In southern Sweden, beech (Fagus silvatica) and Spruce (Picea abies) are two species with similar demands on soil properties. With increased global warming and high acid deposition the future may bring larger areas were the two species are overlapping, competing for the same soil. The aim of this study was to compare Spruce and beech concerning distribution, cultivation and soil properties. From available data comparisons were made between Spruce and beech forests in Sweden. Soil analyses were made on samples from beech forest in southern Sweden, with and without natural regeneration of Spruce.

Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) is not considered to be a native species to Swedish forests. It´s origin is the pacific coast of Northern America, an area that is dominated by a coastal climate which makes it likely to believe that it would be well suited for growing in the south-west of Sweden. This study aims to investigate the gain in production that can be reached by growing sitka Spruce instead of Norway Spruce (Picea abies) in the county of Halland. A regression model based on data from forest experiments was produced to explain the gain in production. This model was based on elevation and annual precipitation. The model was then used to create a map layer in arcGIS that shows the gain of volume in comparison to Norway Spruce in percent. An analysis was carried out to find what share of the forestland in Halland county that fell into four different classes of production gain.

Productivity of Norway Spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) was studied on 12 sites in coastal areas of northern Sweden. On each site, sample plots were placed in adjacent Norway Spruce and Scots pine stands with similar ages in between. Basal area, tree height, Site Index, volume production, simulated maximum mean annual increment (MAImax) and tree vitality were compared for the two species. Average basal area at the time of measurement was 30.4% larger for Scots pine stands than for Norway Spruce stands. The difference between the two species in basal area increment during the last 10 years was related to stand age.

Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) is a tree species that have its natural distribution along the West Coast of North America, from Alaska in the north to northern California in the south. Sitka Spruce is a typical coastal tree species that can reach heights up to 85 meters and occurs in single pure as well as in mixed stands. The main purposes of this study were to describe the Sitka Spruce growing characteristics and the volume production in comparison to Spruce (Picea abies). The possibility to predict future volume production by using prognosis tools designed to be used on Spruce were also studied. The material that has been used in this study are permanent sitka trials established by the Faculty of Forestry fixed Sitka trials and also material gathered in this study. A literature study was also carried out in order to determine the Sitka Spruce growing characteristics. Sitka Spruce has a high adaptation and a high volume production on a broad scale of soil types. The tree species is a pioneer species that has a fast early growth and in combination with sharp needles it is less susceptible to animal browsing than Spruce. The factor that is the single most limiting factor for where the Sitka Spruce can be planted is frost. This factor can be limited by using plant material with a well-suited provenance. According to the literature, the Sitka Spruce has an average total volume production that is between 20-40% higher than Spruce.

The aim of the study was to compare how the population of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Spruce (Picea abies) have changed between 1927 and 2013 in the oak landscape south of Linköping. A field study was carried out in 22 two kilometre lines which also had been studied in 1927. In these lines, which where ten meters broad and had a direction from west to east, the pines and Spruces were counted, measured and classified by steam diameter. The obtained result was that the basal steam area (m²/ha) had increased for pine (44%) and Spruce (57%) between 1927 and 2013. The amount of trees had increased in all diameter classes except thinner pine and Spruce with a diameter of 5-10cm.

Birch is the dominant deciduous tree species in Sweden but only 16 % is found in pure birch stands. The majority of the birch (51 %) is to be found in conifer dominated stands. Swedish forest land comprises approximately of 23 % mixed stands and one problem is that for mixed stands there are few management recommendations. The underlying aim of this thesis was to study the management of mixed forest stands of Spruce and birch to achieve good timber quality of birch. The study was based on a literature study and measurement in a field experiment launched in 1998 by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).

The purpose of this report was to investigate if there are any correlation between Spruce medium height in young Spruce stands and the number of birch stump shoots. The purpose was also to investigate if there are any correlation between the Spruce height growth after clearing and the mean height of birch stump shoots. The reason for this investigation is that the problem with birch stump shoots after clearing can be expensive if there must be additional clearings before the first thinning. The study provides no apparent association and therefore no special clearance height is recommended. In the final stages of the work there are given some comments on the study´s weaknesses. Finally topics for further research are suggested..

