This case study describes recent developments at Dunranhill Forest, County Wicklow, Ireland. The forest was established in the early 1980s as a commercial Sitka spruce plantation. Currently it is being transformed to continuous cover forestry (CCF). The paper presents an overview of past and present forest management, decisions related to stand transformation, and technical information on the
... [Show full abstract] silviculture and thinning operations within the forest. Central to the success of stand transformation is the management of light levels in the understorey, through control of basal area, while maintaining stand stability and promoting the quality of the standing trees. An adaptive approach to crown thinning has been implemented, creating a matrix of microsites that support an irregular distribution of natural regeneration. Deer management is a major concern, and a combination of deer exclosures and population control are critical for forest regeneration. Diverse species are being encouraged, to support the development of a mixed-species forest into the future, with seed dispersal from adjoining properties. The owners are among the first to participate in a new CCF Woodland Improvement Scheme launched in 2019 by the Irish Forest Service.
Keywords: silviculture; continuous cover forestry (CCF), closer-to-nature forest management, stand transformation, irregular stand structure, adaptation, resilience, sustainable forestry, Ireland.