Gembloux Agricultural University Ministry of Walloon Region

The Walloon ForestThe Walloon ForestInventoryInventory

“ENFIN” Workshop

Vienna, June 16-17, 2003

J. RONDEUX - H. LECOMTE - N. BOURLANDJ. RONDEUX - H. LECOMTE - N. BOURLAND

Gembloux Agricultural University

Ministry of Walloon Region

General outline

Context and reference points

Methodology

Account of sustainable development

Conclusion

Context and reference points

Walloon Region

Total volume 109.2 millions m³

Mean girth (150 cm) 100 cm

Spruce stands [S : 36 %] & [V : 42 %]

Total forest area ………...… 544,800 ha

Cover rate (total) .... 32.3 % (B : 22.2 %)

Productive area .….... 477,800 ha (88 %)

Hardwoods 250,300 ha (52 %)

Softwoods 227,500 ha (48 %)Private ownership 249,200 ha (52 %)

1846 - 1980

Decennial Statistics based on land registry

- objectifs and variables roughly

defined- lack of homogeneity between investigation methods (private & public owners)

- gap between the land registry statute and field reality

- important delay between data collecting and availability of results

not reliable...

1978

Setting up and fulfillment by the Gembloux Agricultural University

of an inventory based on sampling methods

- guidelines for a regional forest policy (zonage)

- information collecting for supplying and location of wood industries

- improvement of global forest management

Goals :

1980 - 1984

First inventory :“Picture of the walloon forest”

- very scattered ownership

- diversity of stand types

- human and financial supports

Restrictions :

- high diversity of growing conditions

1988

Towards the permanent inventory

Operational since 1994

Methodology adjustments

1996

“Permanent Forest Resources Inventory” unitcreated into the regional

Nature and Forests Adminisration

Scientific supervision

handled by the


(Unit of Forest Management and Economics)

1997

Integration of parameters related tosustainable development

1999

Semi-electronic recording

Methodology

Type of inventory

- systematic non-stratified

- periodicity : every 10 years

500 m

1,000 m

11,000 sampling plots

1 plot / 50 ha

- one tenth of the area covered each year

Inventory’s first stepMap analysis

1/25 000 NGI

- land use (point

status)- changes monitoring

- woody areas location

- field identification (sampling point)

Inventory’s second step

- 4 concentric circular units (+ 1 special unit + 30 ares zone)

Sampling plots field identification

Radius = 18 m

C150 120 cm

20 C150 < 70 cm

Radius = 4.5 m

70 C150 < 120 cm

Radius = 9 m

C150 20 cmRadii = 2.25 m

Type of collected data

- general and administrative information

- stand description

- site conditions

- tree measurements and individual observations

60 variables for more or less 200 data collected

Data-processing operations and analysis

- encoding : in relation with sampling plots, high forests, coppices, regeneration

- requests at unit, species or tree levels

- + than 40 tables : 19 - initial or processed information 14 - “dictionaries”

10 - work

- results presentation “ à la carte ”

Database management system(MS Access)

Results

Example : distribution of spruce stands by age

Diagram

15%

9%

12%

20%

16%

10%

9%

5% 2% 2%

0-9

10-19

20-29

30-39

40-49

50-59

60-69

70-79

80-89

90-99

100-109

110-119

Map

Histogram

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

0-9

10

-19

20

-29

30

-39

40

-49

50

-59

60

-69

70

-79

80

-89

90

-99

10

0-1

09

11

0-1

19

classes d'âge

Su

rfa

ce

(h

a)

Age classes (years)

TableClasse d'âge Surface (ha)

0-9 23200 10-19 14100 20-29 19500 30-39 32000 40-49 25500 50-59 15400 60-69 14700 70-79 7500 80-89 3600 90-99 2400

100-109 300110-119 200

Age classes (y.)

Outcomes of the inventory

- storm damages evaluation

- industries supplying

- adequacy species - soil

- balance harvesting – growth rates

- stand structure

- sustainable development assessment

- genetic improvement

- etc ...

