USE OF WILD CHERRY AS A SITE-IMPROVING AND STABILIZING TREE SPECIES

Ameliorative and stabilizing tree species (ASTP) established in the forest through stand regeneration represent one of few legal demands on the forestry sector. The introduction and silvicultural care for these species is an economical load increasing silvicultural expenses and lowering the economical effectiveness of forest management. Plantation of ASTP is subsidized by the state administration. Among the ameliorative and stabilizing tree species there are some, which are able to supply a timber, being more valuable comparing to the climax, or main commercial species. One of these species is the Wild cherry (Cerasus avium (L.) Moench), which could be – however – planted only on specific sites. The article proposes the optimum ratio of wild cherry in the forest stands and generalizes the results for some others noble hardwoods and light demanding admixed species, belonging by the law to the list of ameliorative and stabilizing tree species. Our results suggest the optimum proportion of wild cherry in forest stands at 25–30% of total stand basal area in the condition of even-aged forest stands when wild cherry is kept in the main canopy layer (dominant and/or co-dominant trees). Other light demanding trees with a valuable timber are assumed to have similar proportion optimum