Forest management in temperate and boreal forests: current practices and the scope for implementing sustainable forest management

Working Paper prepared for the World Bank Forest Policy Implementation Review and Strategy

Stig Hagner

FAO Consultant

Forestry Policy and Planning Division, Rome

July 1999

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

This document has been commissioned as part of the Forest Policy Implementation Review and Strategy Development process and is being circulated to encourage thought and discussion within the framework of the ongoing Forest Policy Implementation Review and Strategy. It is not a publication of the World Bank Group and the views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the World Bank Group.

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© FAO 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

FOREWORD: BACKGROUND TO THIS REVIEW

1 INTRODUCTION: A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TEMPERATE AND BOREAL FORESTS

1.1 Temperate forests

1.2 Boreal forests

2 FOREST MANAGEMENT, HARVESTING AND SILVICULTURE

2.1 Current forest management practices in general

2.2 Current harvesting and silvicultural practices in temperate forests

2.3 Current harvesting and silvicultural practices in boreal forests

2.4 The challenge of sustainable forest management for forest managers: is it possible to manage temperate and boreal forests and keep reasonable levels of biodiversity?

3 SOME TECHNICAL AND SILVICULTURAL CONSTRAINTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

3.1 Cold climates

3.2 Ground frost

3.3 Snow and wind

3.4 Wet forest sites

3.5 Harvesting practices

3.6 Site preparation on upland sites

3.7 Forest fires

3.8 Pest control

3.9 Genetic improvement

3.10 Site impoverishment

3.11 Forest decline

4 CURRENT EXPERIENCES WITH ATTEMPTS TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

4.1 The Nordic countries

4.2 Central Europe

4.3 Canada

4.4 United States of America

4.5 Russian Federation

4.6 Forest plantations

5 OTHER MAJOR OBSTACLES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT THAT ORIGINATE OUTSIDE THE FORESTRY SECTOR

6 TECHNICAL CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

6.1 Forest harvesting

6.2 Site preparation

6.3 Planting and seeding

6.4 Tending

6.5 Fertiliser application

6.6 Thinning

7 CONCLUSIONS

7.1 Management of the temperate forest

7.2 Management of the boreal forest

7.3 Where are we going?

BIBLIOGRAPHY