Taking into account of sustainable development

Special sampling unitsAnd related fields

- circular unit (radius of 12 m)

=> especially for phytosociology

- circular zone of 30 ares

- largest unit (radius of 18 m)

Resources and carbon cyclesHealth and vitalityMultiple functions

Biological diversity of forest ecosystems

Maintenance of protective functionsMaintenance of socio-economic

functions

=>=>=>=>=>=>

<=<=<=<=<=<=

Criterion 1 = Forests resources + C cycles Criterion 4 = Biological diversityCriterion 2 = Health and vitality Criterion 5 = Protective functionsCriterion 3 = Productive functions Criterion 6 = Socio-economic functions

Origin of data : C = map P = 10 ares unit Z = 30 ares zone

Nature of data : I = data collected at the beginning (initial data) N = new data

Collected data

Criteria for sustainable forestry

Note 1 2 3 4 5 6 - forest size - owner type - various territorial units - sampling point status - forest edge description

I I I I N

C C C Z P

Z P

Z

Z

General and administrative data


Origin of data : P = 10 ares unit

Nature of data : I = data collected at the beginning (initial data) N = new data

Collected data


Note 1 2 3 4 5 6 - topography (slope, altitude, exposition, relief) - soil (general description, acidity, humus, etc.) - ground vegetation

I N N

P P

P

P P P

Data related to site


Origin of data : P = 10 ares unit Z = 30 ares zone

Nature of data : I = data collected at the beginning (initial data) N = new data I-N = completed initial data

Collected data


Note 1 2 3 4 5 6 - structure and type of stands - previous situation and stand origin - presence of empty zones and clear cuttings - regeneration type - basic forest functions - presence of drains and ruts - fire, storm and game damages - silvicultural treatments - thinnings and stand regularity - health status and stand quality

I N

I-N I-N N N

I-N I-N I

I-N

Z/P Z

Z/P

Z/P

Z/P

Z/P Z/P

Z/P Z/P Z

Z/P

Z/P Z/P Z

Z/P

Z/P Z/P Z Z

Z

Descriptive data related to the stand


Origin of data : P = 10 ares unit


Collected data


Note 1 2 3 4 5 6 - girth at 150 cm (living trees) - height at different levels (living trees) - qualities and defects of trees - presence of game damages - presence of silvicultural treatments - individual health status - standing dead trees (girth, height, etc.) - fallen dead trees (girth, height, year of death) - fallen branches and stumps (girth, length, etc.)

I I I N I

I-N N N N

P P P P P P

P P P

P P P P P P

P P P

Dendrometrical measurements and individual observations


Field of application : x (= related criterion)



Note 1 2 3 4 5 6 - occupied areas - global standing volumes (different types) - biomass - stock of carbon - number of stems, basal area, volumes - girths, dominant and mean heights - site index - age classes - increment and allowable cuttings

I I-N N N

I-N I I I

I-N

X X X X X X X

X X X X

X X X X X

X X X

Computed data

Criterion 1

Data

Status of sampling pointStand structure and typePrevious land-use activities and stand originDendrometrical measurements (girth, hight, etc.)

Maintenance and appropriate enhancementof forest resources and their contribution

to global carbon cycles

Results

Occupied areas

Results

Occupied areas

Volumes of growing stocks (different types)

BiomassesQuantity of stored carbon

4.7

7.6

2.9

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Arbres morts surpied 1408000 m³

Bois à terre2257000 m³

Total 3365000 m³

Volumesm3/ha

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

180

(ha) 172.4 84.8 59.3 53.9 42.4 15.3 10.8 9.9 8.3

(%) 36.1 17.7 12.4 11.3 8.9 3.2 2.3 2.1 1.7

Pes. Chên.Fe. No.

Autres fe.

Hêt. Pin. Doug. Peup. Mél.

ha x 1000

Oak s. Poplars Larch s.Beech s.

Spruce s. Otherhardw.

Pinewo.

