Abstract
<jats:p>The article presents the results of an analysis of the dynamics of the main forest inventory characteristics of forest stands in the Moscow Region Meshchera for the period 2000–2020, based on forest management data from two revision periods (2000–2002 and 2018–2020). The object of the study was the forest fund lands of the Yegoryevskoye, Noginskoye, Orekhovo-Zuyevskoye, Shaturskoye, and part of the Vinogradovskoye forest districts, with a total area of 433.2 thousand hectares. The methodology included a comparison of species composition, age structure, distribution by forest types, as well as the calculation of average values for age, site index (bonitet), stocking density, timber stock, and annual increment for the main forest-forming species (pine, spruce, birch, aspen). It was revealed that over two decades, significant structural changes occurred: the total forested area increased by 9%; however, the proportion of coniferous stands decreased from 61% to 49% due to a sharp reduction in spruce forest areas (from 10% to 4%). Simultaneously, there is a significant increase in the share of birch forests (from 35% to 44%). A trend of forest stand aging (average age increased from 61 to 68 years) and a strong unevenness in their age distribution were identified. The main drivers of these changes were the aftermath of a massive outbreak of the European spruce bark beetle (2012–2015), which led to large-scale sanitary logging in spruce forests, and forest fires. Active natural regeneration of birch is occurring on the disturbed areas. The obtained data indicate a deviation of forest dynamics from natural successional trends and the formation of derivative deciduous communities. Based on the results, adaptive forest management measures aimed at forming sustainable uneven-aged and mixed stands are proposed.</jats:p>