Log Production Model for 150-Year Rotation Forest Stands and Management Strategy

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a log production model for 150-year rotation forest stands. In the proposed model, tree volume growth along with growth of the corresponding occupied space, W², increases tree diameter on the ground, D, tree height, H, and its occupied width, W. Except the early stage of growth, it is shown that the annual growth of tree basal area has 40cm²/year as a upper bound, and that a lower bound for the annual growth of tree diameter, △D_minis 0.25cm/year. Assuming that the annual growth of volume is greater than or equal to the product of the surface area of a log (proportional to height times diameter) and △D_min/2, we estimate W/D>11 as an index for volume productivity 20m³/ha/year. As one of the tasks for forest stand management for 150 rotation age, it would be of importance to maintain enough space for individual trees as tree diameter and height grow, and to utilize most from the forgone trees over the time horizon.