Ökonomische Kennzahlen eines Fichten-Durchforstungsund-Pflanzverbands- Versuchs zur Unterstützung der Privatwaldberatung

Economic analysis of real and simulated data from long-term planting and tending experiments have the potential to provide forest consulting services with persuasive financially-based arguments in favour of these methods. In this article, such an economic analysis of a Bavarian spruce (Picea abies) planting and tending experiment is described. The experiment, begun in 1974, was initially designed to show the effects of different thinning variants and planting patterns on growth and yield in a spruce forest. In the analysis presented here, real yield data from 37 years are supplemented with data derived from the growth simulator SILVA 2 in order to show yields up to the end of a rotation period of 112 years. Subsequently, net present values and annuities are calculated from the net income of each period. As expected, the results show that continual harvesting schemes (i. e. thinnings) financially outperform a single final harvest of unthinned stands at the end of the rotation period. Furthermore, the arrangement of plants has a substantial impact on total costs, and therefore final financial gains: While a compact planting layout increases timber quality, it can nevertheless not be economically justified due to higher planting costs. Further, if the forest owner is able to take advantage of natural regeneration, he can increase his final net income by minimizing planting costs.