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FENNIA 66, N;o 4
19
Pine (Pinns silvestris) is the most predominating species of tree
in the forests of Finland, for forests dominated by pine represent more
than half (52.4 per cent) of the total forest area. But, if the productive
forest land forming the principal ground of forest yield is examined
separately, it will be seen that forests dominated by pine represent
less than half, while the proportion of forests dominated by spruce
(Picea excelsa) increases from 28.3 to 33.3 per cent. This is due to the
fact that pine is much more common than spruce on poor productive
forest land, such as rocks, fjelds and swamps. Owing to there being
very considerable birch regions of poor growth in the fjelds of North
Finland, forests dominated by birch (Betula verrucosa and B. odorata)
also represent a higher proportion of the total forest area (16.8 per
cent) than of the productive forest area (15.6 per cent). The area of
forests dominated by aspen (Populus tremula) is very small, but
aspen occurs as a mixed tree in other forests, as will be seen later.
Forests dominated by alder, consisting with comparatively few
exceptions of grey alder (Alnus incana) stands, and completely clear areas
cover fully half a million hectares altogether. Grey alder stands are
confined almost exclusively to productive forest land in South Finland.
Table 9. Composition of the forests in 1936—38 and 1922—23.
1. Total forest area.
Predominating species South Finland North Finland Whole country
1936— 38 1922— 23 1936— 38 1922— 23 1936—38 1922—23 1936— 38 1922— 23
% of area hectares O/ Jo
Pine ........................50.0 56.2 55.2 53.8 13 017 000 13 945 500 52.2 55.2
Spruce ....................29.3 24.1 27.1 25.8 7 015 000 6 265 300 28.5 24.8
Birch ......................17.1 14.9 16.6 19.4 4182 000 4 269 500 16.8 16.9
Aspen ......................0.3 0.4 0.1 O.o 43 000 50 500 0.2 0.2
Alder ......................2.3 2.7 0.0 0.1 331 000 379 000 1.3 1.5
Clear areas ............l.o 1.7 l.o 0.9 252 000 353 700 1.0 1.4;
2. Productive forest land.
Pine ........................44.7 51.9 54.2 54.3 9 472 000 10 673100 48.4 53.0
Spruce ....................33.4 26.6 33.1 31.6 6 518 000 5 759 500 33.3 28.6
Birch ............17.9 16.0 11.8 12.8 3 040 000 2 980 500 15.6 14.8
Aspen ......................0.3 0.5 0.1 O.O 43 000 50 400 0.2 0.3
Alder ......................2.7 3.2 O.o 0.1 327 000 372 500 1.6 1.8 i
Clear areas ............1.0 1.8 0.8 1.2 180 000 302 000 0.9 1.5
The figures in Table 9 illustrate the changes that have occurred
in the composition of the forests since the survey of 1922—23. The
comparison is, indeed, affected to some extent by the same factors
that have been mentioned in connection with previous comparisons,
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