Browsing by Author "Ahlfors, Roy"

Large sums of money are to invest annually to control secondary sprouting. In 2014 the cost of selective clearing operations in recently planted forests in Finland were 424 euros/hectare, amounting to a combined sum of ca. 67,5 million. Euros on ca. 165 000 hectares. Therefore it is crucial to select the right timing for clearing operations to minimize sprouting and costs mixed time expended. My study involves the Moon phases and the proper timing of clearing saplings and secondary sprouts of silver birch. Some centuries ago it was quite common in Finland to take phases of the Moon phases into account when planning for a suitable time to begin clearing birch stands. This subject has not been extensively studied in Finland and never using this method. The research studies the relation and impact of the Moon phases as well as hydrometeorological factors to the harvesting time of seedlings and compares the results to Finnish folklore. The harvesting of the seedlings was timed to correlate with the Moon phases, from June to August 2015. The aim of this project is to study, describe, analyze and interpret the changes in sprouting (growth and death) of silver birch which are cleared/cut on certain dates corresponding to the different Moon phases, studied in scientific methods on sampling sites situated in western Vantaa on Königsted hill in 66° 95` 66,7´´ N 37° 97´ 50,9´´ E. All round of plots is located on Finnish MT-type growth sites. In this project were conducted during the summer and autumn 2015 on 99 pieces of round to plots and each of a surface area of square meters of 4,9 m²,circular test-sites established in the study area by measuring the changes in sprouting of silver birch. According to the results of the study the average number of silver birch sprouts was 39 % bigger during the waxing moon than the waning moon, and sprouting was generally lesser on waning moon than on any different phase. The results seem to be fairly well in line with the perception of old Finnish folklore about the impact of Moon phases in relation to secondary sprouting.