How to create a mixed black locust forest

Abstract

 Robinia pseudoacacia grows rapidly, tolerates drought and barrenness, and is easy to reproduce. It is an excellent tree species favored by the masses. Since liberation, large areas of pure black locust forests have been built in the shallow hills and plateau ravines of the Luoyang area, which have played a great role in greening barren hills, maintaining soil and water, and solving problems such as timber, firewood, feed, and fertilizers. However, black locust has a short lifespan and cannot be cultivated for large-scale use. In places with good site conditions in the Luoyang area, purlins take about 10 years to form, while those with poor conditions grow into rafters. After 10 years, the growth decreases significantly, and those with extremely poor conditions often form "small old trees". In recent years, large areas of pure black locust forests in Luoning and other places have been rampantly damaged by inchworms. Therefore, how to transform pure black locust forests and create mixed forests of black locust and other tree species has become an urgent problem to be solved. Some state-owned forest farms and rural cooperatives and teams have begun work in this area and have achieved certain results.