COST Action E 52 - vTI - Bund.de

standing in the regenerating area. However, problems with natural regeneration arise in stands with
disturbed structure, where canopy openings give rise to invasion of weeds which impair normal
regeneration. That is why seed and nursery raised stock have increased in importance due to
interventions needed in the stands undergoing a regeneration phase. Interventions constitute measure
of artificial regeneration in normal beech stands on the basis of inadequate natural regeneration, or
a tending measure in the adequate stocking of insufficiently regenerated areas. Seeds and seedling
are also frequently used in uneven-aged beech-fir stands, in which increasing fir dieback creates
gaps, as well as in the conversion of deciduous and coniferous forest of other species established
in potential beech sites (Matić, Oršanić, Anić 2003). In those cases and according to the law on
forest reproductive material, seeds and seedlings should originate from the same provenance region,
respecting altitudinal distribution types.
The regeneration of beech stands is based on the shelterwood method consisting of three to five cuts
(so-called: preparatory cut, seed cut, one or two additional cuts and the final clearfell). Regenerating
cuts are applied on smaller or larger areas and regeneration periods range from 10 to 20 years.
The selective cut method has been applied for regeneration of mixed stands of European beech and
silver fir in the mountain zone of the Dinaric region (Matić, Skenderović 1993, Matić, Oršanić,
Anić 2003).
seed ZoNe deLINeaTIoN aNd ForesT reProducTIve maTerIaL
LeGIsLaTIoN
The first seed zonation of European beech forests in Croatia was made in the 1950s (Šafar 1958), and
afterwards by the Department for Control of Forest Seeds in 1963 (Gradečki, Poštenjak, Regent
1990). Another zonation was made in the 1990s (Gračan et al. 1995, 1999).
In 2008, a new seed delineation was made according to the regulations on provenance regions of
economically important forest tree species, made under the Law on Forest Reproductive Material
(Official Gazette 2005). The European beech forests are delineated in four provenance regions and
eleven seed units (Fig. 1).
2.2. Provenance region of mountain beech forests (300 – 800 m a. s. l.)
2.2.1. Dilj and Psunj seed unit
2.2.2. Zagorie and Bilogorie seed unit
2.2.3. Žumberak and Pokuplie and Banovina seed unit
2.3. Provenance region of Pannonian beech and fir forests (800 – 1,000 m a. s. l.)
2.3.1. Papuk seed unit
2.3.2. Slieme seed unit
2.3.3 Zagorie seed unit
3.3. Provenance region of Dinaric beech and fir forests ( 00 – 1,200 m a. s. l.)
3.3.1. Gorski kotar seed unit
3.3.2. Kapela and Velebit seed unit
3.4. Provenance region of coastal beech forests (800 – 1,000 m a. s. l.)
3.4.1. Istra seed unit
3.4.2. Velebit and Dinara seed unit
3.4.3. Mosor and Biokovo seed unit
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