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,. COUNmR¥ REBORmS 35
Fig. 1. Natural forest regions of the Czech Republic.
Current economic importance for the forestry sector
Oak wood is used in the furniture industry, and beech wood is used for example for railway
sleepers and in the building industry. Spruce and pine are still more important
economically. It depends on the level of wood industry. According to the new Forest Law
from 1995, a minimum of 30% of 'melioration' species has to be used, which increases the
resistance of newly established stands. Oaks and beech are often used as the 'melioration'
species.
Silvicultural approaches
Mixed forest stands which contain native broadleaved species such as oaks and beech are
more stable and resistant to air pollution. Air pollution in the Czech Republic is one of the
highest in all Europec;tn countries. Most of the forest stands ar'e artificial with a majority of
monoculture of spruce and pine. An increase in the percentage of broadleaved tree species
increases the stability and resistance to other abiotic and biotic factors.
Therefore, the current forest law prescribes the raising of the proportion of broadleaved
species.
Health state of the forest stands and threats to their genetic diversity
Oaks
At the moment oaks are the second most endangered genus in the Czech Republic after
elms. This situation is a result of the tracheomycosis disease and repeated damages by an
oak leaf roller moth (Tortrix viridana L.). In forest stands without chemical protection no
acorn has been found for several years. The seed crop is not a problem nationally but
regionally. To conform with the new Forest Law (30% of 'melioration' species), practical
forestry needs to import reproductive material from foreign countries. This practice
decreases the native oaks genepool in the Czech Republic and also contaminates with
untested genetic material. From all the imported oaks material, Slavonic oak (pedunculate
oak) has good practical results, but the imports from Croatia are practically nonexistent.