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The complex processes of forest regeneration are important within the overall framework of forest measures aimed at establishing and maintaining forest vegetation, ensuring the continuity of timber production, and, not least, strengthening the ecological stability of forests. The importance of this paper lies in monitoring the artificial regeneration of species in lowland areas. The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of species in the plantations established in 2014 within U.P. IV Cheveres, Lunca Timisu...

In spite that the Hylocomiosa is the second most widespread forest site type in Latvia, the correlations between soil properties, stand structure and ground cover vegetation remain insufficiently studied. The hypothesis of soil heterogeneity within a single forest site type was in ground to research the connection between the woody and ground cover vegetation and the soil parameters within the area of single forest sub quarter. The research was conducted in a young growth of Scots pine, which was characterized usi...

Wind damage causes tree uprooting and breakage, so significantly altering the forest stand structure and stability. The Tervete Nature Park is one of the most important recreational forests in Latvia. However, storms over the last three years have changed the structure of the forest stands in park. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the amount of wind damage and the factors influencing it in forest stands. Fieldwork included the inventory of uprooted and broken trees along a transect line, recording dendrometri...

Windbreaks are key components of agricultural landscapes, mitigating wind erosion, protecting crops, enhancing microclimate stability, and supporting biodiversity. Despite their ecological and agronomic importance, spatially comprehensive inventories of windbreaks remain limited, particularly at regional and national scales. This study presents a semi-automated GIS-based method for identifying potential windbreak structures in the Malacky district of western Slovakia. Using the Land Parcel Identification System (L...

Soil is an essential component of ecosystems, one of the most important natural resources and a significant factor in maintaining ecosystem health and biodiversity. Since 2002, the LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area Frame Statistical Survey) project has been regularly implemented in the European Union to obtain data on changes in land cover and land use patterns, various environmental indicators, as well as indicators characterizing soil properties. Field studies were conducted and soil samples were taken within the frame...

Albania faces increasing wildfire pressure amid hot, dry summers, where extreme temperatures and prolonged drought intensify fire danger. To assess how meteorological fire-danger signals correspond to real wildfire outcomes, this study examines the coherence of the Fire Weather Index (FWI) with two key indicators fire occurrence and fire extension using daily data for July August 2017 2021. FWI values were derived from EFFIS daily rasters for all twelve qarks. At the same time, fire counts and burned-area data wer...

The growth course properties of grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) on different site types are still insufficiently researched, especially, if to compare the forest and abandoned agricultural lands. Due to the species relatively high prevalence in private forest areas in Latvia, which according to the forestry statistics data, equaled 11% in 2023, it has crucial significance to the economy. The paper analyses 40-year-old grey alder stands on abandoned agricultural land, forest land, and forests along the rivers...

This study presents a hexagonal-based geoinformation approach for monitoring forest ecosystems and detecting anomalous changes in Ukraine, where forest resources are under severe anthropogenic and military pressure. Using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, vegetation indices were processed to classify vegetation dynamics and identify areas of significant degradation. A hexagonal spatial partitioning method was applied to improve spatial accuracy, reduce edge effects, and support the quantitative assessment of forest co...

In the more developed European countries, because of the importance given to the poplar species, research in this field has increased, while feeling the need to set up an international coordinating forum. Due to the particularly rapid growth, poplar crops soon produce an important quantity of wood mass that satisfies to an increasing extent the wood needs of society. The wood of this species, with special characteristics, has multiple industrial uses: Timber and light packaging, fibro-woody plates and plywood, fur...

This study examines the impact of the risk of illegal logging on landscape permeability in a region where 8,060 km? of the total area is covered by forests. According to official data, 29% of this forested area is located in zones at risk of illegal logging. Given that forests play a crucial role in maintaining landscape permeability and ecological connectivity, the study employs the CSI index, which integrates the risk of illegal logging, to assess how these activities affect the ecological integrity and function...

