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Marteloscopes – a key instrument for fact-based learning, understanding, and the exchange of knowledge on forests and their management
A. Schuck1, D. Kraus2, F. Krumm3, S. Zudin1
1 European Forest Institute (EFI)
2 Bayerische Staatsforsten (BaySF)
3 Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL
What are marteloscopes?
The concept of ‘marteloscopes’ was developed in France. The name is derived from the French term for tree selection (‘martelage’) and the Greek ‘sco- pein’ (look). So, the purpose is to have forest sites that literally allow ‘having a closer look’ at tree selections. At first marteloscopes were applied in private forests. However, their potential for field- based training and education for both forestry pro- fessionals and students was already recognised in the 1990s (Bruciamacchie et al. 2005). Martelo- scopes were then continuously established also in other European countries. Initiated in Integrate+
(2013–2017) and continued in other projects such as Informar (2017–2020), Marteloscopes have found increased interest as training and educational tools.
To date, more than 100 marteloscope sites dis- persed over 16 European countries have been established within the scope of these projects, and the number continues to grow1. Most of them are located in public forests, but there are also mar- teloscopes on community, church, and private for- est land. They cover a broad range of forest types, altitudinal gradients, site conditions, and manage- ment regimes. There are also a few sites in unman- aged forests, which are especially interesting when it comes to learning about natural forest develop- ment processes and biodiversity.
Marteloscope sites are usually 1 ha in size.
Within these sites all trees above an agreed breast height diameter (usually 7.5 cm) are measured and numbered. The recorded tree data includes tree species, tree location, tree status (dead/alive),
1 http://iplus.efi.int/marteloscopes-data.html
breast height diameter, tree and crown base height, tree-related microhabitats and an estimation of timber quality (Schuck et al. 2015). This results in a comprehensive set of data for each recorded tree and includes the assignment of both an economic and a habitat value (Kraus et al. 2018). Economic value is derived by visual estimation of wood qual- ity sections for each tree to which local timber prices are then assigned. Tree-related microhabitats are assessed using a designated list of tree micro- habitat structures (Larrieu et al. 2018; Kraus et al.
2016).
Fact-based learning in marteloscopes
Because of the versatility of marteloscope applica- tions, they are not only of interest for forest practi- tioners, but also for stakeholders from nature con- servation associations, environmental organisations, universities, schools, and society at large. As envi- ronmental, political, and societal demands and needs change constantly, as do scientific findings, it is crucial to ensure for continuous exchange, under- standing, and learning amongst all actors. How to best convey such changes and their multi-layered effects when it comes to practical implantation is a major challenge. Marteloscopes allow communica- tion of different concepts related to forest ecology, silviculture, forest management, and conservation within the framework of flexible training courses.
Furthermore, they can help visualise often complex decision-making processes in forest management and support a better understanding of forests between often conflicting interests.
An evaluation and simulation software was developed for conducting training exercises in the marteloscopes. Running on hand-held devices, the software allows the results of a virtual intervention to be displayed immediately, and are thus available for discussions amongst exercise participants (fig. 1). Marteloscopes and the software can be applied for a variety of educational aims and par- ticipants.
The main focus is usually on providing insight to stand structures and stand dynamics while at the same time evaluating individual trees in terms of wood quality, and economic and nature conserva- tion value. A typical example was to investigate the
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development of habitat values against that of achievable revenues. However, aims can easily be tailored to other topics.
An exercise can focus on one individual aspect or combine several topics. This is decided by the field course teacher when planning the exercise for a particular target group (some examples).
– Silviculture: thinning regimes (thinning from above/below, stand conversion); stand regenera- tion/stability …
– Economy: maximum economic return; high qual- ity timber removal/accumulation; elite tree selec- tion …
– Nature conservation: selection of habitat/future habitat trees; deadwood accumulation … – Other: wood volume and basal area estimations,
identifying trees/tree traits (microhabitats, wood quality); work safety; recreation …)
Training events involving marteloscopes have been continuously increasing. The main audiences are forest and nature conservation professionals, uni- versity students, but also policy makers, school stu- dents, and the interested public.
Example training event (October 2018):
Marteloscope ‘Falkenberg’ (Vosges Nord/Lorraine;
Forêt de Bitche, France)
The training brought together 40 foresters from public and private forests. First an introduction was given to different tree-related microhabitats, their importance for forest dwelling species and how to identify them. The introduction was followed by a training in the Falkenberg marteloscope where the participants applied their newly gained knowledge in the course of virtual tree selection exercises. The exercise outcomes of all groups were then jointly evaluated and discussed (fig. 2).
Fig. 1. Martelscope ‘Behleneiche’ in the forest district Kandern, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (Photo: Frank Krumm).
Tree base map of the Behleneiche site (right).
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References
Bruciamacchie. M.; Pierrat, J.-C.; Tomasini, J., 2005:
Modèles explicatif et marginal de la stratégie de mar- telage d’une parcelle irrégulière [Explicative and mar- ginal models for a marking strategy of an unevenaged stand]. Annals of Forest Science 62: 727–736.
https://doi.org/10.1051/forest:2005070
Kraus, D.; Schuck, A.; Krumm, F.; Bütler, R.; Cosyns, H.;
Courbaud, B.; Larrieu, L.; Mergner, U.; Pyttel, P.; Varis, S.;
Wilhelm, G.; Witz, M.; Zenner, E.; Zudin, S., 2018: Seeing is building better understanding - the Integrate+ mar- teloscopes. Integrate+ Technical Report. Marteloscopes 26: 3.
Kraus, D.; Bütler, R.; Krumm, F.; Lachat, T.; Larrieu, L.;
Mergner, U.; Paillet, Y.; Rydkvist, T.; Schuck, A.; Winter, S., 2016: Catalogue of tree microhabitats – Reference field list. Integrate+ Technical Paper 13. 16 p.
Larrieu, L.; Paillet, Y.; Winter, S.; Bütler, R.; Kraus, D.;
Krumm, F.; Lachat, T.; Michel, A.; Regnery, B.; Vande- kerkhove, K. 2018: Tree related microhabitats in tem- perate and Mediterranean European forests: A hierar- chical typology for inventory standardization. Ecological Indicators 84: 194–207.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2017.08.051 Schuck, A.; Krumm, F.; Kraus, D. 2015: Integrate+ martelo-
scopes - Description of parameters and assessment pro- cedures. Integrate+ Technical Paper No. 18. 16 p.
Fig. 2. Lively discussion between conservation managers, forest owners, and forest workers following a training exercise in the Marteloscope ‘Falkenberg’ (Photo: Andreas Schuck).
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Fig. 3. Tablet computers allow interested people to simulate management operations with relevance for biodiversity in forests (Photo: Andreas Rigling).