AREAS WITH OCCURRENCE OF CLOSE TO NATURE FORESTRY, MOSTLY BROADLEAVED FORESTS
Areas with occurrence of close to nature forestry, mostly broadleaved
forests
Tuesday 14 October 2003
A short excursion on the way from Bratislava to Zvolen on European bison reserve and
surrounding areas with occurrence of close to nature forestry in broadleaved (mostly beech)
forests.
History and characteristics of Affiliated enterprise
State forest enterprise Topoľčianky was
established in 1921. During its 80 years long
history it underwent many organizational
changes. State forests belonged at first to the
Directory of state forests in Žarnovica, since
1952 to County administration of forests in
Jelenec, later in Nitra. Since 1956 as an
independent enterprise it was directly
subordinated to the ministry, at first in Prague,
later in Bratislava. In 1994 the enterprise was
abolished and included into the structure of
Západoslovenské lesy (Western–Slovakian
forests) state enterprise in Bratislava. Since 1
January 2000 the enterprise with the name
Affiliated enterprise Topoľčianky has been a
part of state enterprise Lesy of the Slovak
Republic, Banská Bystrica.
At present Affiliated enterprise Topoľčianky
carries out management on forest lands with the
area 32 429 hectares. Cadastre area of the
enterprise is 92 621 ha, 25 300 ha of forest lands
are in the ownership of the state, 1787 ha is put
on lease and not restituted forests cover the area
5342 ha. The territory of current affiliated
enterprise covers the slopes of Pohronský
Inovec, Žitavská tabuľa, Tríbeč Mts. and
Nitrianska niva. Terrain is broken, with the
altitude from 150 m up to 850 m. Main trees
species are beech and oak. Organizational
structure of the affiliated enterprise Topoľčianky
consists of the headquarters, 7 forest districts,
nursery centre, transportation–management
district and district for wood production.
EXCURSION GUIDE
Silviculture
On average there is reforested 200 ha per year
on clearings after felling, of that 75 ha on
clearings after incidental felling. We cultivate
plants of forest tree species in Nursery centre
Hladomer. In past the enterprise had 12 forest
nurseries. They gradually ceased because
production of plants in small nurseries was not
profitable. We produce planting stock
exclusively in this nursery centre also thanks to
production intensification and substantially
higher work productivity. Average production is
1.5 up to 2 million of plants and about one half
of this amount is used for own need. Other
produced plants are for other affiliated
enterprises within forest enterprise of for free
market. The most demanded are plants of beech,
oak, maple, larch, spruce, ash, linden and pine.
The need of plants per 1 ha of plot at affiliated
enterprise Topoľčianky is on average 5–6
thousands. In silviculture a great attention has
been paid to protection and tending of young
stands. Cleaning is carried out on the area of 300
ha. In nursery centre we have constructed
nursery of ornamental tree species with
production of a broad assortment of broadleaved
and coniferous ornamental tree species
cultivated for sale.
Felling
Tree
species
composition
influences
substantially management in forests and thus the
results of management as well. Oak and beech
are main tree species. Oak is dominating what
concerns coverage and beech in the volume of
growing stock. The proportion of coniferous tree
TUESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2003
AREAS WITH OCCURRENCE OF CLOSE TO NATURE FORESTRY, MOSTLY BROADLEAVED FORESTS
species is about 10%. Average annual felling is
about 75 500 m3 of that proportion of coniferous
timber is 11%. A decisive criterion for the
determination of felling–production technology
is road network and the capacity of log
conversion depots. Therefore method of whole–
stem logging has been applied for many years at
the affiliated enterprise Topoľčianky. Principal
changes in timber felling and skidding occurred
in the beginning of the 90s. Power saws were
privatised, horses were sold to carter and
wheeled tractors were offered for economic
lease or they were sold out. At present most of
works in felling have been carried out on
contract namely felling in 97%, skidding by
wheeled tractors, SLK and horses harnesses in
100%, and timber transportation in 39%. In last
years felling has been influenced significantly
by incidental felling which had to be performed
due to sanitation of damaged forest stands.
