During a three-year survey in 14 forest nurseries in Serbia we measured seedlings of 19 species and 96 stocktypes of both conifers and broadleaves. Seedlings were measured in the nurseries for height and diameter, and subsamples was taken for measurements of shoot and root dry weight, and presence of mycorrhiza. Results of mean values and variation of measured morphological attributes are presented and compared to Serbian standard for seedlings quality. We found mycorrhiza on seedlings root from almost every nursery, seedbed and tray. Our results show that current nursery cultural practice need to be improved and that seedlings quality standards should be updated.

Direct seeding has been considered a forest restoration option for centuries. Over the past half century, the use of this practice has declined in developed countries as forest regeneration programs have advanced with the production of quality seedlings that can successfully establish restoration sites. Direct seeding is being reconsidered as a restoration option as the potential size of the worldwide forest restoration program has grown because of massive deforestation in third-world nations and due to global climate change. This review examines direct seeding from a number of perspectives. First, merits of using this practice in restoration programs are defined. Major merits of this option are that it can be done quickly, over hard to reach and large disturbed areas, and at a relatively low cost. Second, current research findings from restoration programs are discussed. The major finding is that seedling establishment rates are low (i.e. typically around 20% of seeds planted) due to site conditions, seed predation and vegetation competition, and field performance (i.e. survival and growth) is lower than planted seedlings. Third, operational practices for the application in restoration programs are reviewed. To successfully conduct direct seeding programs practitioners need to consider seedbed receptivity, seed distribution and seeding rate. Fourth, potential new practices are presented. Some of these new practices attempt to create a more effective means to disperse seed across the site, minimize seed predation or create a more favorable microsite environment. This review provides a synthesis of what is known about direct seeding, thereby allowing practitioners to make a rational decision of whether to apply this practice towards their forest restoration program.

Serbian spruce (Picea omorika (Pančić) Purk.) is a rare and endangered tertiary relict and endemic species, with restricted and fragmented natural range in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly around the mid-course of the Drina river. Since the middle of the 19th century, its natural range declines constantly, followed by a decline in the number of mature individuals. The decline of this forest species is slow and mainly attributed to poor regeneration and low competing ability. Given the foreseen worsening of the climate in forthcoming decades, this decline can only accelerate. In recent years, dieback related to drought has been observed as response to extreme weather events suggesting that Serbian spruce will face difficulties in adapting to climate change within its natural range. However, successful use of Serbian spruce in Central and Northern Europe indicates potentially large adaptive potential of this species which, along with the high genetic variability, outweigh the limited morphological variation, self-fertilization, and limitations related to the restricted natural range in the first place, and, indicates possible directions of migration in the second place. In this paper, current conservation actions are discussed, and strategies for the species survival in a changing environment are suggested. Since migration and adaptation are the least likely responses of this species to climate change, measures such as assisted migration may be the only strategy which will enable persistence of Serbian spruce. Current conservation programs, limited to in-situ actions, need to be supplemented with ex-situ actions and strategies. In the worst case scenario, i.e. for species such as Serbian spruce which are unable to migrate and/or adapt to changing climate, the most suitable sites should be identified and colonized in order to prevent extinction in the near future.

Projections of the regional climate model for Southeast Europe generally predict an increasing of temperature and a decrease in precipitation, with some local variations. Higher frequency of extreme weather events and increased flooding can also be expected. This climate change will, among other things, result in changes in habitats and species distribution, and a decrease in biodiversity. In most cases, forest ecosystems will be unable to adapt fast enough to keep pace with changes in climate. Extreme weather events and low precipitation during the growing season will cause high mortality of seedlings after planting. New forests will face the whole range of these changes because of the long lifetime of trees. Reforestation programs must take projections of climate change into consideration. In the long term, new guidelines for site-species matching, provenance selection, and genetic diversity need to be adopted. In the short term, site preparation, planting techniques, and post planting protection need to be improved. In addition, seedling quality (morphological, physiological, and genetic) and planting time need to be specific for each site. New site preparation, planting, and post-planting protection methods are useful tools for short term success measured in seedling survival and initial growth. Seedling quality is essential for short and long term success. Different strategies, such as assisted migration and increased genetic diversity of planting material, can provide better chances for long term success measured in growth, fitness, and capability to produce the next, better adapted generation.

