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Ongoing coniferous monocultures decline in Beskydy Mts. Slovakia, emerged into establishment of Demonstration object of reconstruction of spruce forests (DORS) Husárik, focused on various technological processes of regeneration of economically important tree species. For Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) assessment of less frequently used artificial regeneration technologies, including planting of containerized transplants (CRT) or direct seeding procedures (direct seeding DS, seeding into vegetation cell VCS) and commonly used planting of bareroot transplants (BRT) was carried out. Seven years after experimental plot establishment, the lowest survival rate was recorded for DS treatment with 42% survived seedlings, the highest for CRT treatment with 79% survived transplants. For germinated seedlings, average seeding spot occupation rate recorded for DS (72%) was significantly lower than for VCS (98%) one year after seeding and remained significantly lower also over further consecutive years. Average survival recorded for planted transplants over monitored period did not differ markedly and gradually decreased to 76% for BRT and 79% for CRT. Reflecting different ontogenetic stage of individuals assigned to selected treatment average height 134.6 cm for DS, 134.1 cm for VCS and 182.0 cm for CRT, 215.0 cm for BRT was recorded seven years after establishment. The results suggest that for spruce, less frequently used artificial regeneration technologies (VCS, CRT), that markedly curtail time period required for target tree species installation on planting sites, with survival and growth rate of plants recorded in this study, could provide reasonable alternative to commonly used planting of BRT.

In response to the decline of Central European spruce monocultures driven by various factors, the Demonstration Object of Reconstruction of Spruce Forests (DORS) was established in Husárik locality, Javorníky Mts., northwestern Slovakia. The area includes the Husárik trial site, where the applicability and efficiency of different artificial regeneration methods are studied. The trial was established on a 24-ha area cleared following the outbreak of spruce bark beetles in 2011. Its altitude is 800 m a.s.l., aspect NW, slope 30%, the soil is Ranker on the soft flysch sandstone bedrock. Our study covered 4 conifers - Norway spruce (spruce), European larch (larch), silver fir (fir), and Douglas fir (doug fir). Each species was regenerated using 4 different approaches: planting of commercial bareroot transplants (BR), planting of container transplants (CON), direct seeding (DS) and vegetative cell seeding using seed shelters (VCS). Results concerning the nine-year development of transplants and seedlings, along with the calculation of cost-efficiency, are presented. As to the species, BR and CON transplants of spruce and larch reached the best survival and height. The DS larch was the most cost-efficient method of establishment of a successfully established plantation (survival > 50%; stem height > 2/3 of the weed height; ratio of damaged individuals < 50%) with a total cost of 2 372 EUR·ha-1. On the contrary, the slow initial growth of fir and Douglas fir and their extensive damage resulted in the incomparably higher cost of establishment of their successfully established plantation, such as 4 980 EUR·ha-1 for five-years-old BR fir transplants. Our findings documented that current efforts related to the restoration of salvage-felled clearings remained difficult, especially in the case of introduction or reestablishment of coniferous tree species more vulnerable to open site conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]