RMK presents Erko Soolmann with the award for best Master’s thesis in forestry 19.06

According to Tiit Timberg, Member of RMK’s Management Board, it is already the fourteenth time for RMK to acknowledge the author of the best Master’s thesis in forestry at the Estonian University of Life Sciences. “Uniform shelterwood cutting is the most common method of shelterwood cutting, making it possible to renew the forest in a natural manner. It is important that both the successful and unsuccessful results of shelterwood cuttings in the state forests have been evaluated and practical guidelines are provided,” explained Timberg as to why Soolmann was the one whose Master’s thesis deserved the highlight this year.

The Master’s thesis evaluated factors influencing the success of forest renewal within pairs of uniform shelterwood cuttings in the state forests in Harju County and South Estonia, while in one case in the pair, the area was renewed successfully and in the other, unsuccessfully. In total, for the twelve pairs or 40 cases of shelterwood cuttings, factors characterising their structure, cutting intensity, openness of the area, and the quality of the growth area were measured. The results revealed that for natural coniferous regrowth to appear at all, shortly after the cutting the intensity of that cutting does not have a significant effect and the number of new plants mainly depends on the amount of seeds and characteristics of the earth that are suitable for germination. However, analyses of the regrowth index and, more importantly, the yearly total increase in height reflect that after the regrowth has appeared, the trees in the upper front have a significant inhibitive effect on the growth. Competition between the roots creates a deficiency of nutrients and other growth resources, which is why in thicker forest stands the natural regrowth will not be able to thrive and perishes.

Further information:
Tiit Timberg
Member of the Management Board of RMK
phone 504 5761
e-mail tiit.timberg@rmk.ee

www.rmk.ee