Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dalibor Šafařík Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest and Wood Product Economics and Policy, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Petra Hlaváčková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest and Wood Product Economics and Policy, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: David Březina Title: Determination of standards of raw timber natural losses due to shrinkage at long-term dry storage Abstract: The aim of the article is to describe the issue of determining the characteristics and parameters of raw timber natural losses due to shrinkage at long-term storage, defining the theoretical basis for creating standards, and verify its finding by means of a case study in raw timber storing. This issue is very topical in forestry practice in the Czech Republic as well as in other countries. The lower and upper limits of the standards were calculated, and the proposed mean value was grouped according to woody plants that reflected the most frequent commercial usage with respect to subsequent processing. Subsequently, experimental verification was carried out on a representative sample of 2 209.99 m3 of raw timber of Norway spruce (Picea abies /L./ H. Karst.) at selected forest administrations. Furthermore, the article addresses the related accounting and tax issues of the standards of natural losses of raw timber. Currently, no legislation mandates an entity to establish standards. Keywords: forestry, wood processing, economics, volume losses, natural loss standards, long-term storage, accounting, taxes Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 195-203 Volume: 67 Issue: 5 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/83/2020-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/83/2020-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-202105-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:67:y:2021:i:5:id:83-2020-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michaela Korená Hillayová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Resource Planning and Informatics, Faculty of Forestry (FF), Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia Author-Name: Klára Báliková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Economics and Management, Faculty of Forestry (FF), Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia Author-Name: Blanka Giertliová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Economics and Management, Faculty of Forestry (FF), Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia Author-Name: Josef Drábek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, Management and Business (FWST), Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia Author-Name: Ján Holécy Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Forest Economics and Management, Faculty of Forestry (FF), Technical University in Zvolen, Zvolen, Slovakia Title: Possibilities of forest property insurance against the risk of fire in Slovakia Abstract: Fire is considered one of the major natural hazards that damages European forests and causes losses for forest owner. The forest fires endanger the financial stability of forest enterprises, which may cause their economic decline. One possibility how to cover these losses is to insure forest land against this kind of specific risk of forest land management. The aim of the present paper is to analyse possibilities of forest fire insurance for forest owners and enterprises in the Slovak private insurance market. The market analysis was based on document analysis of general terms and insurance conditions of chosen private insurance companies and interviews with insurance agents. The results show that forest owners and enterprises have only few options for forest property insurance concerning the specific risk of forest fires. Only one commercial insurance company provides such forest fire insurance product for forest owners. This insurance covers material damage to forest land and timber damage. Keywords: forest fires occurrence, risk of forest management, commercial insurance companies Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 204-211 Volume: 67 Issue: 5 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/199/2020-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/199/2020-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-202105-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:67:y:2021:i:5:id:199-2020-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Igor Grigorev Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technology and Equipment of Forest Complex, Yakut State Agricultural Academy, Yakutsk, Russian Federation Author-Name: Anatoly Shadrin Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technology and Equipment for Forestry Production, Bauman University - National Technological University (Mytishchi Branch), Mytishchi, Russian Federation Author-Name: Sergey Katkov Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technology and Equipment for Forestry Production, Bauman University - National Technological University (Mytishchi Branch), Mytishchi, Russian Federation Author-Name: Vyacheslav Borisov Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technology and Equipment for Forestry Production, Bauman University - National Technological University (Mytishchi Branch), Mytishchi, Russian Federation Author-Name: Varvara Druzyanova Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Operation of Road Transport and Auto Repair, Northeastern Federal University Named After MK Ammosov, Yakutsk, Russian Federation Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technological Systems in the Agricultural Sector, Yakut State Agricultural Academy, Yakutsk, Russian Federation Author-Name: Irina Gnatovskaya Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technologies and Equipment of Timber Production, Bauman University - National Technological University, Mytishchi, Russian Federation Author-Name: Roman Diev Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technologies and Equipment of Timber Production, Bauman University - National Technological University, Mytishchi, Russian Federation Author-Name: Natalya Kaznacheeva Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technology and Equipment for Forestry Production, Bauman University - National Technological University (Mytishchi Branch), Mytishchi, Russian Federation Author-Name: Dmitry Levushkin Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technology and Equipment for Forestry Production, Bauman University - National Technological University (Mytishchi Branch), Mytishchi, Russian Federation Author-Name: Dmitriy Akinin Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Transport and Technological Means and Equipment of the Forest Complex, Bauman University - National Technological University (Mytishchi Branch), Mytishchi, Russian Federation Title: Improving the quality of sorting wood chips by scanning and machine vision technology Abstract: Improving the quality of sorting wood waste is the main problem in the timber industry from the point