The investigation was conducted in a 32-year-old pine stand, growing on a fresh coniferous site in western Poland. The strip roads in the stand had been designed and cut along tree rows 5 years prior to the investigation. The analysis focused on trees growing at 12 strip roads, in 3-meter-wide stripes on both sides of the strip roads and in control zones, half-way between each two neighbouring strip roads. The trees growing on the stripes along the strip roads were divided into three zones corresponding to tree rows. The first zone (I) was formed by trees growing in the row directly at the strip roads, while the zones two (zone II) and three (zone III) were formed by trees growing in the second and third rows of trees away from the strip roads, respectively, on both sides of the strip roads. The average distances of the zones two and three from the strip roads were 1.5 and 3 m, respectively. The diameters at breast height (DBH) of all the trees growing in the respective zones were measured. Moreover, the widths of the strip roads were measured, which resulted in dividing the strip roads into two groups: the wider strip roads (average width 3.6 m) and the narrower ones (average width 2.9 m). The statistical analysis showed significant differences in DBH values between the analysed zones, for nine of the strip roads. Both in the case of the wider strip roads, as well as in the case of the narrower ones, the trees growing directly along the strip roads were usually thicker than the more distant trees. A statistically significant difference between the DBH values of trees from zone I and II was found for one strip road. In most cases the trees from zone I were statistically thicker than the trees growing in the control zone.
Creating strip roads in second age class stands is an indispensible operation for carrying out thinning. It is especially important in places where there is an intention to do a first thinning using mechanised thinning operations. Felling trees to create strip roads results in altered conditions for the tree growth of neighbouring trees.In particular, this is due to an increase in exposure to sunlight. This can lead to changes in the growth of trees and consequently changes in the morphology of the trunk and the development of defects. The objective of this paper was to analyse the frequency of the presence of particular defects in the structure and shape of spruce ina five-year period after the creation of a strip road. The research was carried out in an artificially regenerated spruce stand within the spruce’s natural, northern habitat in Poland. A 34-year-old stand underwent a systematic thinning scheme which involved the removal of every eighth tree row. The analysis was carried out on trees growing both adjacent to the strip roads (which had a greater growing area around them and greater access to sunlight) as well as trees from further within the stand. Diameter growth was taken in three places: at breast height, in the middle of the trunk between breast height and the base of the crown, as well as at the base of the crown. The average incremental growth, pith eccentricity taper and ovality were calculated. No statistically significant difference in defects between the trees growing by the strip road and those growing further in the stand was observed. Greater taper on mid-tree logs in comparison to butt logs was observed. Insignificant changes in the morphology of the trunks, supports the validity of cutting strip roads in second age class stands.