Windproof Role of Birch Crooked Forests on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island

Birch crooked forests on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island act as natural windbreaks, significantly reducing wind speed and protecting inland ecosystems. These forests, primarily composed of twisted birch (Betula tortuosa) with patches of downy birch (Betula pubescens), dampen wind speeds to minimal levels within approximately 50 meters from the shoreline, regardless of coastal indentation or exposure. The study, conducted across three trial plots representing different wind exposure conditions—semi-open bay, exposed cape, and smooth shoreline—measured wind speed using anemometers at various distances from the shore. Findings revealed that wind speed decreases rapidly within the first tens of meters of the birch plantations, with the most substantial reduction observed on exposed capes, followed by open shores and protected bays.

Sobolev, A. N., Feklistov, P. A., Popova, L. F.,. (2022). Windproof Role of Birch Crooked Forests on Bolshoy Solovetsky Island. Lesnoy Zhurnal (Forestry Journal), (4), 91–100. https://doi.org/10.37482/0536-1036-2022-4-91-100