Analisi strutturale e della qualità dei fusti in betuleti dell'arco alpino meridionale occidentale (Piemonte e Canton Ticino)

Structural parameters, natural regeneration and stem quality have been studied in two birch stands with trees 25-40 years old. Goal of this work was the valuation of productive potentiality and silvicultural problems in birch secundary succession forests with complete natural evolution. Pure stands result different from the mixed ones only for few features (dominant high and crown form and lenght, number of species in regeneration phase). Growing stock are about 150-300 m3 ha-1 and mean annual increment is 5-7 m3 ha-1 year-1. The lack of tending in the past can explain both the high number of trees per ha (900-1500) and the relative lack of natural regeneration of the birch. Stem straight and inclination allow to assume their utilization for high quality timber assortments.