Toppinen, A., Vitanen, J., Leskinen, P. and Toivonen, R. 2005. Dynamics of Roundwood Prices in Estonia, Finland and Lithuania. Baltic Forestry, 11 (1): 88-96

This study analyses the development of Estonian, Finnish and Lithuanian roundwood markets using nominal monthly time series of delivery prices of pine, spruce and birch sawlogs and pulpwood from the time period of January 1996 – July 2004. The question whether any long run relationships between the wood assortment and species prices in the three countries exist is studied using the Johansen’s co-integration method. The Estonian and Lithuanian roundwood prices have approached the Finnish price levels, but long run equilibrium relation-ships were only found between spruce sawlogs in Estonia and Lithuania, and in Finland and Lithuania. These results indicate that the roundwood markets in the Baltic Sea Area are not yet integrated with the exception of spruce sawlogs. Thus, the regional roundwood supply and demand characteristics still play an important role in these countries.

Key words: Baltic Sea Area, roundwood markets, cointegration analysis, long run economic relationships.

Heikkilä, J.Ylimartimo, M. and Mäkinen, P. 2005. Time Consumption, Work Quality and Cost of Mechanised Precommercial Thinning. Baltic Forestry, 11 (1): 73-79

Costs of precommercial thinning (PCT) have increased quite steadily in Finland for a long time. Therefore effective PCT methods must be developed. Although there is still development potential in manual PCT, mechanisation has been considered as a solution to decrease costs of PCT. Machines haven't become common in PCT yet. The most important reason for this is low productivity resulting in high operation costs. If mechanised PCT becomes real business for entrepreneurs and machine manufacturers, technical problems are most likely to be solved. In this study two prototypes of boom-mounted cleaning devices were studied. Prototypes were manufactured by private entrepreneurs. Productivity, work quality and operation costs of these cleaning devices were estimated. Average time consumption of both machines was around 7.5 effective hours/ha in a pine-dominated stand with total density of around 7 000 stems/ha and average cutting diameter of stems around 5 cm. Costs of mechanised PCT in this study were over two times higher than those of manual work.

Key words: mechanised precommercial thinning, cleaning, cleaning device, time study.

Mizaraitė, D. and Mizaras, S. 2005. Empirically Based Grouping of Private Forest Owners in Lithuania. Baltic Forestry, 11 (1): 80-87

In Lithuania there are 231.878 private forest owners (2005-01-01). They differ according to age, sex, education, social status, area of private property and other characteristics. All these characteristics determine the goals and problems of private forest owners. Even though there is a great variety, it is possible to group forest owner according to their attitudes towards the management of their forest property. Based on a survey among Lithuanian private forest owners four types of owners were identified: (1) businessmen, (2) multi-objective owners, (3) consumers, (4) ecologists. The article presents a description of these typological groups.

Key words: forest owner, survey, cluster analysis, groups of forest owners.

Aučina, A., Riepšas, E., Danusevičius, J., Danusevičius, D., Gabrilavičius, R., Skridaila, A., Balčiūnienė, L., Žilinskaitė, S., Meidus, E., Meiduvienė, A., Ryliškis, D., Kuisys, T. and Dapkūnienė, S. 2005. Eco-genetic Variation of Development and Adaptedness Traits of Seedlings of Local Scots Pine Populations in Lithuania. Baltic Forestry 11 (1): 64-72

Reaction of progenies (seedlings) of different Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) populations at the juvenile stage on new climatic and microclimatic conditions was investigated. Differences in the development and adaptation parameters of seedlings of three most distant according to continentally (Telsiai, Labanoras, Veisiejai) populations from different geographical regions of Lithuania were revealed and genetic heritability of these traits was established. By variance analysis, the influence of climatic and microclimatic conditions of the environment on the general variation of traits of the seedlings has been found out. Due to a greater trait genetic variation, the selection of families inside populations can be more effective than between populations. In favorable microclimatic conditions (in the greenhouse) variation of growth and biological productivity parameters of seedlings is higher, therefore selection would be more effective on population, family and individual levels. Seedlings of the most continental Labanoras population surpass the representatives of Telðiai population formed in the maritime conditions and the southern Veisiejai population of medium continentally according to growth and biological productivity parameters. The Telðiai population was distinguished by-law growth and lower biological productivity. The survival of seedlings of different populations decreases from the north to the south: the seedlings of Telðiai population formed in the maritime conditions according to this parameter have an advantage over the representatives of the most continental (Labanoras) and medium continental (Veisiejai) populations. Different adaptation character of individual populations was observed. The general adaptation is typical of Labanoras population, because their progenies grow well in all regions. Low general adaptation character is typical of Telsiai population, that’s why it suitable to grow only in place of its origin. This population has a rather high phenotypic plasticity, because it has the greatest reaction to the changes of climatic conditions.

Key words: Scots pine seedlings, provenance, geographical transfer, genetic variation, heritability, adaptation, phenotypic plasticity.