Published 21.2.2018

Gene reserve forest managed by thinning at Lapinjärvi

Metsähallitus is currently carrying out thinning in the Lapinjärvi gene research forest at the Latokartano lot. The lot is reserved for forestry research and it is managed under the guidance of Natural Resources Institute (Luke).

Logging is carried out in the spruce gene reserve forest where the genetic diversity of the trees is protected. In practice, this is carried out by growing only trees of local origin over a wide area. As a result of the long-term research that has been carried out at the Latokartano lot, the purity of the provenance of the spruce trees is exceptionally well known.

The objective of the measures now being undertaken is to make space for new seedlings so that the process of natural selection can continue.

“There should be tree generations of all ages in a gene reserve forest and at the moment, the spruce trees at Lapinjärvi are ageing”, explains Taneli Kolström, Director, Natural Resources Institute.

Among nationally endangered species, one occurrence of feathered neckera (Neckera pennata) and one of bristly bellflower (Campanula cervicaria) can be found at Latokartano. There have been no endangered species seen in the felling area.

At the beginning of the 2000s, there was a lot of storm damage at the Latokartano lot with the result that a lot of trees were killed by engraver beetles and bark beetles. Dead trees are not removed from the thinning area, so in this respect the living conditions of species dependent on rotten trees will remain unchanged.

The 31-hectare area being worked on is 13 % of the whole gene reserve forest area (240 ha). The forest management practices used are selective felling and planting in small clearings. There will be no clear cuttings.

For more information about silviculture:
Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd, Team Manager Ilkka Korhonen, tel. +358 400 132 141

For more information about the research:
Natural Resources Institute Finland, Director Taneli Kolström, tel. +358 29 532 5011