This study compares the relation of initial height and root collar diameter of bareroot hardwoods seedlings to survival and growth in first year after planting. A total of six species used in Serbian reforestation programs were tested (four native: Fagus sylvatica, Ulmus laevis, Fraxinus excelsior, and Acer pseudoplatanus and two exotic: Robinia pseudoacacia, and Quercus rubra), at 6 sites with a wide range of environmental conditions. Initial seedling height and diameter were equally related to field performance and better in forecasting growth than survival. The relation between seedlings initial morphological attributes and survival was species specific, while for all tested species growth was positively correlated to seedling size at planting. Although large seedlings kept their advantage in size, smaller seedlings grew at a higher rate. Both initial H and D should be considered as equally important in operational programs for hardwoods seedling quality testing.

"The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now." Chinese proverb There are five million hectares of new forests planted each year, according to Global Forest Resources Assessment (FAO 2015). How successful are we in planting these new forests? What are challenges that practitioners meet today in planting forests? What are challenges that forests established today will face in decades to come? There is a myriad of research results and a body of knowledge large enough to understand principles behind the field performance of planted forests. The environment is dynamic and inputs and outputs continually change, so there is a constant need for new research ranging from the global to microsite scale, and from the ecosystem and species to the population and genotype scale. The journal Reforesta offers a new site for publishing research results, presenting experiences, and bringing forward novel ideas and discussions on reforestation issues. Reforesta editors will strive to combine academic excellence with professional relevance and wish to appeal to both the professional and academic communities. There are a large number of scientific journals, many of which deal with forest ecosystems. So a reasonable question could be: Do we need yet another professional journal? We say yes, because of the following reasons. Reforesta will be a "niche" journal, focusing on research stemming from sourcing seed, to nursery cultural operations, to field planting (e.g., afforestation, reforestation and forest restoration). In addition, Reforesta will cover topics of forest genetics, tree breeding, and stand silviculture. We will encourage the submission of papers that provide interest and value to the international readership dealing with planted forests, such as: 1) novel ideas or approaches to reforestation challenges; 2) connections between plant ecophysiology and seedling field performance; 3) testing of new techniques and products in production of forest reproductive material, and at the planting site; and 4) reviews and discussions on timely and important topics. Establishment of the new journal can be compared to establishing a new forest. Initiation of the Reforesta journal will be supported by the editorial team (i.e. planning and site-species or site-provenance matching). The team will then select appropriate papers from the contributions of willing authors (i.e. selection of planting material, nursery operations, and culling). Then the stage is set: the web-site is operational; the journal is registered and applied for indexing (i.e. site preparation, monitoring and feedback). The inaugural issue is published (i.e. seedlings are planted) and the research community is notified (i.e. post-planting silviculture operations). The parallel between Reforesta and establishing a new forest will continue. The future success of Reforesta will be dependent on the interaction with its contributors and readership. The future size of the Reforesta audience will be dependent on its ability to secure its niche, and to provide services to the professional forestry community, while developing a symbiotic relationship with other forestry journals (i.e. competition and/or facilitation). Performance of Reforesta will be measured by monitoring readership and response levels (i.e. reforestation success) and its lifespan will be defined by its resilience and adaptation potential. Reforesta will follow the open access policy of non-profit journals, with no processing charges applied to any accepted articles and no fees for accessing articles published by Reforesta. This principle ensures that forest research is free and available to forestry professionals in support of a greater global exchange of knowledge. Like planted forests, Reforesta hopes to grow in an open environment with appropriate tending from the editorial team, thereby growing with needs of the professional forestry community. The Reforesta journal has one additional advantage. It is established solely on the enthusiasm of the editorial team. As long as there are enthusiasts recognizing the need for Reforesta, the journal will continue to flourish. The editorial team is here to set the scientific standards and ethical rules for the journal. However, the ultimate direction of Reforesta depends on authors and readership. We are delighted to launch this new journal, a product of a joint venture between enthusiasts ranging from undergraduate students to senior researchers and scientists. Reforesta has one underwriting sponsor - The Scientific and Professional Society Reforesta. We thank them for their support. Under the leadership of Vladan Ivetić, Editor-In-Chief, who initiated the idea for Reforesta, and Steven Grossnickle, Consultant-Editor who plays a supporting role; we have a worthy team. The inaugural issue of the Reforesta journal is in form of Thematic Proceedings resulting from the International Conference on Reforestation Challenges, which took place on 3-6 June 2015 in Belgrade, Serbia. We wish to thank participants who attended the Conference and especially thank the invited authors who contributed to this inaugural issue. We are also grateful to the technical team, made up of excellent young students and researchers. We will continue to develop and fine-tune content to enhance the quality, scope and diversity of Reforesta as the journal grows into an established member of the professional forestry community.