Current State of Curly birch Plantations in Leningrad Oblast

This study presents the results of research on the growth, morphological diversity, and current condition of Curly birch (Betula pendula Roth var. carelica (Mercklin) Hämet-Ahti) plantations established in various years in Leningrad Oblast. The research focused on the largest plantations: «Okhta», «Shapki», Gatchina Seed Production Area (SPA), and Tikhvin Forest Seed Orchard (FSO), named after their respective geographic locations. It was shown that in the «Okhta» plantation, established in 1949 and expanded in 1957, less than 6% of the originally planted Curly birch trees have survived to the present day. This decline is presumably due to high planting density and the low competitive ability of Curly birch compared to other fast-growing deciduous species. In other plantations, primarily established in the 1970s, the survival rate of Curly birch was significantly higher. The highest average tree heights were recorded in the «Okhta» plantation and Tikhvin FSO-2 (19.1 m and 17.3 m, respectively), while the largest trunk diameters were found in the Gatchina SPA (averaging 28 cm at 1.3 m height and up to 62 cm at the base near the root collar). It was also noted that in the «Okhta» plantation, tall-stemmed growth forms predominated (88%), while in «Shapki», both high-stemmed (42.4%) and shrub-like forms (44.4%) were prevalent. In both Tikhvin FSO sites, high-stemmed (about 70%) and short-stemmed forms (about 20%) were roughly equally represented, whereas in the Gatchina SPA, all forms were almost equally distributed (34.6%, 39.9%, and 25.5% for high-stemmed, short-stemmed, and shrub-like forms, respectively). The observed characteristics of Curly birch plantations established in different years in Leningrad Oblast are primarily influenced by the duration of plantation establishment, the genetic traits of the original trees, competitive interactions during the early years of growth, and varying soil conditions at the plantation sites. It was demonstrated that by the first quarter of the 21st century, the primary Curly birch resources (more than 2,000 trees) are concentrated mainly in the Gatchina SPA and Tikhvin FSO and are in good condition. The accumulated experience in cultivating Curly birch in Leningrad Oblast indicates that with appropriate care measures, it is quite capable of growing and thriving, producing good growth and valuable figured wood in a wide range of soil conditions, from sandy to loamy soils. The study concludes that the creation of artificial plantationtype stands is the most promising method for reproducing Curly birch. In the future, these plantations may be used both for scientific research and practical applications.

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