The article presents the results of satellite remote sensing to assess the consequences of hostilities in nature protected areas. Since February 24, 2022, 20% of the nature reserve fund of Ukraine has suffered from the war. The real level of damage to the objects of the nature reserve fund as a result of the war cannot be estimated. After all, active hostilities continue, and restrictions are created for environmental activities in the temporarily occupied territories. Therefore, remote monitoring is the only tool...

From a lithological point of view, the studied territory - Central Heating System of Rovinari is made up of deposits and in the depression quaternary deposits are found, belonging to the holocene (gravel and sand). In the Jiu - Motru River the deposits contain 4-6 layers of lignite, of low thickness, so the area was affected by coal extraction. From the point of view of the hydrographic network, except those of the lower order, the waters passing through the region belong to the basin of Jiu and Tismana. These wat...

Bilberries selected from U.P. V. Higigel were investigated for their antioxidative potential using 2,2-dyphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging. In order to determine the total content of polyphenols, the method described by Tamas-Krumpe Octavia and collaborators in 2010 [1] was chosen, consisting in the use of Folin-Ciocalteu reagent 0.2 N and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and the use of gallic acid in different concentrations as a standard. The spectrophotometric determination method based on the formation of the...

In this paper, we intended to analyze non-native plant species that spread uncontrollably and have a visible and quantifiable impact in the analyzed area. The analyzed plant species demonstrate a strong invasive character, overwhelming the native plant species. This fact leads to a loss of biodiversity at the local level, but especially to production loss of the useful biomass on the invaded land surfaces. The aim of this paper is to show a practical method of analysis and evaluation of economic losses at the loca...

In the current society, the topic of global environmental problems that people face in their everyday lives is becoming more frequent. The consumption lifestyle of people has a negative impact on the environment, which causes reduced quality of life on Earth. One of the most important tasks of education is leading children toward sustainable living. The study is focused on a specific pedagogical-didactical approach - Forest pedagogy as one of the options for environmental education as well as building a relationsh...

Forests rank at the top of the natural assets of Romania, both because of their rich biodiversity, and their livelihood-sustaining role. In the ex-socialist countries that entered the tumultuous early-democratic era and faced many socio-economic adjustments, the monitoring of this valuable biome becomes critical for its sustainable management. This study aims to examine 20 years (2001-2020) of forest canopy loss in the Moldavian counties in Romania, using the spatial dataset provided by the GLAD laboratory and the...

The article presents the results of remote monitoring of the consequences of armed aggression, namely the occurrence of fires on the territory of protected areas in the combat zone. In combination with "traditional" data, satellite imagery can play a crucial role in protecting protected areas and providing evidence of environmental violations. Plant and animal life are under threat of destruction from enemy shelling by the Russian army. In addition, there is the uncontrolled spread of fire in the combat zone of Uk...

In Bulgaria, the number of water sources and facilities for drinking and domestic water supply from surface and underground water is about 7,480. They are surrounded by sanitary protection zones (SPZ). Each SPZ has 3 belts, which are organised according to an accepted methodology. With the help of a designed geographic information system, it was found that in Bulgaria forest territories that belong to SPZ around water sources and water supply facilities for drinking and domestic needs have a total area of 576,117 ...

This study aims to observe the spatial distribution of the arthropods biodiversity inhabiting the soil surface of olive groves. For this purpose, a sampling campaign has been carried out in a 15.1 ha plot of this crop. This plot is located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. The study comprised a total of 65 sampling stations for epigean arthropods. Each station consisted of two drop traps, one located under the canopy of the olive tree and the other in the middle of the strip. With the arthropod catch data fro...

Olive pruning mulch modifies the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. They are an efficient soil and water conservation system, while simultaneously improving the organic matter content of the soil. In any case, their effect on soil properties is a function of the densities provided. In any agricultural field, there can be significant variations in plant size, which can affect the amount of pruning obtained. In this research, a spatial sampling of pruning amount collected in olive trees (n=59)...

