MODELING BARK THICKNESS OF BEECH (Fagus sylvatica L.)

Thickness and share in volume of tree and/or round wood represent the most important features of the bark, especially in the process of timber harvesting, during scaling of processed logs. In forestry of Federation of B&H there are no rules or tables for deduction of double bark thickness based on scientific research. Wood assortments tables for our most important tree species, besides a whole series of wood assortments, also contain the category of waste. From a practical point of view this category can be divided into "real waste" and losses. The real waste in this sense consists of various logging slash and sawdust, while the loss constitutes a prescribed method of measuring the dimensions and calculation of volume and the deduction of the double bark thickness. So, it is very important to have relatively accurate data of the bark thickness for certain tree species. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to explore double bark thickness and share of bark in the volume of beech round wood. The research was carried out in the area of the Canton 10 of Federation of B&H. The research included 678 sample trees from 10 cm to 85 cm diameter breast height (DBH) and from 5 m to 40 m of height with 6,403 pairs were measured for double bark thickness and diameter in the middle of the round wood (section). Data of double bark thickness in relation to mid diameter of round wood were equalized by following equation with coefficient of determination R-2=0.722. The results of research confirmed the regularities defined in previous research and has shown as follows: a) by the increase of mid diameter of round wood, double bark thickness increases from 6.05 mm (thickness class 12.5 cm) to 20.69 mm (thickness class 82.5 cm), b) by the increase of mid diameter of round wood, bark share in the volume decrease exponentially from 9.44 % (thickness class 12.5 cm) to 4.95 % (thickness class 82.5 cm).The research have indicated the need to use the results and incorporating it into applicable rules of deducting the bark on logs or share of bark in the volume depending on diameter over the bark.