New pines will be planted on the Curonian Spit after cutting down old trees

In the national park "Curonian Spit" near the ecological trail "Muller Height", the reconstruction of mountain pine - quite old trees that create a fire hazard - has begun. The first stage of work will take place in November-December on an area of 1 hectare. In the spring, 3.5 thousand seedlings of scots pine will be planted on this site. This is reported on the website of the Curonian Spit.

"Reconstruction logging is a forest care activity and is carried out in order to remove low-value forest stands to prepare the conditions for planting valuable forest-forming species, to promote the natural renewal of the forest," the National Park explained.

According to the report, in the first half of the XX century, mountain pine was planted for afforestation of moving dunes on the Curonian Spit. Currently, these plantings have fulfilled a soil-protective and soil-forming role, are in the stage of natural decay, have lost their environmental functions and are the most fire-hazardous areas, the National Park noted.

"The pines undergoing reconstruction are 70-80 years old. At this age, the tree reaches maturity, but loses its environmental properties (water protection, soil protection, sanitary and hygienic, and other useful). The lower branches of trees are dense, located above the ground, drying up, do not fall off. Under the mountain pine there is almost no grass that prevents the spread of fire. In this state, the pine has a high degree of burnability, in a fire-hazardous season with a large recreational load, one unopened cigarette is enough to cause a riding fire, the most difficult to extinguish," the report says.

Therefore, the mountain pine, which has fulfilled its function, is gradually being replaced on the territory of the national park "Curonian Spit" by young seedlings (about 10 cm high) of the common pine.

"The total area of the allotment, on which measures for the reconstruction of forest plantations are planned, is 4 hectares (in four stages – 1 ha each)," the national Park reported.

Trunks, twigs and branches of felled trees will be used to strengthen the avanduna, will serve as material for the elimination of dune hollows of blowing and accumulation of sand.