Abstract:
Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carrière) is a major but non-native
plantation species in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Due to its relatively short planting
history, data on the stand and growth parameters of old larch plantations is scarce in the
region. The University of Tokyo Hokkaido Forest (UTHF) has one of the oldest larch
plantations in Hokkaido, planted in 1908. We examined the stand structure and growth
process of the larch plantation 115 years after planting. A total of 134 planted larch trees
in 1.02 ha were measured twice in 2007 and 2022. At 115 years of age, mean DBH and
mean tree height were 60.7 cm, and 35.2 m, respectively. DBH and tree height
increased steadily in the last fifteen years, while tree height growth was partly
suppressed probably due to snow damage. We also estimated the stand parameters of
the larch plantation using unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry.