of view of saving energy resources and preserving the environment, associated with the intensity of forest harvesting. Depending on the required quality characteristics, the sorting of wood chips makes it possible to determine their further use in production or utilization as a fuel. This paper presents the results of the development of a novel approach to sorting wood chips on a conveyor belt using machine learning and scanning technology. The proposed methodology includes functions to analyze the fractional size distribution among wood chips and rot detection. It shows that once a defective unit is detected, the quality control system will automatically remove it from the conveyor belt while it is moving. The minimization of wood waste will reduce logging intensity and increase the profitability of lumber enterprises. Keywords: image processing, laser scanning, machine vision, Otsu method, wood, wood chips Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 212-218 Volume: 67 Issue: 5 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/10/2020-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/10/2020-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-202105-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:67:y:2021:i:5:id:10-2020-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nana Goginashvili Author-Workplace-Name: Vasil Gulisashvili Institute of Forestry, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia Author-Name: Natalia Togonidze Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Botany of Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia Author-Name: Irina Tvauri Author-Workplace-Name: Vasil Gulisashvili Institute of Forestry, Agricultural University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia Author-Name: Zurab Manvelidze Author-Workplace-Name: Batumi Botanical Garden, Batumi, Georgia Author-Name: Nino Memiadze Author-Workplace-Name: Batumi Botanical Garden, Batumi, Georgia Author-Name: Stefan Zerbe Author-Workplace-Name: Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy Author-Name: Zezva Asanidze Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Ecology of Ilia State University, School of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Tbilisi, Georgia Title: Diversity and degradation of the vegetation of mountain belt forests of central Adjara (the Lesser Caucasus), Georgia Abstract: The Colchis forests contribute to the biodiversity hotspot in the Caucasus eco-region. We investigated the plant diversity of these forests in the central part of Adjara (W Georgia). The aims of our study were (i) to differentiate the forest vegetation diversity in the mountain belt forests by means of phytosociology, (ii) to associate endemic taxa with the revealed forest types, and (iii) to assess degradation of the forest vegetation diversity by means of environmental abiotic and biotic factors. We sampled the forest vegetation on 135 plots with the size of 10 × 10 m2 and 237 plant taxa were recorded. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to reduce environmental variables to a few orthogonal composed variables. The derived factors (PC1, PC2) were used in ordination analysis to group the plot measured forest vegetation diversity. One-way ANOVA was used for the comparison of means between the separated clusters in PCA. Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis (TWINSPAN) and Indicator Species Analysis (ISA) were applied for the association of the plant taxa with the vegetation cluster groups separated by PCA. Our analysis revealed two general ecologically distinct forest types which were characterized as dry and humid forests. Endemic species had the main occurrence in dry forests of the studied territory which are heavily impacted by the local land use. The results indicated that the vegetation diversity of dry forests is under higher threat of degradation than that of humid ones because these forests are not protected and are subjected to non-sustainable forest exploitation. Additionally, many rural and invasive plant species change the native plant assemblages. Based on our findings, we recommend to the organization which manages the local forests to find a balance between the use of forest resources and protection of the unique floristic diversity of local forests in order to avoid their degradation. Keywords: bioclimatic factors, indicator species, forest vegetation, diversity degradation, endemic plants, nature conservation Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 219-241 Volume: 67 Issue: 5 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/80/2020-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/80/2020-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-202105-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:67:y:2021:i:5:id:80-2020-JFS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jussi Manner Author-Workplace-Name: Skogforsk, Uppsala, Sweden Author-Name: Back Tomas Ersson Author-Workplace-Name: School of Forest Management, SLU, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden Title: Mechanized tree planting in Nordic forestry: simulating a machine concept for continuously advancing site preparation and planting Abstract: As labour for manual tree planting becomes scarcer, regeneration costs are steadily increasing in Nordic forestry. Today's intermittently advancing tree planting machines provide excellent silvicultural results, but are expensive to operate because of poor productivity. In contrast, continuously advancing planting machines, thanks to high productivities, are increasingly being regarded as a solution to these runaway regeneration costs. The Silva Nova was a historical, continuously advancing tree planting machine with high productivity. However, Silva Nova's weaknesses included high labour costs (it required two operators) and the random nature of how it chose planting spots. In contrast, SuperSilva, a purely conceptual modernisation of Silva Nova, involves both automation and microsite identification to make the machine more efficient. We used discrete-event simulation to analyse the stocking rate and spatial distribution of tree planting with SuperSilva. The simulation results showed that introducing sensors for identifying suitable microsites will allow continuously advancing planting machines (like SuperSilva) to plant seedlings in a numerically and spatially adequate manner on moraine soils. Hence, these sensors will increase the competitiveness and versatility of tree planting machines. Unfortunately, such reliable and robust sensor technology (unaffected by a wide variety of operating conditions) is not yet commercially available. Keywords: tree planting machine, disc trenching, discrete-event simulation, reforestation, silviculture, microsite Journal: Journal of Forest Science Pages: 242-246 Volume: 67 Issue: 5 Year: 2021 DOI: 10.17221/203/2020-JFS File-URL: http://jfs.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/203/2020-JFS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/jfs-202105-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnljfs:v:67:y:2021:i:5:id:203-2020-JFS