132 CORSICA 



The results ^^ of the shelterwood system in the forest of Aitone 

 were also unsatisfactory: the regeneration was poor, the fir 

 came in to the exclusion of the pine, the valuable merchantable 

 stand had been seriously diminished, and there was need for 

 artificial regeneration. Rather a pessimistic outlook! 



In the forest of Vizzavona,^^ again, the regular regeneration 

 fellings were unusually successful, but in 1866 the young stands 

 left after the felHngs were completely wiped out by fire. The 

 forest was once more burned over in 1896. 



Selection System Adopted. — As early as 1887 ^' these failures 

 were so apparent that the selection system was considered 

 more rational. Yet at that time in the federal forests there 

 were 18 working groups of regular high forest and 2 of selection; 

 in the communal forests there were 7 working groups of regular 

 high forest, i of selection, and i of coppice. 



Advantages. — The main reason for the change was that 

 with the selection system the fire danger is less grave. Aside 

 from direct loss in wood and other products the working plans 

 were entirely invalidated by the fires and in a day rendered 

 obsolete. 



Moreover, as stated in the last Marmano working plan, the 

 selection system which is proposed is better for the soil in high 

 mountain areas, it will assure regeneration because it keeps 

 the forest in a perpetual state of regeneration, it will permit 

 the carrying out of thinnings at the time of the main fellings; 

 and the large trees retained will be an insurance against the 

 complete failure of natural regeneration, or in case of fire. 



The conclusions of the present conservator were, that: 



"The high forests of the island are chiefly (84 per cent) 

 composed of fight-demanding species: holm oak, Corsican 

 and maritime pine. It would therefore seem that the proper 

 treatment to adopt . . . would have been that adapted to 

 a regular high forest (thinnings with regeneration by suc- 

 cessive concentrated felHngs). In reafity this method has 

 been appHed; but, for non-silvical reasons it has been aban- 



^ Aitone working plan, Sept. 19, 1890, p. 7. 



^ Vizzavona working plan, 1868. 



^ Unpublished report in official files, 1887. 



