Comparison of selected structural elements of managed and unmanaged forest to guide integrated forest management

Traditional clear-cutting of even-aged plantations has become less desirable, with forestry shifting towards more diverse, multi-purpose integrated forest management. This study compared easily selected forest structures in managed forests and forest reserves to guide integrated forest management. The study area includes six managed forest areas and six forest reserves, with management types compared over approximately 50 years. The evaluated areas are part of the university forests of Mendel University in Brno, covering approximately 30 km² of natural deciduous temperate forests, predominantly composed of sessile oak and European beech. A total of 599 inventory plots were surveyed, assessing the presence or absence of selected forest structures in six categories. Twelve logistic generalized mixed models were developed to estimate the probability of occurrence of the observed forest structures based on their management status. Significant differences were found in the categories of dead standing and lying wood, microhabitat trees, and non-native tree species, with all variables showing a higher probability in forest reserves compared to managed forests. The results support the shift towards integrative management by incorporating elements of retention forestry. However, certain variables, such as natural regeneration and species diversity, showed little variation between management types, suggesting that some forest attributes are resilient to management practices.