La typologie des stations forestières. Recommandations méthodologiques

Abstract

The execution of a regional study of the typology of forest sites, if it is to fulfill the expectations of the forest managers, should follow a certain number of principles, mainly in respect of sampling and the presentation of results. Our aim is not to set out a method which can be applied by all to all cases, but to review the essential elements so that the typology makes it possible both to precisely define the various site types and to understand the fundamental properties of these sites in relation to forest utilisation. In this article a brief review is first given of the concepts of natural region, forest site, site type and sylvofacies. This is followed by a study of the fundamental points in the typological process : preliminary regional assessment, method and content of the phytoecological sampling, principles of the analysis of the data and of the establishment of the typology of the sites, contents of the list of forest sites.