In a common understanding, tailings dumps are represented as categories of engineering constructions where mined underground rocks are stored together with the useful rock represented by underground coal. And the position of tailings dumps, ordinarily, is on the land around the mining operations. For their location, land is chosen that determines the minimum impact on the environment and requires some of the lowest waste disposal costs. Considering that our world is in a continuous ascension, new techniques and me...

Today, drones are already widely used in agriculture and forestry. Drones can help spray plants, take surface measurements, and estimate the damage caused by adverse weather conditions or wild animals. Drones can also be used in caring for the condition of crops. Traditional methods of detecting threats related to plant disease are time-consuming and ineffective. Thanks to the use of drones equipped with appropriate vision systems, it is possible to carry out quick and precise control of the condition of the plant...

Frequency of storms and wind speeds in gusts had been increasing in Northern Europe in last decades, causing more damages to forest stands. Establishment of mixed stands had been suggested as one of the methods to reduce wind damages in future, however, empirical information on actual efficiency of this approach is still limited, especially in relation to summer storms. Therefore aim of our study was to assess summer storm damages in mixed birch spruce stands. Area influenced by the storm of June 2021 in Northern ...

Putna-Vrancea Natural Park covers an area of about 30204 ha, being declared Natural Park in 2004, by the Romanian Government Decision no. 2151/2004. Putna-Vrancea Natural Park is located in the Curvature Carpathians and includes one of the wildest mountain areas in Romania, shelters many species of flora and fauna of national and international importance such as: Canis lupus, Ursus arctos, Lynx lynx, Rupicapra rupicapra, Cypripedium calceolus, Taxus baccata, Leontopodium alpinum. etc. The present study highlights ...

Arkhangelsk Oblast is a region of The Russian Federation with the most developed forest industry. Here, it used advanced timber harvesting and sawmilling technologies. Arkhangelsk Oblast has a large territory. The area of the region is 330103 km2. The population density is low and amounts approx. 1.91 people per square kilometer. At the same time, about 80% is the urban population. The remaining 20% of the population lives in areas remote from the regional center. Due to a number of circumstances, the infrastructu...

The present paper aims to investigate the opening up of the forest complex Maries -Limenaria of the island of Thassos in Greece and its environmental impacts. Firstthe study of the conditions of the forest road network of the mountain forestcomplex of Maries-Limenaria was done, then the assessment of the environmentalimpacts of the opening up of the above-mentioned complex, by investigating theintensity of the above impacts on the natural environment and the ability of theforest ecosystem to absorb these impacts o...

In the Arkhangelsk Region of the Russian Federation, timber industry enterprises in the logistics of transporting round timber use various types of transport: road, rail, water (barges, timber transport units). Large timber processing facilities of the region are mainly located in the city of Arkhangelsk, which is located at the mouth of the Northern Dvina River. In recent years, water transport has been increasingly used to transport raw materials (round timber) from logging sites to processing plants. For the co...

The forests of south-western part of Zemgale Plain in Latvia are characterized by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands on fertile, nutrient rich soils. The existing information about these sites suggests of the calcium carbonate rich loamy sand soils formed by moraine. The Scots pine stands in area of Tervete National Park reach age of 260 years. The oldest and biggest trees reach considerable dimensions – up to 70 cm in diameter and height of 47 m, thus exceeding the country's average indices. These are the ol...

To preserve and increase the biological and landscape diversity, it is necessary to have comprehensive information about the conditions and dynamics of changes in the study object, a specific local ecosystem. Nature reserves are created to restore habitats, to protect endangered species of flora and fauna, vulnerable or complex species. Particular attention should be paid to the study of wetlands, a stabilizer of the hydrological regime of ecosystems, and a shaping element of the regional climate. It is proposed t...

By studying the dendrometrical indices and vitality of introduced woody plants grown in an arboretum, it is possible to conclude about the success of their adaptation in country's climatic conditions. Growth indicators of introduced woody plants growing in Latvian arboretums can be used to study the introduction and adaptation of woody plants, in accordance with the influence of climatic conditions. The aim of the work was to describe the taxonomic composition and quality of the trees of the Arboretum Lacupite. Th...

