Close-to-Nature Silviculture in Mountain Forests

Close-to-nature silviculture is an approach that seeks to emulate natural forest dynamics by favouring uneven-aged structures, mixed-species stands and low-intensity interventions. In mountain environments, where steep slopes, thin soils and climatic extremes prevail, this approach aims to enhance resilience to windthrow, pests and climate change while maintaining biodiversity and continuous canopy cover. Management techniques include single-tree and group-tree selection, reduced shelterwood and retention of advanced regeneration. By promoting structural complexity and natural regeneration, close-to-nature systems deliver stable timber yields alongside ecosystem services such as soil protection, water regulation and habitat provision. Application across Europe and beyond has demonstrated benefits for carbon storage, landscape connectivity and aesthetic value, underscoring the global significance of these methods for sustainable forest stewardship in rugged terrain.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Foundational work has investigated the physiological and morphological responses of European beech and silver fir across a 1,000 km gradient in montane forests. Under controlled light categories derived from hemispherical photography, beech exhibited maximal photosynthetic efficiency in open canopy conditions, whereas fir performed best under sheltered understory. Patterns of plagiotropic shoot growth and radial increment varied from north-western to south-eastern sites, reflecting a trade-off between drought tolerance and light harvesting. These insights into species-specific ecophysiology inform close-to-nature interventions by identifying optimal microsite conditions for regeneration and suggesting that selective canopy opening can enhance competitive balance in mixed stands.

Close-to-Nature Silviculture in Mountain Forests publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in close-to-nature silviculture in mountain forests across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Close-to-nature silviculture: A forestry approach that mimics natural stand dynamics, emphasising minimal intervention, mixed species and continuous cover.

Uneven-aged stand: A forest stand composed of trees of multiple age classes, maintained through selective harvesting rather than clear-cutting.

Single-tree selection: A harvesting method that removes individual trees to create small canopy gaps and encourage natural regeneration.

Group-tree selection: The removal of small groups of trees to form larger openings that facilitate regeneration of shade-tolerant and light-demanding species.

Natural regeneration: The establishment of new trees from seeds or advanced regeneration already present under the canopy, without artificial planting.

References

1. Response of beech and fir to different light intensities along the Carpathian and Dinaric Mountains. Frontiers in Plant Science (2024).
2. Regeneration dynamics in mixed mountain forests at their natural geographical distribution range in the Western Rhodopes. Forest Ecology and Management (2024).
3. Climate and ungulate browsing impair regeneration dynamics in spruce-fir-beech forests in the French Alps. Annals of Forest Science (2022).
4. Which Are the Best Site and Stand Conditions for Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) Located in the Carpathian Mountains?. Diversity (2022).