The interaction of man with nature at all times was quite complicated. Once, due to a lack of knowledge and skills, now - due to legal prohibitions. Relatively recently, the Duma's initiative to permit the collection of deadwood has attracted public interest. This seemed ridiculous to many media and citizens, since the urban population poorly represents the entire value of the wood resource.
So what is it - deadwood? How does it appear and what is important for the forest?
Origin of the word
An analysis of the term clearly reveals an etymology from the word “fall” or fall under the influence of force majeure. Which one? In its original form, the following variants of the appearance of such a forest are assumed:
- windbreak;
- windshield;
- broken off by snow;
- collapsed due to glaciation, etc.
By default, deadwood is any part of a tree (individual branches, part of a trunk or a plant twisted with roots) that has crashed to the ground for natural reasons.
It is necessary to clarify that dried up trees are considered dead wood. Even legislation classifies them in a different group.
With the gradual development of the logging industry, the concept developed and deepened. Today, the meaning of the word “deadwood” also includes the results of human activity:
- felled forest;
- semi-finished;
- not taken out of the plot.
Often it consists of rejected materials.
In general, the term under study refers to any forest lying on the ground in which irreversible processes began under the influence of moisture and insects, leading to the loss of technical characteristics.
From a legal point of view
The lexical meaning given in the dictionary is not suitable for legislative acts, since it leaves room for interpretation and creates favorable conditions for offenses. And therefore, for a long time, local officials set various characteristics for the fallen tree. This became unnecessary when, at the federal level, the concept included trunks and other parts of trees that lost their commercial value.
Value for nature
Over the long years of growth, beneficial substances accumulate in wood, which, when decomposed, return to the ground. They help in the recreation of valuable species of wood, create comfortable living conditions for many types of insects. Unfortunately, there are negative consequences:
- dry, fresh dead wood increases the likelihood of a fire;
- bark beetles can spread from the forest substrate to healthy trees.
So, deadwood is an important element of the ecosystem. Depending on the characteristics of a particular region, it must be periodically cleaned to reduce fire hazard. But you need to keep in mind the fact that old, long-standing trunks and branches are not always useful to clean, because they provide shelter for forest residents, provide fertilizer for new plants, and also strengthen the soil.