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Peter Brang

Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
Section Silvicultural Strategies
CH-8903 Birmensdorf
Switzerland

Phone +41 1 739 24 86
Fax +41 1 739 22 15

Education

1985: dipl. Forest Engineer ETH Zürich
1995: Dr. sc. nat. ETH Zürich

Research interests

My research interests match the research topics of my section: The leading theme of our research is forest dynamics and how they can be influenced by human intervention (see Policy Paper). My particular interests include forest dynamics and disturbance regimes, the ecology and regeneration of mountain forests, and sustainable forest management, taking into account ecological, economic and social aspects.

Main activities

I am the head of the section Silvicultural Strategies.
I am responsible for a couple of research projects:
’Morning sun’: In this project, we test the influence of diurnal variations of direct radiation on the growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies) saplings, using a field experiment (2000-2003, WSL funding)
’Low-cost regeneration treatments after Lothar’ (in German only): In this field experiment, we compare group plantations of oak (Quercus robur) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) with row planting and pure natural regeneration, on large areas devastated by the hurricane Lothar (2000-2003, SAEFL-funding, to be continued)
’Target levels of regeneration’ (in German only): In this project, we derive target levels of regeneration for rockfall protection forests using simulation models (2002-2005, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation)
’Soil acidification and root system’: In this project, we evaluate the influence of soil chemistry on the root system of European beech, Norway spruce and silver fir (2000-2003, SAEFL funding)
’Storm damage’: In this project, we study potential influences of soil, site, terrain and wind parameters on damage caused by the hurricanes ‘Lothar’ and ‘Martin’. The study area includes France, Southern Germany and Switzerland (2001-2003)
I am a partner in more research projects:
’Sustainable forest use in the Swiss lowlands’: In this project, we analyse forest services and products in the peri-urban region of Greifensee (near Zurich) under various scenarios of forest use (2002-2005, SAEFL funding)
’Extensified tending of young stands’: In this project, we test four tending treatments on a large storm area near Diessenhofen in the canton of Thurgau (2003-2012, funded by the Forest Administration of the Canton)
’Cost-effective tending’: (2004-2006, funding so far partly secured)
Moreover, I maintain a literature database and collection of documents relating to my research interests, which currently contains over 19'000 references and 8'000 documents.

Publications

Browse through my publications using the publication data base of WSL.

Products

How much regeneration is needed in Norway spruce mountain forests? A simple model (sorry, in German only) provides an answer. A comparison with data from the Swiss National Forest Inventory suggests that about 55% of Swiss Norway spruce mountain forests exhibit a lack of regeneration.