COST Action E 52 - vTI - Bund.de

conservation methods other methods have also commenced, such as the conservation of material at
very low temperature; in vitro conservation; pollen conservation; ADN-s conservation. For many
species a gene bank is created near state seed stores or state nursery.
With scientific forest institutions support (Forest and Pasture Research Institute) and Management
forest institutions (ex DGFP), such organisations are defining the main forest species in Albania
Forest Seeds Stands. These forest seeds stands are generally defined in natural forest areas and
sometimes in special cases in afforestation.
In determination of forest seed stands or seeds reserves an acceptable scientific criteria is adhered to
such as: adequate size of forest stands, distance from other forest stands. Other tree quality parameters
are also taken into account such as – high, diameter, form and quality of individual trunks. Other
considerations include a general estimate of forest stand quality and individual tree quality; for
example adequate fructification, effect of increasing age, crown form, resistance against diseases and
insects, capability to different climate and site conditions, quality of wood production, capability of
natural regeneration, high germination potential, seed collection possibility and proximity to seed
treatment facility, whether mixed with other forest species and if mixed with some other forest kind
with possibility of pollination between them. Other items considered are, number of trees per unit
surface area etc.
More care is manifested in identification of “plus” trees, where individual trees chosen are firstly
demonstrating phenotypic superiority. Tree with “plus” status can to be superior in one or more
characteristics, but will ideally be superior in all characteristics, or at least most of them.
Reproductive criteria that will also be considered include such items as: age of flowering, production
quantity of flowers and seeds, flowering periodicity. In relation to wood quality such issues will be
considered as basic density, fibres dimensions or resinous oil quality – their quantity, terpens and
resin, the last for conifers wood.
For the chosen forest stands and for “plus” tree, other factors which will be taken into consideration
will include such characteristics as: resistance against diseases and insect attack, against aridity,
animals and other natural and human impacts.
For seeds reserves some others management activity has been made such as; removal of inferior and
poor quality trees, undertake thinning which is a very important operation and creates spatial area
necessary for flowering and seeds collection; cleaning of ground area for facilitation of prediction
control and seed collection; limitation of forest stands for elimination contamination of pollination,
as well as and other services such as: paring, fertilize, using of fungicide or insecticide; all these
supplementary measures are considered for increasing and conserving production.
In relation with E. beech in Albania, Nature reserve integrate (NRI) are defined in some districts
of the country and in total there are approximately 2 units with a surface area exceeding 2,313 ha.
These units categorised according to the IUCN criteria are given in Table 2 and are presented
according to district (Tab. 3) and their location in Albania can be seen in the map below (Fig. ).
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