Changes in the radial growth in two consecutive generations of Scots pine stands were investigated. Two study sites from different locations in Estonia were selected for this study. The stands on both study sites were represented by two consecutive generations growing at the same sites and in the same site conditions. The differences in the radial growth of the successive stand generations were assessed using the average tree-ring widths of the same cambial age of stands at ages of 11–30, 11–40 and 11–50 years. Analysis showed that the radial growth of young generations exceeded that of old stands at the same cambial age. These differences decreased with the increasing age of the stands. The growth of the studied young stands may have been positively influenced by the increased N deposition and elevated CO2 level during the second half of the 20th century. Considering the rising average temperature in the winter months and increasing total precipitation in July during the last century, it may be assumed that long-term climate change may have been a reason of the increasing growth of young generations of pine.
Key words: Scots pine, tree ring, latewood, climate change