Mixed cultivation of spruce and pine is the best way to ensure a full-density seedling stand

Mixed cultivation means planting or sowing more than one tree species on a site at the same time. Mixed cultivation produces forests that grow well, and are more sustainable and diverse than forests with a single tree species.

When establishing a new forest in Finland, you can order mixed cultivation of pine and spruce from Metsä Group. This means planting spruce and either planting or sowing pine in the regeneration area. The method is particularly suitable for fresh heath forests, where both spruce and pine grow best.

The cultivation method offered by Metsä Group starts with soil preparation in the regeneration area, followed by the planting of spruce and the planting or sowing of pine.

Young stand management is the same for mixed cultivation and traditional cultivation. The most important task is to remove deciduous tree sprouts, which are harmful to the planted and sown trees. After young stand management, the number of spruce and pine per hectare ranges from 1,800 to 2,000, and naturally regenerated deciduous trees are also left in the area.

You do not need to figure out whether mixed cultivation is suitable for the area where you plan to establish a new forest. Metsä Group’s forest specialist will help you choose the right tree species.

The benefits of mixed cultivation: Less damage, more biodiversity

  •  Mixed cultivation helps make full use of the soil’s growth potential, even if the site’s nutrient content varies.
  • Mixed spruce and pine cultivation increases the probability of successful forest regeneration, even if moose eat some of the pine seedlings. If only one tree species were cultivated, there would not be enough density with pine, and a pure spruce stand would have lower growth than a mixed forest.
  • Forests of a single tree species are more vulnerable to damage than mixed forests. Spruce suffers from a lack of water more than pine, which makes it more prone to damage caused by insects —and climate change further increases the risk of such damage. Mixed cultivation spreads out the risks associated with growing pure spruce stands.
  • Mixed cultivation increases biodiversity, as long as the forest is established as a mixed forest from the outset, and a sufficient number of naturally generated deciduous trees is left on the site in addition to pines and spruces during young stand management.

Request an offer on forest management

Request an offer on forest management from your local forest specialist. The forest specialist knows which forest management work needs to be carried out in your forest. Forest management includes for example the establishment of a new forest and young stand management. You can also request an offer in the Metsäverkko service. These services are only available in Finland.

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