THE APPLICATION OF KOCH METHOD FOR ORNAMENTAL WOODY SPECIES ASSESSMENTS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The Koch Method is one of the methods used in Germany to assess destroyed, damaged or expropriated woody species. The aim of this paper is to apply the Koch method in the Czech Republic and compare base prices in the existing assessment manuals and relevant legislation. Base prices are constructed on the grounds of costs incurred by growing of trees from the moment of their planting up to their maturity. All costs invested in the past are subject to interest. The paper presents the size of invested costs in the course of individual stages of tree growing and describes ways of calculating the base prices. It presents examples of the base prices comparing them with prices quoted in current Czech assessment manuals. The newly calculated base tree prices approximate the prices given in the relevant regulation while differing considerably from those given in the manual designed for calculating the damage on woody species and for purposes of replacement planting. The calculated values indicated that the factors determining the base price fixation of a specific species or cultivar of a tree are the initial size of a young plant, the size of an adult tree crown and the speed of tree growth during maturation. Apart from the biological factors mentioned above, base prices are also determined by economic aspects, mainly by interest rates.