Tree age and composition as an element of structure and the basis of management and breeding measures in beech compositions in the Northern Kucaj forest area

The age of beech trees in Serbia, an important aspect of their structure and diversity, has not been accurately determined in practical applications. To obtain reliable insights into this issue, this paper analyzed the age and composition of beech trees in 22 sample plots within the ?Severni Kucaj? forest region, specifically in the ?Mali Pek? and ?Beljanica? localities, by counting the annual rings on tree cores. The study found a weak correlation between tree age and diameter, indicating that a larger diameter at breast height does not necessarily imply an older tree, and the opposite can also be true. In some stands, a significant number of trees had ages close to the average, resulting in a concentration of age distribution within a single age class, with a small average deviation within that class. This age structure is characterized as ?approximately? even-aged. Additionally, the results revealed pronounced differences in tree ages that crossed age-class boundaries in some stands, reflecting a structure similar to that of uneven-aged forests. Overall, while an even-age structure was generally observed at the sample plot level, some mixed ages were observed at the stand level. The findings also indicate that the accurately determined ages of the stands differ from those recorded in the valid forest management documents. These discrepancies lead to the conclusion that management plans were developed with insufficiently precise information, resulting in planned management and silvicultural measures that were only partially aligned with the actual stand conditions.