Abstract
To examine the effect of girdling on natural regeneration of summer-green forests, vegetation management by girdling, as well as by cutting evergreen shrubs, was conducted to Quercus serrata in a summer-green forest in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture. The technique of girdling is suitable to avoid rapid changes of optical conditions on managing the forest, and is easy to conduct by forestry volunteers working for the conservation of "Sato-yama", rural forests. During seven years following the girdling, the relative light intensity began to increase in two years and finally reached approximately 80%. The species, appeared newly after the girdling, were mainly the dominant ones of coppice. Young seedlings appeared after the girdling showed high survival rate. After optical conditions were improved, their height growth was also good. Therefore, it is considered that the girdling, which causes the death of upper layer tree, is effective to promote natural regeneration in summer-green secondary forests.
