Optimizing quality wood production in chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) coppices

• Simple coppicing is the best suited coppice system for a light demanding species such as chestnut tree. The growing performance of coppices function stool and standard densities. Any release detrimental shoots. We recommend simple to produce high quality wood. In last decades, releasing standards have become very common in some cases even mandatory management options systems Europe. As tree, fast-growing species, however, there lively debate lack scientific evidences about pros cons standards, especially stands devoted wood production. this paper we used nine on similar site conditions - but differing density number trees released analyze effects stand structure (i.e., density) terms diameter increment dominant shoots overall basal area no release) confirmed be most suitable enable an initial full light-demanding chestnut. thus avoiding quality-wood order allow new generation develop undisturbed until stage first thinning. may however appropriate particular cases, whose main aim protect against shallow landslides along steep slopes.