Performance of Planted Maple in Western Guilan Province, Iran

The success of planted Acer velutinum investigated in western Guilan Province in Iran. This region was reforested in 1985. The study was carried out in the autumn of 2003 with using the full callipering method. The goal of this study is to review the maple plantation, in order to present a new background that is useful for an ecological evaluation of the maple plantations in Iranian forests. Some quantity and quality factors about bole and crown were evaluated. The resistance of maple to difficult conditions such as irregular cutting and its resistance to light (full sun light in clear place, some trees can tolerant to full sun light) and fire make this species very important for plantation (wood farming). This study showed that, after a period of 21 years, maple is suitable for plantations on the Caspian Sea flat area and the slopes of the Alborz Mountains and can financially compete with other endemic and exotic species.