Silviculture of high-quality oaks: questions and future research needs

Abstract

Oak forests are economically and ecologically important in Central Europe and eastern United States of America. In the former oak forests are being returned by artificial regeneration to many sites where oaks had been replaced by other species. Artificial and natural regeneration methods are being sought. Coppice forests are being replaced by forests of seed origin on many sites throughout Central Europe. Methods using wider spacing and shorter rotations which produce high-quality timber adapted to site quality are being considered. In the USA reliable regeneration remains a key silvicultural problem. Effective means of both artificial and natural regeneration are being sought. Oak forest are and will be managed for a broader range of objectives in Central Europe and the USA. Future research needs include ecophysiology, growth and development, regeneration, silvicultural systems and oak decline.