Associate Professor, PhD, Candidate of Agricultural Science, Department of Botany, Wood Science & Non-Wood Forest Products, Ukrainian National Forestry University,
Tchuprynkastr., 103, 79057 – Lviv, Ukraine, sopushynskyy@yahoo.com
Keywords: beech, wave-grained wood, decorative wood, forest stands, diagnostic model
ABSTRACT
The wave grain abnormality in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) can greatly enhance its commercial appeal. However, beech with wavy-grained wood has been as pulpwood exploited, without exploring management strategies that can improve its potential. Even though the initiation and development processes of wavy-grained wood of beech are still largely unknown, useful silvicultural advice can still be provided for forest managers. The identification of beech with wavy-grained wood before felling, or early in the merchandising process, allows for better protection of log value. Wavy-grained wood abundance could be associated with forest management; it may prove advantageous to keep known curly beech to ensure continued decorative wood production.
INTRODUCTION
Fagus sylvatica L. is one of the main hardwood trees species in Ukraine growing in 525 thousand ha. There are about 32 beech forest types (HERUSHYNSKYY 1996,OSTAPENKO ET AL. 1998). The natural beech forest are mostly concentrated in Carpathian mountains from 250 to about 1250 m about see level. In scientific point of view it is a unique natural lab to carry out the wood quality in the wide meaning. There are many research project of European beech in subject area forestry, silviculture, wood properties and quality, but only a few of them about beech with wave-grained wood (COST E 53 2007, COST E42 2008). Wavy-grained wood is characterized by the unique color, grain and texture that give the appearance of undulating waves as they reflect light differently (Fig. 1). The abnormality of wood significantly increases its commercial appeal (KOHL 2009, SOPUSHYSNKYY 2012).
a) b)
Figure 1: European beech with waved-grain wood (a) growing trees and (b) wood texture
In Ukraine decorative wood is currently undervalued and has been as pulpwood exploited, without exploring management strategies that can improve its potential. Knowing the special features of decorative wood foresters can manage stands with curly beech linking to the target consumers. Hence, the economic value of decorative wood should be corresponded to its real market price. Even though the initiation and development processes of wavy-grained wood of beech are still largely unknown, useful silvicultural advice can still be provided for forest managers. The identification of beech with wavy-grained wood before felling, or early in the merchandising process, allows for better protection of log value. Wavy-grained wood abundance could be associated with forest management; it may prove advantageous to keep known curly beech to ensure continued decorative wood production.
Additionally, by discerning high-value decorative characteristics one could gain significant competitive advantage. For example, furniture, cabinet, moulding and millwork and other value-added manufacturing industries in Europe can take the opportunity to make advantage of the attribute findings.
Increased utilization of the locally grown beech trees may result in profitability for the forestry and wood processing enterprises.
Biological and physical characteristics of beech wavy-grained wood and its distribution have not been subject of special study, and scientific and practical recommendations for its diagnosis, care, conservation and forestry can provide great insight to the forest managers. The identification of this type of wood early in the forestry process allows better log value protection.
There is a lack of peer-reviewed, scientific investigations of the silviculture of beech stands with wavy-grained wood.
The main objectives of this study are to develop diagnostic features for beech wavy-grained wood and to substantiate advices for the management related to the growing curly beech in the Ukrainian Carpathian forest.
The 5th Conference on Hardwood Research and Utilisation in Europe 2012
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was conducted in the natural beech stands growing in the Ukrainian Carpathian (48°18′20″N 25°25′09″E, 400 m above sea level).
Silvicultural and dendrometrical characteristics of broadleaves forest stands were collected by field studies with focus on acquiring and in-depth understanding of beech with wavy-grained wood as well as its forestry potential. Altogether, 6 model trees of beech with wavy-grained wood and 6 of beech straight-grained wood were studied for their morphological features. To systematize knowledge about differences in morphological characteristics of curly beech has been used some specific features (Fig. 2).
1) 2) 3) 4)
Fig. 2. Specific biometric features of European beech: 1) tree (lаn.w. – length of wood anomaly, m; htree– height of tree, m; hspr. crown – spring of crown, m; dcrown – average diameter of crown, m; d1,3m – diameter at the breast height, cm); 2) leaf (lleaf – length of leaf, cm; lstake – length of leaf stake, cm; bleaf – width of leaf, cm; 3) bark (lcrack – length of bark crack, mm;
bcrack – idth of crack, mm; lplate – length of bark plate along the axle-tree, mm; bplate – width of bark plate transverse to the tree, mm; 4) curly grain (λі – length of wave, mm).
The bark thickness (tbark, mm) was determined in the beech trees with smooth and fissured bark. Leafs were collected at the bottom, center and top of the crown. Three variables as the ratio between: lleaf / bleaf, lleaf / lstake and bleaf / lstake were determined. The morphological characteristics of leaf, wood and bark were measured by software AutoCAD 8.0 on the digital photos.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Morphological characteristic of trees are the best diagnostic features of wood quality. They are mainly influenced by genetic and environmental
factors. The genetic of hereditary variation of beech is well characterized by straight-grained and wavy-grained wood and reflected by morphological distinctions (Table 1). The wavy-grained wood of European beech is characterized by valuable decorative features.
Table 1: Morphological distinctions of wavy- and straight-grained beech wood
Variables Wood N, units min М± m max V, % P, % Note: N - Number of samples; min – minimum; М±m - mean and its standard deviation; max –
maximum; V – coefficient of variation; P – accuracy figure.
The beech trees with wavy-grained wood are characterized by smaller height and bigger diameter at the breast height on 20 and 18 % respectively.
The spring of crown of curly beech started at the average height of 7,1 m and the length of anomaly wood is in range of 5-7 m. There are no significant differences in the diameter of crown.
The ration lleaf / bleaf is more on 6 % in the curly beech, and lleaf / lstake and bleaf / lstake – less on 7 and 13 % respectively The average length of wave is
The 5th Conference on Hardwood Research and Utilisation in Europe 2012
estimated about 58 mm. The curly beech is characterized by fissured bark and the ratio of length and width is about 5.
CONCLUSIONS.