Purple-moor grass meadows (alliance Molinion caeruleae Koch 1926) in the eastern part of Silesia Nature Conservation 65: 51–62, 2008. 51 Research Introduction Implementation of pro-ecological rules in Polish forest management, such as: planting of tree species in accordance with habitats, creates the possibility of restoring the natural character of some forest complexes in the future. Regeneration of forest ecosystems is possible when fragments of their biochores’ characteristic spatial structure and species composition have been conserved (Olaczek 1974; Faliński 1991). Plant populations preserved in typical forms of phytocoenoses can be a resource of diaspores for the regenerated areas. It’s also important in the process of the secondary succession of new forests on abandoned fields and wastelands. Most often, the nature reserves and seed stands are refuges of forest flora (Kurowski 1986). In the large forest complexes these objects are often too distracted and can’t comprise an effective net of floristic refuges. It’s a valid question: are there other objects (without protection) that can take on this function? Old forests, which are in economic use can act as an environmental- forming facility. Many rare plants and animals live there. The problem of conserving of old stands was taken up by Władysław Szafer, among others (Szafer 1950). He indicated their important role in the genes storage of local tree populations. The conservation of natural phytocoenoses is the best way to safeguard the genetic richness of native species (Ławrynowicz and Olaczek 1988). Given the reduction in the number of oaks by dieback and reduced reproduction in Poland (Jakubowska- Gabara 1993; Przybył 1995), the problem of conserving old oak-stands seems to be especially important. The largest forests areas in the Łódź Province are located within the Pilica valley. There are conserved forest complexes (the Spała Forests, the Smardzewice Forests, the Koło Forests, and the Lubień Forests). The most valuable oaks-stands, that are residues of natural ecosystems, have been investigated (Urbanek 1959; Mowszowicz et al. 1969; Olaczek and Jakubowska-Gabara 1978; Mamiński 1984; Czyżewska 1995; Kurowski 1998) and conserved in nature reserves. But knowledge concerning the present state of old oaks stands localised in the timber forests is scrappy. Pro-ecological forest management is the basis of preservation of floristic diversity in old forests. The disappearance of typical, deciduous forests species is a consequence of phytocoenoses degeneration. Assessment of a degeneration form by Olaczek (1972) may indicate The impact of forest management on the flora and vegetation of old oak-stands (An example from The Spała Forests, central Poland) Marcin Kiedrzyński Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology, University of Łódź Banacha12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland, e-mail: kiedmar@biol.uni.lodz.pl Abstract In the Spała Forests stand with above 140 years old oaks occupies 226 ha, it is about 1.5 % of forests surface. Almost 40% of this stand is protected within nature reserves. For this study, the best-preserved oak-stands localised in the timber forests (constituting next 40 %) were selected. In the given area were found: 287 species of vascular plants, 33 species of mosses and 2 species of liverworts. The population size of 50 endangered and protected plants was estimated. The identification of degenerate forms of plant communities indicates the impact of forest management on the flora. The most important factor responsible for degeneration is the planting of the Scotch pine. At present it is manifested by the domination of coniferous forests species and the rapid growth of expansive species in the herb-layer. The planting of European beech is also unfavourable for the oak-forests flora. The role of pinetization should decline (cutting of old pines, regeneration) in the future, but the planting of beech is going to have a dominate influence on the degeneration of old oak forests. Key words Old oak-stand, floristic diversity, forests management, central Poland