Soft - wood species trial on low altitude site of Neka Forest of Caspian Region

The aim of the study was to introduce the most successful exotic species for Forest plantation projects. The trial was conducted in 1992 on ahumidsite at low altitude of Neka Forest in Mazandaran province of I. R. Iran (North Forests), under compeletely Randomized Block with three replicates and eight tretments. The treatments consisted of six pine species (P. taeda, P.radiata, P. brutia, P. nigra var. austriaca, P. pinaster and P. Longifolia), Crytomeria japonica and Cedrus deodara. The species growth characteristics were measured after 10 years (1992-2000), including survival, height, collar diameter, breast height diameter and quality. soil physical and chemical properties were determined and climate characteristics were identified. The statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences between the species in relation to their qualitative and quantitative parameters. The most promising species were P. taeda, P. radiata and P. brutia, respectively.