PROJECTS WITH THE INSTITUTE OF LOWLAND FORESTRY
In cooperation with the Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, a project entitled “Research and Improvement of the Vitality and Production Potentials of Forests” is being implemented, which includes the following sub-projects:
- Protection from Harmful Factors in Nurseries, Plantations, Cultures, Seed Objects, and Stands;
The project is carried out through permanent monitoring of the health condition of selected forest objects, identification of pests, assessment of the level of endangerment, provision of instructions and specialised support in controlling the most important forest diseases and pests, as well as training and education of forestry experts in forest estates and forest administrations. - Programme of Cooperation in the Work of the Forecast and Reporting Service on Forest Protection Activities in the Territory of PE “Vojvodinašume” and Activities Related to the FSC Certificate in the Field of Forest Protection.
Research within the programme of the Forecast and Reporting Service, i.e. forest protection in the territory of PE “Vojvodinašume”, is harmonised with the provisions of the Plant Health Act (formerly the Plant Protection Act) and the Regulation on Forecast and Reporting Activities in the Field of Plant Protection. In cooperation with the Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, as the authorised organisation for forecast and reporting activities in the territory of AP Vojvodina, PE “Vojvodinašume” has undertaken the obligation to carry out specific diagnostic and reporting tasks in the forests under its management, such as: monitoring population levels of harmful organisms, monitoring the health condition of forests, plantations and forest nurseries, monitoring and controlling the effectiveness of applied protection measures, etc. The work programme includes the monitoring of forest tree diseases (Cryptodiaporthe populea, Scirrhia acicola, Microsphera alphitoides, Marssonina brunnea, Melampsora spp.) and harmful insects (Lymantria dispar, Chrysomelidae, Erannis defoliaria, Operophthera brumata, Scolytidae); - Research and Control of Weed Vegetation in Nurseries and Poplar, White Poplar, and Black Locust Plantations, as well as in Regenerated Pedunculate Oak Forests.
The programme for the control of weed vegetation in nurseries, poplar plantations, and regenerated pedunculate oak forests includes research on the possible application of herbicides in the protection of these forest objects. The main objectives of the research are to increase efficiency in weed control, identify selective herbicides with minimal adverse environmental impact, reduce weed control costs, and ensure compliance with international standards in pesticide application. - Selection of Genotypes of Forest Tree Species for Improving Forest Health and Increasing Productivity
The creation of different genotypes of forest tree species is a long-term process, carried out through several complex procedures, in order to develop and introduce into production those genotypes that possess desirable traits, primarily low susceptibility to diseases, low insect preference, high adaptation potential, and fast growth. As a specific activity, and for the purpose of improving forest health and survival during the establishment of plantation stands of white poplar clones, research is being conducted on the effects of using bare-root seedlings planted with deep planting, for those clones planned to be introduced into the process of recognition and registration as a variety, as well as for genotypes intended to be used as standards in this process, in order to establish the appropriate varietal technology. The tests are being conducted in experimental plantations; - Determination of Site Conditions in Plantations with Impaired Health Status and Recommendation of Measures for Improvement
The habitats of poplars and willows, located in the floodplains of major rivers and belonging to the complex of alluvial–hygrophilous forests, represent some of the most dynamic ecosystems, both due to the distribution and dynamics of plant communities, as well as soil formation, changes in the hydrological regime, and anthropogenic influences. In such bioecological conditions, poplar and willow production is carried out based on the relation variety–site–technology. In this regard, knowledge of site properties is one of the key factors of this technological process, where earlier research established that soil characteristics play a decisive role in the production potential of the site. The overall activities were carried out in several successive phases, such as: field studies of sites, laboratory analyses of soils, definition of soil systematic units, preparation of digital pedological maps for specific management units, and selection of tree species for afforestation, i.e. varieties with appropriate technologies for plantation establishment and tending. - Control and Suppression of Rodents in Forestry
It is well known that the population density of certain species of mouse-like rodents varies seasonally or over multi-year periods. In outbreak years, they cause severe damage to forest seeds, seedlings, and young plants. During multi-annual fluctuations in abundance, occasional population calamities may occur, which significantly affects the extent of damage, reaching the scale of a true catastrophe. Therefore, it is clear that there is a need to study and monitor rodent populations and to identify possibilities for effective and environmentally acceptable methods of controlling their population density.
