Characteristics for Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) Stands and Trees with High Snow Accretion Damage Risk in Toyama Prefecture

Abstract

Characteristics for forest stands and single trees of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) facing high risk of snow accretion damage, were examined based on the results of the investigation in Toyama. As a result, the damage risk was high in the low mountainous region in the west of Toyama Prefecture. The first reason was that there remained a lot of plantations of Bokasugi that was a weak cultivar to the snow damage. Because the temperature was comparatively high, it was the second reason that the adhered snow easily fell. The forest stands with the high damage risk had the characteristics that the average height/diameter ratio was large, the slope azimuth was located on the leeward side, and the slope form was concave. The wood trees with a high damage risk had the characteristics of the large height/diameter ratio, and the small Young’s modulus of the tree trunk.