Disasters of larger extent occur occasionally as
well and they have a substantial effect on the
management in forests. Incidental felling results
in increasing the area of clearings, increased
need to reforest and increased financial needs in
silviculture.
Game management
Game management has had a very long tradition
in Topoľčianky. Game preserves in Topoľčianky
are well renowned. They date back to the 17th
century. At present the enterprise has hunting
grounds with total area 19 099 ha:
Veľká Zvernica
Malá Zvernica
11 131 ha
715 ha
Tríbeč
3471 ha
Inovec
1959 ha
Vojšín
1823 ha
Red deer is main species of game in all hunting
grounds followed by mouflon, wild boar, roe
deer and fallow deer.
A basis for management in game preserves was
scientific knowledge, particularly the results of
surveys. Game management was based on the
determination of standardized game stock. A
EXCURSION GUIDE
criterion of game quality is point value of
trophies. The most valuable trophies from
hunting grounds are stag 223.13 CIC points;
mouflon 209.45 CIC points, fallow deer buck
185.95 CIC points and wild boar 128.20 CIC
points. About 600 individuals of ungulates are
hunted per year in hunting grounds of the
affiliated enterprise Topoľčianky. Treatment of
trophies and game venison are carried out in
own facility. Venison bought from other
hunter’s associations has been collected here as
well. The facility is equipped with freezing
room and line for vacuum packaging of venison.
Wood production
Independent centre secures wood production.
Main product is edged timber and unedged oak
timber, balks and recently also parquetry fillets
and chips. About 3700 m of wood with
pulpwood proportion of 21% is processed on
average per year in the centre.
Wood trade
Affiliated enterprise Topoľčianky is regarding
tree species composition aimed mainly at
production of broadleaved assortments (93%)
with prevalence of beech (55–58%) and oak
(27–29%). Tree species composition of stands
predetermines the orientation of enterprise
toward wood industry processing broadleaved
timber and producing veneer, sawlog and pulp
and paper. In last years timber deliveries
reached on average per year 4846 m3 of
coniferous wood, 67 867 m3 of broadleaved
wood, together 72 713 m3. The proportion of
roundwood assortments was 23.85%. Export
was 23 734 m3, it means 32.64%. Average
realization of timber reached 1098 SKK/m3.
Trade with timber must cope also with some
problems resulting from incidental felling due to
the effect of natural disasters. In 1999 about 70
000 m3 of wood had to be felled due to the last
big wind disaster.
Main tasks for the future
 Improve
reproduction
regeneration
structure and quality of
stock for artificial forest
TUESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2003
AREAS WITH OCCURRENCE OF CLOSE TO NATURE FORESTRY, MOSTLY BROADLEAVED FORESTS
 Use more natural forest regeneration and care
about young forest stands
 Develop other forest
complementary production
 Get funds for reproduction of worn logging
and transportation means as well as for
reconstruction of forest roads and forest
engineering objects
 Reach standardized stock of game, trophy
balance with a possibility of regular hunt of high
quality, trophy mature individuals
Solve
settlement
of
production
ownership’s
and
relations
Name of demonstration object: The forest edge formed of broadleaved tree species (oak, beech) in a
stand managed under the small–scale shelterwood system – shelterwood and border felling
Branch Forest Enteprise: Topoľčianky
Compartment: 1154
Forest use category: Special–purpose forest
Management type unit: 35 UV 130
Group of forest types: Fageto–Quercetum 60%, Fagetum pauper lower degree 40%
Tree species composition: oak 70%, beech 30%
Slope inclination: 20%, slope aspect: south–west, altitude: 600 m a.s.l.
Stand age: 120 years, rotation age: 130 years, duration of regeneration period: 30 years
Compartment area: 7.57 ha, growing–stock per hectare: 367 m3, total growing–stock: 3472 m3
Characteristic: The stand is managed under border – shelterwood felling in strips with its width of
double of the stand height. Three strips have been established as an initial ones, with two treatments
realised during decennium
EXCURSION GUIDE
TUESDAY 14 OCTOBER 2003