Changes in forest management tasks in the Moscow region over 120 years from the end of the XIX century are considered. The analysis of forest exploitation from 1946 to 2018 is given. The principles of forest management have changed conceptually at least three times over the past 120 years. As a result of assigning all the forests of the Moscow region to protective categories, legally imposed restrictive measures have been introduced in forest territories that are largely occupied by artificial plantings, which initially characterized by a simplified structure and reduced thresholds of natural stability. There is an increase in the average age of plantings, the accumulation of standing volume of mature and overmature stands, particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards, the frequency and intensity of which will increase due to projected climate change. Currently, the forests of the Moscow region are losing their protective properties, and their environmental, sanitary, and recreational potential is decreasing. Standing volume of ripe and overmature forests increased 7 times over 50 years before the mass dying off and breakdown of stands related to the 2010 drought, including 25 times in coniferous forests. At the same time, the average age of plantings has almost doubled: from 36 years in 1966 to 62 years in 2016. In the case of mass dying off forests in large areas, forestry is not able to quickly solve the problems that arise. This leads to significant losses of wood, which has time to completely lose its liquidity before it is harvested by sanitary logging, and to large costs for the disposal of this wood. Variants of forest management and reforestation aimed at the formation of sustainable protective forest stands are proposed. The expediency of using natural regeneration in reforestation is proved. On the example of research on stationary objects in the National park "Losiny Ostrov" and “Shchelkovsky” educational and experimental forestry district shows a tendency to a significant increase in the natural renewal of broad-leaved species, primarily linden and Norway maple. In recent decades, complex spruce forests have been replaced by broad-leaved communities in National park "Losiny Ostrov". In General, in "Losiny Ostrov" since 1891, the area of stands with the dominance of linden trees, their age and standing volume are constantly growing. The initial stages of changing spruce forests linden ones are also marked on the territory of the “Shchelkovsky” educational and experimental forestry district. These trends should be taken into account when drawing up long-term forest management plans.
In the district part of «Losynyi Ostrov» National Park the state of plantations bound for clear sanitary felling based on the results of an earlier forest pathological survey was studied. 58 plots with a total area of 98,8 hectares, located in the specially protected and recreational zones of the national park, were examined. «Losynyi Ostrov», which has a relatively small area, is located at the junction of the three forest-growing regions; on its territory there is a unique wetland complex of the Yauza river and its tributaries. This led to a wide variety of natural conditions. At the same time, the national park is surrounded by densely populated urbanized areas. Recommendations to create forest plantations in areas with decayed stands were made, being based on the analysis of the historical experience of creating artificial plantations in «Losynyi Ostrov», edaphic and hydrological conditions, as well as considering the designated purpose of forests within each functional zone. 8 variants of forest cultures are proposed for each functional zone. The main and alternative crop options at each site are considered. The substantiation of the species range and the stand composition of pure and mixed crops, which are determined taking into account the designated purpose of forests, the potential of the forest growing conditions of the site, the type of forest, the type of soils and their moisture content, are given. Taking into account the designated purpose of forests, perennial tree species that are resistant to adverse environmental factors and are capable of forming in the future highly productive, recreationally attractive and long-lived plantations, corresponding to the historically formed natural environment of the national park, are preferable. Pine, spruce, linden, oak and larch are suggested as the main species, accompanied with elm and ash. It is concluded that the density of planting crops of more than 2 thousand pieces/ha in the recreational zone is impractical, since such plantings will be more comfortable for recreation. In a specially protected area, the appropriate planting density is 3–4 thousand pieces/ha.
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