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Abstract: The WoodInnovate project addresses pressing challenges facing the forest-wood value chain in the Alps-Adriatic region, which are intensifying due to climate change. Rising temperatures and frequent natural disasters are degrading wood quality and increasing pest outbreaks, particularly from bark beetles. These environmental shifts jeopardize forest ecosystems, reduce the economic viability of timber harvesting, and compromise regional sustainability. WoodInnovate aims to assess and enhance the utilization of storm- and pest-damaged wood through advanced modification techniques, innovative product design, and strategic cross-border collaboration. The project explores climate-resilient tree species and determines optimal uses for lower-grade wood. Stakeholder involvement is essential, including academic institutions, forestry clusters, and industry partners from Italy and Slovenia. Activities include pilot tests, prototype development, knowledge transfer, and regional workshops. The ultimate goal is to transform wood waste from environmental catastrophes into valuable resources, fostering a circular economy and reinforcing forest resilience. The project contributes to climate adaptation strategies while promoting economic revitalization through sustainable material innovation. By enabling cross-sector collaboration, WoodInnovate not only strengthens the forest-wood value chain but also supports EU green objectives, making wood from damaged trees a tool for environmental and social progress.
Keywords: climate change, damaged wood, sustainable forest management, innovative wood utilization, cross-border cooperation
Published in DiRROS: 21.01.2026; Views: 146; Downloads: 65
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Abstract: Understanding competition between trees is essential for sustainable forest management as interactions between trees in uneven-aged mixed forests play a key role in growth dynamics. This study investigated nine competition indices (CIs) for their suitability to model the effects of neighboring trees on silver fir (Abies alba) growth in Dinaric silver fir-European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests. Although numerous competition indices have been developed, there is still limited consensus on their applicability in different forest types, especially in mature, structurally complex forest stands. The indices were evaluated using the adjusted coefficient of determination in a linear model wherein the volume growth of the last five years for 60 dominant silver fir trees was modeled as a function of tree volume and competition index. The results demonstrated that distance-dependent indices (e.g., the Hegyi height-distance competition and Rouvinen-Kuuluvainen diameter-distance competition indices), which consider the distance to competitors and their size, perform better than distance-independent indices. Using the optimization procedure in calculating the competition indices, only neighboring trees at a distance of up to 26-fold the diameter at breast height (DBH) of the selected tree (optimal search radius) and with a DBH of at least 20% of that of the target tree (optimal DBH) were considered competitors. Therefore, competition significantly influences the growth of dominant silver firs even in older age classes. The model based solely on tree volume explained 32.5% of the variability in volume growth, while the model that accounted for competition explained 64%. Optimizing the optimal search radius had a greater impact on model performance than optimizing the DBH threshold. This emphasizes the importance of balancing stand density and competition in silvicultural practice.
Keywords: sustainable forest management, Dinaric silver fir-European beech forests, Competition indices, CIs, optimal search distance, optimal diameter at breast height, DBH
Published in DiRROS: 05.06.2025; Views: 588; Downloads: 353
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Keywords: Close-to-nature, forest sustainable management, climate changes, oaks, Quercus
Published in DiRROS: 01.02.2025; Views: 745; Downloads: 403
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Keywords: Close-to-nature, forest sustainable management, climate changes, beech, Fagus sylvatica L.
Published in DiRROS: 01.02.2025; Views: 740; Downloads: 440
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Keywords: Close-to-nature, forest sustainable management, climate changes
Published in DiRROS: 31.01.2025; Views: 723; Downloads: 439
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