TYPOLOGY OF FOREST HUNTING GROUNDS

The analysis of the developed classification schemes of forest hunting grounds is given. Previously, forest typology was taken as a basis with a 4-level division (category-class-group of types-type). The authors adhere to this scheme, but give environment-forming arguments and criteria for their selection. An analysis of the main literature on the classification of forest hunting grounds shows the evolution of the classification of natural resources from the use of available information (forest planning materials) to the specific assessment of productivity displayed on satellite images. Any thematic interpretation of the natural basis does not correspond to the tasks of hunting management. Animals are mobile, and the forest environment is dynamic, so the classification of hunting grounds should take into account the spatial and successional factors in the formation of habitat conditions. The proposed scheme takes into account at the level of the range the action of climatic (zonal, altitudinal-zone), population-ecological (forage, protective and nesting) and population dynamics-succession (dynamics of stands) factors. When hunting planning, the already available materials of forest planning and former hunting planning are taken into account, but the thematic interpretation of the original information must be also considered. A direct interpretation of the ecological properties of the image of hunting grounds from satellite images is proposed, and the developed classification scheme of the dynamic state makes it possible to predict their successional productivity and the level of animal abundance. Therefore, one should focus on obtaining direct information about hunting grounds using high-resolution satellite imagery.