Renewable energy is one of the most lenient and convenient ways to get energy. With ongoing climate change and exhaustion of fossil fuels, we need to find and promote other alternatives to get the energy, and wood biomass is one of them. Historically Latvia has large areas of abandoned agricultural lands, that are overgrowing with various wood species, which could be used for energy production. The wood resources are natural, renewable and environmentally friendly. The purpose of research work is to assess the amo...

Biomass is the world's fourth largest source of energy after oil, coal and natural gas. Biomass is the largest and currently the most important renewable energy option and can be used to produce various forms of energy. As a result, biomass, together with other renewable energy options, is able to provide all the energy services needed in today's society, both locally and globally. Among many other aspects, the renew-ability and versatility of biomass as an energy source is also an important advantage. In addition...

In the national policy and development documents of Latvia, forest, along with other natural resources, is defined as an important strategic resource for the sustainable overall development of the country and the development of a diverse and export-intensive economy. At the same time, the need to exploit forests sustainably, reducing the risks to the quality of the natural environment posed by human activities, is emphasized by the documents. The research question is as follows: Are forests in Latvia overexploited...

Nowadays, in the Arkhangelsk region of the Russian Federation, the timber industry is under active development. A quantity of raw materials necessary for the increasing production capacities of timber processing enterprises show an annual increase. Roundwood removes from forest to limber mill by highway, train, water transport, barges and float boat (which, by the way, is one of the main types of transport). The timber processing enterprises on the river channel are equipped with pile piers which help floating tim...

In the last decades in Romanian forests, a massive phenomenon of uncontrolled cut trees was observed, leading to a new environmental problem. In these conditions, the solar radiation affects the seedlings of some tree species as the beech and oak, and generally the entire life from these forests. In the last 5-6 years, a supplementary massive invasion of the white mistletoe was observed, especially associated with the silver fir and beech. The main objective of this paper is to associate the effects of the solar r...

The paper presents the results of research on the radiation balance of coniferous forest ecosystems in the mountain Crimea. Based on open reanalysis databases and the geoinformational modeling results, the elements values of the radiation balance of coniferous forest ecosystems located in different landscape zones and levels are calculated. It is found that for the period from 1983 to 2013 the values of the radiation balance of the mountain Crimea coniferous forest ecosystems vary from 1641.8 to 1836.4 MJ/m2?year....

Air pollution causes plant injury such as burning leaf margins or tips, delayed grown, root damage and premature leaf drop. An increased pollution also influences the leaf water content, the amount of chlorophyll in the plant and the ability to photosynthesize. In this study we have investigated four types of trees in six areas of Galati. Selected areas are scattered throughout the city and have different degrees of pollution. Samples were taken at regular intervals from the start burgeoning until maturity. The tr...

Forest resources are the most significant natural wealth of the state of Latvia. According to the data of the 2nd stage of the forest resource monitoring for 2014, Latvia has 3575 thousand hectares of forest land comprising 55.3 percent of the total territory of Latvia, while the total timber stock estimated at 668 million cubic meters. Each forest stand has a certain amount of undergrowth and understorey ? small dimensions woody plants (shrubs) which is few researched until now. The most precise determination of ...

Local or regional forest loss may be considered a forest management problem that mainly affects countries that lack proper forest monitoring and law enforcement procedures. Romania is an appropriate example regarding this matter, the main issue being the massive illegal cuts that are difficult to monitor, record and sanction. Therefore, the desiderata of precluding this outlawed practice and of preserving the forest cover ? which accounts for almost 29% of Romania?s territory (2015), are not attainable without rev...

The research is carried out to obtain the connection between the Earth magnetic field data and forest stand indices in Latvian forests. The hypothesis has been examined that magnetic field influences the growth of trees. The research object ? Ogre Region was selected according to the magnetic field deviation's map of Latvia. The data of Earth magnetic field measurements via satellite and the forest taxation indices were used ? there was designed the distribution of forest subquarters in belts of magnetic field rad...

