Forest Science

Keywords: alternative land use, carbon sequestration and silviculture.

Energy forestry technology and counselling:

- for forest owners;

- for land owners.

Alders, birches and aspens are fast-growing and productive tree species.

- Planting is simple and cheap.

- Suitable for afforestation of abandoned fields.

- Fast growing trees increase the carbon and nitrogen content in soil.

Keywords: determination of disease agents on trees, detection of wood discoloration and rot fungi incl. pathogens, molecular diagnostics, forest pathological assessment.

For whom: forest owners, forest nurseries, wood industries, greenery managers, arborists. 

The use of modern laboratory methods in our daily work allows us to offer you:

• identification of pathogens from forest, nursery, orchard and landscaping trees, as well as timber from timber storage;
• assessment of wood damage (e.g. discoloration and rot agents);
• analysis of the possibilities of pathogen control methods.

Keywords: procurement, processing and transport of wood.

We give advice and carry out the following laboratory studies: 

- determination of wood species of timber or sawn wood; 

- testing of properties (density, moisture content, compressive and flexural strength etc.) of wood and wood based materials.

Keywords: procurement and processing of wood.

We give advice and carry out the following laboratory studies:

- testing of physical and mechanical properties of wood by non-destructive testing methods (electrical and ultrasonic);

- development of mathematical models for the non-destructive methods.

Keywords: procurement, processing, transport and utilization of wood fuels, scientific research.

We give advice and carry out the following laboratory studies:

- properties (moisture content, calorific value, ash content, ash fusion etc.) of various biofuels;

- analysis of the composition of biofuels.

Keywords: procurement, processing, transport and utilization of wood based energy raw materials.

We give advice and make analyses of the location and availability of wood based energy resources.

Keywords: procurement, processing and utilization of wood. 

We give advice and make analyses of:

- technologies of wood procurement;

- technologies of the production of wood fuels;

- wood processing technologies;

- drying of wood;

- methods of the control of wood drying.

Keywords: forest management.

Objective: dissemination of knowledge about profitability of pruning of growing trees by way of field trainings.

Pruning of pole stands increases the value of harvested logs from final felling due to higher price of knot-free timber. Such timber is suitable for the production of premium quality products like furniture, window frames, mouldings etc. Due to pruning the fire hazard of stands is also reduced. During the field training an overview of the techniques and tools for pruning is given and the economic efficiency of pruning is analysed.

Keywords: forest management.

Objective: dissemination of knowledge about eco-friendly machines and technologies for small-scale forest harvesting, work safety of small-scale forest harvesting by way of organized courses.

Utilization of big forest machines for harvesting of small volumes in private forests is often economically not feasible and is not eco-friendly. Felling can be carried out by chainsaw, skidding by horses, ATV, “iron-horse“, mini-forwarders or by farm-tractors. During the course different machines and technologies suitable for small-scale forest harvesting are presented, also work safety issues are discussed.

Keywords: alternative land use, forest management.

In order to increase the profitability of brushwood and agricultural land with low site quality it is advisable to grow curly birch on former arable and pasture areas. It is relatively fast growing, has short rotation and its wood has high value.

Curly birch’s grainy pattern wood belongs to the world’s ten most expensive among the precious wood, whereas most of the wood comes from tropical rainforests. Cultivation of curly birch is environmentally friendly as the valuable quality wood originates mainly from culture stands planted on forest lands or former agricultural areas.

We give practical advice on curly birch stand establishment (planting material, habitation selection etc.) and maintaining (pruning, thinning, plant protection etc.), and we also assist in marketing of the wood. We organize thematic and practical trainings, excursions and offer individual and group counselling.
 

Keywords: forest protection, entomology, park management, urban forestry, gardening.

Insect pests and fungal diseases may cause large damage to the trees and shrubs in gardens, parks and forests. Undetected pest or fungal pathogen can threaten all stands. It is possible to minimize and relieve the influence and consequences of the damage only by fast discovering and applying proper protection methods.

We assess the sanitary condition of park trees, carry out forest protection expertise and give advice for sanitary improvement of trees.

Keywords: nature resource management and nature protection agencies, State Forest Management Centre, real estate companies, nature tourism companies and farms, schools.

Counselling, training and practical services for growing forest and roundwood volume estimations, market value estimations and forest management planning. Neutral expert assessments on growing forest and roundwood value assessments for solving disputes between parties.

Counselling and training:

- roundwood volume and quality assessment;

- sawnwood volume and quality assessment;

- forest volume measurement and condition assessment;

- roundwood volume assessment by assortments for growing forest;

- market value assessment for forest estate.

Services:

- extracted timber or roundwood volume measurement;

- sawn timber quality assessment and volume measurement;

- growing forest volume measurement;

- post cutting stand condition assessment;

- growing forest volume and quality assessment by assortments;

- market value assessment for forest estate;

- geographical mapping of forests, parks and other trees for spatial planning.

Keywords: forest owners.

We can map and inventory woodland key habitats and assess the nature value of forest stands.

Woodland key habitat is an area for forest management where probability for habitat of endangered or rare species is higher than usual. To preserve these habitats special management is needed or to stop management completely.

- Composing growth prognoses

- Dating the accurate tree age

- Estimating forest productivity

- Analyzing disturbances

- Analyzing climate effect

- Estimating the effectiveness of forest drainage

- Estimating the effect of thinning

The variability of tree-ring width series provides information about environmental changes during the long period. By matching the pattern of wide and narrow tree rings (crossdating) it is possible to find the exact year of formation of each tree. The recovery and development of the stand due to disturbances (thinning, fire, ditching, insect outbreaks, drought, etc.) can be reconstructed using dendrochronological methods.

It is possible to study the growth of coniferous and several deciduous species by using tree ring dating. Tree ring width measurement data enable to estimate the tree’s yearly increment and the stand growth. Based on stand increment data thinning and other management works of stands can be planned. It is possible to examine the growth of conifers and several deciduous trees on the basis of tree rings. Measuring the width of the tree rings allows to determine the annual increase in one tree and also calculate the growth of stand. Thinning and final cutting are planned based on the growth of stand.