Modelling the Growth and Management of Mixed Uneven-aged Maritime Pine - Broadleaved Species Forests in Galicia,North-western Spain

The state of mixed forests of maritime pine ( Pinus pinaster Ait.) and broadleaved species in the coastal region of Galicia (north-western Spain) was described using data from 213 circular sample plots selected among the available 4700 plots of the Spanish National Inventory. A matrix model was developed for this forest type to obtain information about the productivity and potential for sustainable management. The broadleaved species had a diameter distribution close to the inverted J-shape typical of the uneven-aged forests but for maritime pine there were many medium-sized trees and a lack of trees in the first diameter class of 15 cm. The matrix growth model was used to predict the development of mixed forests for three different management options: no harvesting in a well-stocked stand, a regime with a 5 yr harvest cycle and a residual basal area of 15 m 2 ha -1 in a well-stocked stand, and a rehabilitation management applied to an understocked stand. The results showed the possibility of applying uneven-aged silvicultural systems to these forests, leading to the production of high-value timber and to the maintenance of continuous cover and a biodiverse forest.