<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Forest research has long traditions in Estonia that can be traced back to the 19th century. Data from long-term forest experiments are available since 1921. The first studies mainly focused on silvicultural treatments and application of such data for understanding and modeling ecological processes was limited. The Department of Forest Management of the Estonian University of Life Sciences started to develop the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots (ENFRP) in 1995. Since then, plots have been continuously re-measured with 5-year interval. Approximately 100-150 permanent sample plots were measured annually. In 2014, the long-term research network consisted of 729 permanent sample plots, of which 699 have been re-measured at least once, 667 plots - twice and 367 plots - three times. The total number of trees recorded in the network database amounts to 130,479. The plots are systematically distributed throughout the country. Detailed dendrometric measurements including tree spatial distribution are part of the survey protocol. Initially the network was set up to produce suitable data for development of individual tree growth models for Estonia. The significance of the network for the Estonian forest research is continuously increasing and nowadays ENFRP is recognized as an important national research infrastructure.</p></abstract>

Forest research has long traditions in Estonia that can be traced back to the 19th century. Data from long-term forest experiments are available since 1921. The first studies mainly focused on silvicultural treatments and application of such data for understanding and modeling ecological processes was limited. The Department of Forest Management of the Estonian University of Life Sciences started to develop the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots (ENFRP) in 1995. Since then, plots have been continuously re-measured with 5-year interval. Approximately 100-150 permanent sample plots were measured annually. In 2014, the long-term research network consisted of 729 permanent sample plots, of which 699 have been re-measured at least once, 667 plots - twice and 367 plots - three times. The total number of trees recorded in the network database amounts to 130,479. The plots are systematically distributed throughout the country. Detailed dendrometric measurements including tree spatial distribution are part of the survey protocol. Initially the network was set up to produce suitable data for development of individual tree growth models for Estonia. The significance of the network for the Estonian forest research is continuously increasing and nowadays ENFRP is recognized as an important national research infrastructure.

Monitoring and modeling of forest ecosystems: the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots / Metsaökosüsteemide seire ja modelleerimine metsa kasvukäigu püsiproovitükkide võrgustiku abil

Department of Forest Management, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu, Estonia

Forestry Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Forest research has long traditions in Estonia that can be traced back to the 19th century. Data from long-term forest experiments are available since 1921....

Monitoring and modeling of forest ecosystems: the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots / Metsaökosüsteemide seire ja modelleerimine metsa kasvukäigu püsiproovitükkide võrgustiku abil

Published Online: Feb 19, 2016

Page range: 26 - 38

Received: Apr 28, 2015

Accepted: Sep 18, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/fsmu-2015-0003

Keywords
Estonia, forestry, observational study, modeling

© 2016

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Monitoring and modeling of forest ecosystems: the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots / Metsaökosüsteemide seire ja modelleerimine metsa kasvukäigu püsiproovitükkide võrgustiku abil

Published Online: Feb 19, 2016

Page range: 26 - 38

Received: Apr 28, 2015

Accepted: Sep 18, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/fsmu-2015-0003

KeywordsEstonia, forestry, observational study, modeling

© 2016

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Estonia, forestry, observational study, modeling