The forest protection area in Lipje in the Kočevje region is considered something special since it is covered with a fir stand at a low altitude (370 - 380 m) and on carbonate topsoil. By analyzing this forest protection area the origin and development of the stand has been explored. The forest protection area lies in the Poljana valley on the Kolpa River at the foothills of Mount Poljana. It was founded in 1976. A throughout measurement of the entire forest protection area was carried out. A research site was set up where all trees were measured out, 30 heights of spruce trees and fir treeswere measured out too, a dendrochronological analysis of 13 dominant spruce- and fir trees and an analysis of habitat conditions and regeneration were also carried out. Among coniferous trees, fir trees (79,5 %) and spruce trees (10,7 %) prevail and the European hornbeam (7,8 %) prevails among deciduous trees. The growing stock of the stand is 806,6 m3/hectare of which 4% present the dying off wood pulp. The dendrochronological analysis shows that it is about a one aged stand with a dissemination of 20 years. The stand is young and needs a hypothesis of the origin with the overgrowth in the progressive development. The comparative analysis of habitat conditions in theforest protection area in Lipje and its related associations with Ellenbergćs phytoindicative values did not give an answer to which associationthe stand, according to the general ecological characteristic, is closest to. Based on the results it has to do with a secondary succession or even with new association. The young trees in the forest protection area consist of fir- and spruce trees. By analyzing 26 surfaces it was found that the maximum height of these tree species is 20 cm. No representative of deciduous trees was found on the analyzed surfaces. The findings can help understanding the origin and development of those types of forests that are believed to originate out of overgrowing. To present the results in even more detail, a comparison of dendrochronological analyses in neighboring stands and a genetic analysis of this population should be carried out.
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