The first Year Results of a Substitution Process in two Hornbeam Coppices from Northern Romania

Abstract

This paper describes the results achieved in two hornbeam coppice stands one year after the beginning of the substitution process in bands. The bands created by harvesting the hornbeam sprouts were planted with European beech, sessile oak and pedunculate oak seedlings using a diamond planting scheme with a density of about 1000 seedlings per hectare. The assessment of planted seedlings’ state at the end of the first growing season shows a good development, especially for pedunculate and sessile oak seedlings which were obtained in the nursery, and some development difficulties in the case of beech (about 34% of beech seedlings died in the first year) which were taken from natural regeneration. Additionally, some technical recommendations are presented for a successful application of the substitution process in bands.