IMPACT OF FOREST MANAGEMENT HISTORY ON THE STATE OF FORESTS IN RELATION TO NATURAL FOREST SUCCESSION - COMPARATIVE-STUDY, NORTH KARELIA, FINLAND VS REPUBLIC OF KARELIA, RUSSIAN-FEDERATION

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the recent hist ory of forest management on the state and structure of forests. Compar isons were made between test areas in the south-eastern part of North Karelia, Finland, and the western part of the Republic of Karelia, Rus sian Federation. The test areas are located in the same climatic regio n, but their history of forest management has been considerably differ ent during the past 50 years. They therefore also provide possibilitie s for wider international observations. The total biodiversity of a la rge forest area consists of the existence and area distribution of the forest succession stages. Within these stages the stand structure ref lects the processes of the small natural vegetation succession cycle o f boreal coniferous forests. Considering the factors that maintain pot ential forest biodiversity, it is clearly seen that the forests in the Republic of Karelia are in a more natural state than those of North K arelia. However, considering the natural fire ecology of the region, b oth test areas have a paucity of old forests. When examining the stand characteristics reflecting the small succession cycle within habitats , the forests in the Republic of Karelia have more of the crucial fact ors typical of species classified as threatened in Finland. If mimicki ng the natural dynamics of boreal coniferous forests is taken as a goa l of forest management, the desired habitat diversity can be achieved only by maintaining all stages of the large vegetation succession cycl e. Within the succession stages of young, middle-aged and mature stand s, structural variation and variation of tree species composition shou ld be increased. This can be achieved by means of forest management an d forestry operations, but these policies, on the other hand, may decr ease wood production.