Journal of Agricultural, Life and Environmental SciencesISSN:2233-8322(Print) 2508-870X(Online)강원대학교 농업생명과학대학 농업생명과학연구원

Natural forest regeneration effectively protects forest ecosystems and is a low-cost option compared to artificial regeneration. However, this technology requires increased financial resources for tree tending and blank-filling. A better understanding of the productivity and costs for the tending of young trees in a natural regeneration stand is therefore required, particularly in South Korea. This study aims to evaluate the productivity and cost of young tree tending in the naturally regenerated young Pinus densiflora forests. The tending used to control the density level of pine forests (2,000 trees/ha and 3,000 trees/ha) in the young forest stage was divided into three treatments－row operation, regular pattern operation, and irregular pattern operation. The results demonstrated that the productivity in the operational density level of 3,000 trees/ha was statistically higher than the density level operation of 2,000 trees/ha, barring the irregular pattern operation. The amount of work required for each treatment type was also determined to be significantly different (p < 0.01). In addition, the unit operating cost of the density level of 2,000 trees/ha was considerably higher. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data required to improve the productivity of the tending of young trees in naturally regenerated young pine tree forests.