Infodoc : Sciences, Techniques et Culture

Based on a comparison between managed and unmanaged forests, the aim of our study is to provide managers with a tentative quantitative analysis of the structural differences between managed and unmanaged mixed beech forests in France from a sample of 213 plots located in 15 lowland and mountain forests. Most structural descriptors were significantly higher in unmanaged forests. There were more very large living trees (+ 105 %) in unmanaged than in managed forests. These trees were also bigger (+ 145 %). The volume of dead wood was four times higher in unmanaged forests. Because of its nationwide scope, our investigation is a first French benchmark study for biodiversity-oriented forest policy, and contributes additional knowledge to a poorly researched area in France.
Basée sur la co[...]

Based on a comparison between managed and unmanaged forests, the aim of our study is to provide managers with a tentative quantitative analysis of the structural differences between managed and unmanaged mixed beech forests in France from a sample of 213 plots located in 15 lowland and mountain forests. Most structural descriptors were significantly higher in unmanaged forests. There were more very large living trees (+ 105 %) in unmanaged than in managed forests. These trees were also bigger (+ 145 %). The volume of dead wood was four times higher in unmanaged forests. Because of its nationwide scope, our investigation is a first French benchmark study for biodiversity-oriented forest policy, and contributes additional knowledge to a poorly researched area in France.
Basée sur la comparaison de forêts exploitées et non exploitées, l’objectif de notre étude est de fournir aux gestionnaires forestiers une première analyse quantitative sur les différences structurelles des hêtraies mélangées exploitées et non exploitées de France, sur un dispositif d’échantillonnage de 213 placettes réparties sur 15 massifs de plaine et de montagne. La majorité des descripteurs de structure est significativement plus élevée en forêts non exploitées. Les très gros bois vivants sont plus nombreux (+ 105 %) et plus gros (+ 145 %) en forêts non exploitées qu’en forêts exploitées. Le volume de bois mort est quatre fois plus grand en forêts non exploitées. De par son ampleur, notre étude constitue une première référence française en soutien aux politiques de conservation de la biodiversité, et apporte une pierre supplémentaire au champ de connaissance jusqu’à présent lacunaire en France.