%0 Research article
%T Energy wood thinning as a part of stand management of Scots pine and Norway spruce
%A Heikkilä, Jani
%A Sirén, Matti
%A Ahtikoski, Anssi
%A Hynynen, Jari
%A Sauvula, Tiina
%A Lehtonen, Mika
%D 2009
%J Silva Fennica
%V 43
%N 1
%R doi:10.14214/sf.220
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/220
%X The effects of combined production of industrial and energy wood on  yield and harvesting incomes, as well as the feasibility of energy wood  procurement, were studied. Data for 22 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)  and 21 Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) juvenile stands in  Central and Southern Finland were used to compare six combined  production regimes to conventional industrial wood production. The study  was based on simulations made by the MOTTI stand simulator, which  produces growth predictions for alternative management regimes under  various site and climatic conditions. The combined production regimes  included precommercial thinning at 4–8 m dominant height to a density of  3000–4000 stems ha<sup>–1</sup> and energy wood harvesting at 8, 10 or  12 m dominant height. Combined production did not decrease the total  yield of industrial wood during the rotation period. Differences in the  mean annual increment (MAI) were small, and the rotation periods varied  only slightly between the alternatives. Combined production regime can  be feasible for a forest owner if the price of energy wood is 3–5 EUR m<sup>–3</sup> in pine stands, and 8–9 EUR m<sup>–3</sup> in spruce stands. Energy wood procurement was not economically viable at the current energy price (12 EUR MWh<sup>–1</sup>) without state subsidies. Without subsidies a 15 EUR MWh<sup>–1</sup> energy price would be needed. Our results imply that the combined  production of industrial and energy wood could be a feasible stand  management alternative.