NPSO Lipovljani

The teaching and experimental forest facilities of Lipovljani are situated in close vicinity of Lipovljani, a place 100 km east of Zagreb, encompassing lowland and sub-mountainous forests.

In the lowland area there is the 547.27 ha-large Opeka management unit, well representing the large forests of the 100,000-ha-large central Sava Valley. The first management of these forests was completed in 1880; in 1935 the introduction of the horse-drawn forest railway line between Lipovljani and the river Sava was the first opening of the forests. At the beginning of 19th century there were large virgin forest tracts in this region.

The parent rock consists of the pre-sediment loess mixed with fluvisols of the Sava river. Above the parent rock, there are different pedosystem units of hydromorphic soil. The Lipovljani lowland forests have typical micro-relief "ponds", "rows" and "beams", set in turns at 93-99 m above sea level. Due to different impacts of the rainfall, flood and groundwater, these forests abound in numerous stands.

On the highest spots (beams), without the reach of flood waters, grows the climatogeneous forest association of pedunculate oak and hornbeam, (Carpino betuli-Quercetum roboris Ani_ 1959). Greatly influenced by the dynamics of the flood water, the valley is dominated by the association of the pedunculate oak and green weed (Genisto elatae-Quercetum roboris Horv. 1938). In the lowest areas, the so-called ponds, most intensively influenced by the water, grows the forest of field ash with snow-flake (Leucoio-Fraxinetum angustifoliae subass. typicum Glav. 1959) and the forest of black alder with dogwood (Frangulo-Alnetum glutinosae Rau_ 1968).

On the hilly terrain, 120-162 m above sea, the 476.22 ha- large Lubardenik represents the sub-mountainous forests of the region, dominated by the pedunculate oak and hornbeam forests (Querco-Carpinetum croaticum Horv. 1938). In the middle of the last century this was still a virgin forest.

The parent rock are diluvial loams with formation of different types of pseudogley.

In order to do field practice as part of the Forestry Faculty curriculum, appropriate preparation has taken place, such as cultivation of forest stands, starting many years before, to achieve models of different management methods, entailing various operations in the stands, establishing and maintaining extensive and intensive scientific experimental plots. The products of the scientific ideas in forestry, these plots illustrate the success and failure on a relatively small area, offering direct and intensive studies.

The scientific work in the Lipovljani facilities develops through long-term programmes aimed at establishing successful functioning of the studies, improvement of forest production, and finding the best forms of management. This would reinforce the stability and economic effects of these forests.

The experimental plots take 19.3% of the total area. The campus is equipped with class-rooms and a dormitory for 40 students with all facilities needed for complex field practice.

Tekst uz slike (Prof. J. Vukelic)

  1. Microclimatology research in the forest of sessile-flowered oak with hornbeam (Epimedio-Carpinetum) on north hill-sides of Mt. Papuk.
  2. Microclimatology research in the forest of sessile-flowered oak and hornbeam (Epimedio-Carpinetum) on Mt. Kalnik.
  3. The forest of evergreen oak and black ash Orno-Quercetum ilicis) on the island of Rab.