DOUGLAS FIR (PSEUDOISUGA MENZIESII (MIRB.) FRANCO) FROM BANATULUI MOUNTAINS

The study has identified 844 Douglas fir stand elements in the 12 Forest Districts that cover a total surface of 2544.50 ha. The largest percentages were registered in the following forest districts: Baile Herculane (318.5 ha), Mehadia (266.9 ha), Berseasca (262.5 ha) and Otelul Rosu (191.4 ha). As such, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the main stand and environment characteristics of areas where Douglas fir species are present. These are followed by the specie's distribution, altitude, relief forms, soils. forest types. mixture, stand structure and productive class. The age of these stands ranges between 1 to 100 years. with approximately 46.6% of stands having ages between 21 to 30 years. The Douglas fir stands show an even-aged stand structure (71%). The majority of Douglas fir stands are situated at altitudes between 601 to 800 m (31%). The slope is the main field configuration. covering a surface of 1987.9 ha. The soils on which this species vegetates are: common eutric cambisol (1546.2 ha), luvisol (220.4 ha), and dystric cambisol (448.4 ha). The most representative forest types are: hill common beech on skeletal soils with mull flora (554.7 ha). mountain common beech on skeletal soils with mull flora (423.6 ha), and normal common beech with mull flora (468.2 ha). The identified Douglas fir stands have average and high productivity classes (1st class = 500.8 ha; 2nd class = 986.5 ha). Green Douglas fir is a forest species that has a special interest for both the European silviculture as well as for the Romanian one.