La gestion de la Végétation accompagnatrice: État et perspective

Abstract

The accompanying vegetation of forest trees is managed for the purposes of forest production. Due to its inhibitory or auxiliary effects, it can promote or impede the survival, development and quality of the target trees. These effects depend on the interaction between plants, site types and the traits of the production species (autecology, stage of development, etc.). How accompanying vegetation is managed will depend on the production system under consideration: intensive, semi-intensive or extensive. There is a broad range of management strategies that consist in reducing the presence, height or vigour of the vegetation, altering its composition or focussing directly on to the growth capacity of young trees themselves. Management practises are discussed here with reference to a number of recently developed tools - chemical, physical or biological - whose impact on the environment needs to be carefully established. Three examples of strategies are provided to illustrate the inhibitory and auxiliary effects of vegetation as a management tool. Progress accomplished in the area of accompanying vegetation management requires more thorough knowledge of the interaction between plants in forest environments.