Criterion 2

Data

Tree health (defoliation, etc.)Stand damagesSoil propertiesTopography

Results

Areas, volumes by classes

Maintenance of forest ecosystem

health and vitality

Results


Species / site adequation

31.6

23.821.2

7.8 7.2 6.54.0

9.5 9.5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35%

48.0%13.5%

15.5%

23.0%

Dégâts < 25 %

Dégâts 25- 49%Dégâts 50- 74%

Dégâts > 75 %

Damages

Damages

Damages

Damages

Spru

ce

stan

ds Dou

gla

s fir

st

ands

Mix

ed

soft

woo

ds

Bee

ch

stan

ds

Mix

ed

har

dw

oods

Larc

h s

tands

Preci

ous

bro

adle

ave

s st

ands Pi

new

oods

Oak

stands

Criterion 3

Data

Stand stateStand managementUsual dendrometrical measurements

Maintenance and encouragement of productive functions of forests

(wood and non-wood)

Results


Standard dendrometrical parameters

Results


Standard dendrometrical parameters

11.8

27.1

55.6

78.274.1

86,0 89.3

96.3

0102030405060708090

100

11-12,9 13-14,9 15-16,9 17-18,9 19-20,9 21-22,9 23-24,9 25 et +

Hdom (m)

Prop. de pessières éclaircies (%)% of spruce stands already thinned

Criterion 4

Data

Ground vegetation descriptionStudy of ecotonesSampling point typology (habitat)Dead wood evaluation (trees, logs, etc.)Edges description

Maintenance, conservation and appropriate enhancement of biological diversity in

forest ecosystems

Results

Various occupied areas

Volume

Stand compositionVegetal biodiversity estimation

ResultsVarious areas

56.0 %

27.6 %

10.1 %

4.3 %2.0 %

0

50

100

150

200

250

Surf. 249.8 123.4 44.9 19.1 9.1

1 espèce 2 espèces 3 espèces 4 espèces5 espèces et

+

Surfaces(ha x 1000)

Pessières55.3%

Chênaies16.6%

Hêtraies7.8%

Autres fe.11.0%

Autres Rési.9.3%

1 sp. 2 sp. 3 sp. 5 sp. and +4 sp.

Spruce stands

Other softwoodsOther

hardwoods

Beech stands

Oak stands

Criterion 5

DataTopographySoilSoil structure damagesStructure, type and stand densitySoil physical propertiesRelief

Maintenance and appropriate enhancementof protective functions in forest (soil and water)

Results

Areas estimation

Results

Areas estimation

Various results

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

80000

90000

100000

Surfaces (ha) 27200 25800 51600 9100

Drainage d Drainage h Drainage i Drainage e, f, g.

5.7% 5.4%

10.8%

1.9%

Autres drainages23.8%113700

ha

Drainage normal76.2%364100

ha

229125

172000

60875

8125

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

< 5° 5 - 14 15-29 30 et +

Pente (°)

Surfaces(ha)

Fut. fe.

30.4%

T.S.F.26.8%

Fut. rési.35.0%

Taillis7.8%

Coppices

softwoodsHardwoods

Slope (°)

35.0

Conclusion

Agricultural University of Gembloux (1980, 1990, …)

Nature and Forests Administration (1996, …)

Operator

Sampled areas

Wooded lands 0.1 ha, linear plantations, poplars

Method

Systematic sampling : o rectangular grid (1 pt / 50 ha) o maps 1:25 000, 1:10 000 o 4 concentric circular units (18, 9, 4.5, 2.25 m) + 1 special unit (12 m) + 1 special zone (30 ares)

In a few words

Variables

C150, h, age

Silvicultural and ecological data

Status

Continuous

Cycle of 10 years10 % covered each year over the whole region

o mainly so as to compute criteria for sustainable forestry (Helsinki)

Current and future prospects

Assessment of forest parameters evolution by modelling and computing increment, harvests and available resources

•

Design and construction of the regional forest inventory web site

•

Utilisation of data related to sustainable development parameters (small branches, roots - biomass)

•

Assessment of edges quality and monitoring of changes

•

Improvement of mappings•

Utilisation of GPS for identifying and sampling units

•

Communication tools and certification systems•

...•

The Walloon ForestThe Walloon ForestInventoryInventory

“ENFIN” Workshop

Vienna, June 16-17, 2003

J. RONDEUX - H. LECOMTE - N. BOURLANDJ. RONDEUX - H. LECOMTE - N. BOURLAND


Ministry of Walloon Region

Documents

Gembloux Agricultural University Ministry of Walloon Region