In accordance with the above, the following activities are being carried out:- proposing preventive and other control measures based on scientific, professional, theoretical, and practical knowledge of issues related to the population biology and ecology of certain rodent species,
- increasing the level of awareness and knowledge of employees on rodent control measures and monitoring methods through education in the form of presentation of research results, as well as practical demonstration in the field, and
- implementation of measures for the control and suppression of rodents;
- Research and Analysis of the Rotation of Clonal Poplars
The cultivation of clonal poplars requires rational and well-planned management in order to maximise the potential of the site and the species, while at the same time achieving satisfactory financial effects. The current rotation of 25 years for clonal poplars is uniformly applied to all site conditions and to all poplar clones. In the meantime, there have been changes in felling technology and the processing of timber assortments (e.g. the use of harvesters), as well as technological changes in the field of wood processing, which have also influenced market demands for certain timber assortments. In view of the technological advancements applied in modern forestry, as well as the justification of financial investments in intensive poplar plantations after a certain age, the preparation of a comprehensive analysis has begun on the current justification of the 25-year rotation, with the aim of defining the optimal rotation length in relation to soil type and clone selection.
PROJECTS WITH THE FACULTY OF FORESTRY
In cooperation with the Faculty of Forestry, the following projects are being implemented:
- Work Standardisation in Forestry with Special Emphasis on the Selection of Optimal Work Technologies in PE “Vojvodinašume”
Within the project, work standards and norms in forestry in PE “Vojvodinašume” are being established. This project represents a continuation of the project “Research on the Effects of Work of Tractor Teams and Establishment of Work Standards and Norms in Forest Utilisation with Special Emphasis on Staff Training for Standardisation Tasks”, which had been implemented in the enterprise for a number of years. The activities included comprise the recording of work effects in forest utilisation, silviculture, and forest protection; recording of energy consumption in forest utilisation, silviculture, and forest protection; processing of recording data; calculation and verification of work standards and norms; analysis of the effects of equipment subjected to recording; and proposals of measures for the improvement of existing work techniques and technologies. - Research on the Technical and Technological Aspects of Wood Biomass Utilisation and the Market Potential for Wood Chips Placement
Wood biomass originates from forests of various silvicultural forms, energy plantations, cultures, and plantations. As an energy raw material, it includes fuelwood, wood residues, stumps, and by-products from the wood industry. The share of these categories of wood in the total volume varies depending on tree species, stand quality, and stand and site conditions. In addition, shrub biomass may also be used for energy purposes, provided that technical, economic, and ecological preconditions exist. Forest residues in areas where conditions allow are utilised by the local population with a certain fee, and in some cases without compensation, under the condition that residues are removed to enable the commencement of new production processes. In areas where the local population has no interest in utilising forest residues, the enterprise’s own workforce and machinery are engaged in collection and removal, which requires certain financial expenditures. Furthermore, after felling and processing of timber assortments by harvester, a portion of wood volume remains which can be further processed. In line with the above, research is being conducted on the possibilities of utilising wood biomass from both technical and economic aspects, with the aim of proposing more favourable technological solutions so that wood biomass can be offered on the market, including from sites not accessible to the local population. The objective of the research is to determine the most favourable technological option based on the assessment of production effects and the wood biomass market in Serbia and beyond. - Development of Volume Tables for Poplar Plantations Managed by PE “Vojvodinašume”
There are numerous methods for calculating the volume of forest stands, but in terms of simplicity of application and accuracy of results, the method of volume tables, i.e. tariffs, stands out. Therefore, this method is widely applied in both Serbian and European forestry practice, and it has been integrated into the software package “Osnova”, which is used in Serbia for processing data from terrestrial forest inventories. The basic prerequisite for the application of this method is the existence of reliable and up-to-date volume tables for individual tree species. The reliability of volume tables, among other things, depends on the degree of conformity between the form of the trees on which the tables were developed and the form of the trees for which volume is being determined. From this, it unequivocally follows that there is an exceptionally strong correlation between tree volume and tree form.
The form of a tree is subject to constant changes over time under the influence of altered site and stand conditions, which leads to an increasing disproportion compared to the form of trees on which the existing volume tables were developed, and ultimately to growing errors in determining volume using this method. Thus, volume tables do not have a permanent character; according to scientific and professional knowledge, their periodic verification and updating are necessary, and in the case of major discrepancies, the development of new volume tables is required. The practical use of existing tables has demonstrated significant deviations compared to the actual volumes of poplar trees, resulting in problems in planning the management of these forests. In view of this fact, the aim of the research is to reduce the discrepancies of the existing volume tables to an acceptable margin of error (±8%) and thereby obtain reliable data on the volume and volume increment of poplar plantations, as essential elements in the management planning process. - Research on the Impact of the Moisture Regime on the Site Conditions of Pedunculate Oak in the Srem Forest Area and the North Bačka Forest Area
The implementation of research activities in the territory of PE “Vojvodinašume”, FE “Sremska Mitrovica” and FE “Sombor” entails the continuation of field data collection on groundwater levels, laboratory research on groundwater quality, as well as their analysis for the purpose of determining the moisture regime and its impact on pedunculate oak forests in Ravni Srem and the Upper Danube region.