The main goal of young forest tending is to create suitable forest stands with desired structure of tree species and certain number of trees for ensuring of sufficient growth space. Tending needs to be done both in naturally and artificially regenerated young forest stands by creating composition of forest stand and releasing space for growth of most perspective trees, which is done by removing trees of poor quality and one lagged behind in growth. Thus tending has a great impact on creating productive forest of h...

Forest tree species monitoring is important for forest management, habitat and biodiversity assessment, as well as carbon cycle estimation. Forest ecosystems provide important services to society, and sustainable management and adapted policies are essential to maintain their ecological and socio-economic functions. For implementing a good sustainable forest management it?s important to know about tree species distribution. To characterize forest was used during the time, field inventories who can provide timely a...

The work analyses an impact of a drainage system, established in 1939 on overgrown pine tree stand in longer period of time. For the purposes of study 14 sample plots, established by scientists K. Buss and P. Zalitis during the 50's and the beginning of 60's, were remeasured. Sample plots were organized in the Myrtillosa turf. mel., Vacciniosa turf. mel., and Callunosa turf. mel. forest site types. Stands basal area increased in all compared forest site types, maximal being 41.7 m2 ha-1 in Myrtillosa turf. mel. fo...

Considerable efforts have been devoted to the exploration of Latvian forest resources as the most significant national natural wealth. The State Forestry Research Institute is conducting the statistical forest inventory, is fixing the data of felling and recovery of forest stands. Detailed statistical information for the assessment of different aspects is available. In recent years, the consumption of certain woody biomass products, such as chips and pellets, has a tendency to grow, due to a number of factors: the...

Forest resources are the most significant natural resources of the state of Latvia. According to the second stage data of Forest Resource Monitoring, in 2014, Latvia has 3575 thousand hectares of forest land, which accounts for approximately 55.3 percent of the total territory of Latvia, while the total wood stock is estimated at 668 million cubic meters. A considerable part of it can be used for energy production, thus practically providing most of the necessary heat energy, a large part of the amount of electric...

The broadleave tree species have always been in the focus of attention of forest managers and owners because of valuable wood. Moreover, the presence of broadleaves increases the forest biological diversity. There is only a limited selection of tree species in Latvia ? the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karsten), silver birch (Betula pendula Roth), pubescent birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.), black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.), less represented - common ash (Fraxinus excelsi...

The research investigates the relation between the magnetic field deviations and the forest stand volume. The object of the experiment for the study of wood stock and related quantities was selected on the basis of the magnetic field deviations map. The Ogre Magnetic Field Anomaly Region has been selected for the research. The magnetic anomalies (magnetic field deviations) data were created digitally: a full polygon layer with values, vectorial data were obtained by adding the measurement data of the magnetic fiel...

In the current forest typology?s scheme of Latvia the descriptions of vegetation are based on corresponding forest type?s ground vegetation in maturity stand. However, in practical forest management it is important to know forest ground vegetation?s development through all foresty cycle and valuate phytocoenoses state in every stand?s age and development?s stage. There are significant changes in ground vegetation?s taxonomic structure, projective covering and vertical structure in all forest types from clearing ti...

In Latvia, English oak Quercus robur L. planting material is grown both as bare-root seedlings and bare-root plants. Its breeding is difficult, because the quality of planting material is affected by both abiotic and biotic factors. Damage caused by various factors may be spread evenly and unevenly in the area of cultivating planting material. The most common damage to seedlings and plants can be observed already in the spring, when new leaves begin to flourish and new shoots develop. It is clear that differences ...

The research analyses and evaluates changes of dendrometric indices of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) young growths over years, characterizes the impact of various factors on growth course. The investigation includes data of 84 sample plots arranged in western, central and eastern regions of Latvia. The established sample plots comprise forest compartments in Vacciniosa, Myrtillosa, Hylocomiosa, Vacciniosa mel. and Myrtillosa mel. site types. The data obtained in sample plots were collected in period between 201...