Plenterwald, Dauerwald, or clearcut?

Forest landowners are interested in management alternatives which do not involve clearfelling and planting. Also many citizens that do not own forest are against clear-felling do to its harmful effects on amenity values and ecosystem services. Most studies on continuous cover forest management (CCF) deal with regular, steady state uneven-aged forests (Plenterwald), or with the conversion of stands into steady-state structure. However, people who want CCF management seldom want Plenterwald in particular; continuous tree cover would in most cases be sufficient. This type of management corresponds to the German Dauerwald concept. This study compared the profitability of Plenterwald, Dauerwald and clear-cutting schedules in Finnish spruce forests. As expected, Dauerwald was more profitable than cutting schedules that converted the stand into steady-state Plenterwald structure. The difference in net present value decreased with increasing number of conversion cuttings. Clear-cutting and planting was more profitable than optimal CCF only in a mature initial stand when the planted spruces were assumed to grow 20% faster in dbh and height, compared to naturally regenerated spruces. In young, medium-aged and uneven-aged initial stands, CCF was more profitable even when 20% tree breeding benefit was assumed in the plantation that was established in the clear-felling site.