MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR NATIVE CANDEIA FOREST (Eremanthus erythropappus (DC) MacLeish) -THE OPTION FOR SELETIVE CUTTING

Abstract

This research defines a sustained yield management system for native candeia forest, considering oil production, volume growth rate and balanced forest concept. Data were collected in a sample of 18 plots of 606,65m² each and from a scaling of 63 trees scattered in diametric classes ranging from 5 for 35 cm, in a native candeia forest located in Aiuruoca county - MG, Brazil. The suggested management plan was based on the association of information of diameter growth, recuperated from stem analysis, of horizontal and vertical structure studies, of oil production of several diametric classes and of balanced forest concept. It concluded that candeia is the most important tree specie in the native forest studied and its exploitation is economically feasible; the optimal diametric class both for oil extraction and for fencepost is 5-10cm, the minimum diameter for oil extraction and for fencepost production is, respectively, 5 and 7 cm; besides , the trees of higher dimension occupies large areas  damaging the development of small trees that have higher potential and are in higher number; the best management plan for producing oil and fencepost was the one that presented  De Lioucourt coefficient 2,2 times the original value that indicated the removal of 60% of the basal area and maximum diameter of 30cm; if the chief purpose is only oil production the removal showed reach 13.394 m³/ha or 25.625mst/ha, if both stem and branches > 3cm of diameter are used. The commercialization of this wood volume produces a gross income/ha of R$1,921.88 for the farmer. If the management aims at  obtaining fencepost  with diameter equal or grater than 7cm, gross income will reach R$1,590.38 The oil extraction of branches smaller than 3cm not used for fencepost  may add R$953.64 to the revenue with the commercialization for oil producing. The commercial exploitation of candeia can only be done when the predominance of this tree specie is higher than 70% of the vegetation.