site and check site were fixed, whose areas were 0.50ha and 0.47ha respectively, the trees' breast height diameters and their locations were measured. Also, the heights of some trees were measured in order to find the relationship between the diameters and the heights, which were used to estimate all trees' height. Crop trees were selected based on three criteria; the first one is Vitality, the second is Quality, and Distribution is the last. Distribution means the distances between crop trees, which was decided to be 10m, through tree crown measuring. Some trees interfering the development of crop trees were determined to be 'competitor' and were cut in November 2015. Since we now have information about individual trees, especially their position, the effects of thinning can be investigated precisely. Iwate University Forest will properly preserve this site and continue to observe how the stands will behave in this area.
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