After the mandatory rules for clearing was removed in 1994, the clearing area has increased in Sweden. After the storms Gudrun and Per, the areas became planted with new plants, mainly Spruce, but also other tree species. Storm areas are now being invaded by naturally rejuvenated birch in the tilling tracks. Since the birch often is initially growing faster than the Spruce it is inhibiting the growth and is also damaging the Spruce. The purpose of this thesis is to study the new brush saw with chain and compare it with the conventional clearing saw, mainly in terms of performance and ergonomics. The results show that the new brush saw with chain is very good in almost all clearing operations compared to the conventional clearing saw.

This survey was made during the summer of 2004 and the spring of 2005, on commission from the National Board of Forestry. The aim of this report was to investigate how often Norway Spruce (Picea abies L. Karst), is planted on poor Scotch pine (Pinus Silvestries) sites and if it affects the yield of Norway Spruce? In order to investigate this, data from 29 stands witch had a lower site index than T24 was collected. The investigated stands were situated in the southern-eastern Sweden. In 20 plots in each stand, the highest tree, age, number of seedlings, site index and tree species per stand were measured.

After the mandatory rules for clearing was removed in 1994, the clearing area has increased in Sweden. After the storms Gudrun and Per, the areas became planted with new plants, mainly Spruce, but also other tree species. Storm areas are now being invaded by naturally rejuvenated birch in the tilling tracks. Since the birch often is initially growing faster than the Spruce it is inhibiting the growth and is also damaging the Spruce. The purpose of this thesis is to study the new brush saw with chain and compare it with the conventional clearing saw, mainly in terms of performance and ergonomics. The results show that the new brush saw with chain is very good in almost all clearing operations compared to the conventional clearing saw.

The storm Gudrun January 8-9 2005 felled about 70 millions cubic metres forest in southern Sweden. The majority of the wind damaged forest was Spruce (Picea abies). In order to decrease the risk of wind damages in the future other trees species are of interest for forestry in southern Sweden. The purpose of this master thesis was to study if larch were more wind tolerant than Spruce. The method was to compare larch, Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi Lamb.), European larch (L.

Swedish forests are dominated by just two conifer species Norway Spruce and Scotch pine. They are not able to achieve the highest possible production or fulfill industry demands for raw materials. The introduction of exotic conifers can potentially meet these shortcomings and present a relevant solution. This study was conducted in a block experiment with ten blocks planted in 1987 by SCA in North Sweden. The objective of the block experiment was to study if Black Spruce is an appropriate alternative to Lodgepole pine, Norway Spruce and Scotch pine on different site classes.

A common problem in forestry is plant death caused by frost. The risk of frost is highest on wind protected, flat or low-lying areas in the terrain. Here you often have regeneration problems with Norwegian Spruce which is especially sensitive to spring frost. Swedish tree experiments have shown that the black Spruce can be a suitable alternative on these areas, for example on moisture frost prone areas. The species originates from North America and its pioneer tree characteristics make it more frost hardy than Norwegian Spruce.

In Scandinavia, capercaillie are often associated with pine trees (Pinus sylvestris) in winter, with pine needles as the main diet. Few dietary studies have been conducted in Sweden and winter diet is subject to little debate. The interesting thing is that this "pine specialist? is also found in Spruce (Picea abies) forest habitats where pine is scarce or unavailable. In many studies outside Sweden (primarily Central Europe) Spruce is regularly observed in the winter diet, but I have found no reports on the selection of the diet in Spruce forest areas in Sweden.

The Spruce bark beetle (Ips typographhus) is one of the 25 000 species of insects in Sweden, an insect of great economic importance because it can alone terminate forest of high value. During the past decade, insights of climate change received with increasing attention. If the future brings a milder climate in the north and therefore a longer growing season, one would think that it would only affect the forestry to the better? Yet in recent time, outbreaks after storm felling seems to occur more frequently. The Spruce bark beetle ruins millions of cubic meter of Norway Spruce (Picea abies) in Sweden alone, with more frequent storm felling and a larger amount of wind thrown threes in the forests there will also be room for an advancing reproduction.