The work presented in this book summarizes a joint effort among European tree growth modeling experts, forest policy decision-makers and forest companies for further enhance modeling theories and to investigate problem-solving methods for silvicultural decision-making. From February 2001 to January 2004, a group of 45 individuals worked within the ITM consortium (Implementing Tree Growth Models for Forest Management), an EU-funded effort to enhance and promote tree growth modeling theories within Europe. For our work, a number of tree growth models were selected. After extending the models and research gaps related to tree growth modeling theory (Chaps. 1-8), the following application examples (Chaps. 9-17) were selected by our company representative to demonstrate the problem-solving potential: 1. Regeneration in uneven-aged mixed-species stands. 2. Timber-harvesting scenarios. 3. Incorporation of tree growth models in information systems. 4. Using tree growth models beyond the calibration area. 5. Assisting forest policy decision-makers. 6. Tree growth models as a decision support system component. 7. Optimizing cork production in southern Europe. 8. Converting even-aged pure stands into uneven-aged mixed species stands. 9. Modeling coppice forests in Greece.
