Economic aspects of the transformation from even-aged pure stands of Norway spruce to uneven-aged mixed stands of Norway spruce and beech

This study deals with the problem of quantifying economic effects linked to the transformation of even-aged pure stands of Norway spruce to mixed unev en-aged stands of Norway spruce and beech. The investigation is based on a simulation experiment with a single tree growth simulator. A theoretical ap proach is presented in which the economic effects occurring during the tran sformation process (the cost of the transformation) are separated from long -term economic effects occurring after the transformation. The results of t he study showed that the costs of the transformation were highly dependent on the interest rate (IR) chosen. With IR = 1%, the net present value of th e transformation regime is 27% less than the net present value of a convent ional age class regime. A discount rate of 3% reduces these costs of transf ormation to 13%. For the unevenaged model the minimum perpetual yearly net revenue to achieve the same holding value as the age class variant was comp uted. A mixed uneven-aged stand should at least yield 347 Euro per year and per ha JR = 1%). This value is close to net revenues that are achieved by pure uneven-aged coniferous stands under the same price-cost relations. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.