Circularities and proximities within resource valuation systems: insights from territory-based initiatives in the forestry sector

Could there be a win-win situation for both pension funds and the Swiss forestry sector? On the one hand, developments in the forestry sector suggest that the Swiss forest presents a new lucrative investment opportunity. If this is so, then pension funds could be particularly interested, as the low correlation between Swiss forest and other classes of investment, and the long investment periods involved are ideal for pension fund portfolios. On the other hand, large investments made by pension funds could mean that existing problems in Swiss forestry, in connection with its fragmented nature, could be more rapidly solved, and the potential for rationalization in the wood value chain could be fully realized. This would in turn make investments in the forest even more profitable. This hypothesis was investigated through a comprehensive literature analysis, yield calculations for private forestry enterprises of over 50 ha made by the Swiss Federal Office for Statistics 2004–2008, and an interview with the investments director of a large Swiss pension fund. Despite the optimistic assumption that the greater efficiency gained by the investment of pension funds into the forestry sector could lead to costs lower by 50% and a 20% increase in profits, the hypothesis must be rejected, because a calculated annual return of only 0.82% is too low for pension funds. The conclusion is that the price for forest land is high, and forest owners are not only interested in the monetary value of holding forest. Other immaterial values influence prices. It is suggested that a greater emphasis on socioscientific studies concerning the link between the price of forest land and the motivation to buy and sell forest could lead to some important findings.

Download Full-text

Timber

10.1093/oso/9780199673346.003.0008 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Christine Cheng

Keyword(s):

Civil War ◽

Dispute Resolution ◽

Charles Taylor ◽

The Other ◽

Other Hand ◽

Forestry Sector ◽

The Government ◽

The One ◽

Timber Market

During the civil war, Liberia’s forestry sector rose to prominence as Charles Taylor traded timber for arms. When the war ended, the UN’s timber sanctions remained in effect, reinforced by the Forestry Development Authority’s (FDA) domestic ban on logging. As Liberians waited for UN timber sanctions to be lifted, a burgeoning domestic timber market developed. This demand was met by artisanal loggers, more commonly referred to as pit sawyers. Out of this illicit economy emerged the Nezoun Group to provide local dispute resolution between the FDA’s tax collectors and ex-combatant pit sawyers. The Nezoun Group posed a dilemma for the government. On the one hand, the regulatory efforts of the Nezoun Group helped the FDA to tax an activity that it had banned. On the other hand, the state’s inability to contain the operations of the Nezoun Group—in open contravention of Liberian laws—highlighted the government’s capacity problems.

Download Full-text

Rural Development—Some Basic Considerations and their Application to the Forestry Sector

Public Administration and Development ◽

10.1002/j.1099-162x.1977.tb00463.x ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 248-257

Author(s):

A. McCallum

Keyword(s):

Rural Development ◽

Forestry Sector

Download Full-text

Making the Case for Reforms of Forestry Policy and Law: Lessons and Experiences from Nigeria

Environmental Policy and Law ◽

10.3233/epl-201004 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Bola Fajemirokun

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Forest Management ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Sustainable Development Goals ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽

Forestry Policy ◽

2030 Agenda ◽

Forestry Sector ◽

Development Goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development incorporates 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 15 (SDG 15) focuses on terrestrial ecosystems. Regarding forests, it sets targets requiring signatories to promote the implementation of the sustainable management of all types of forests by 2020 and further mobilize significant resources from all sources to achieve sustainable forest management. The United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017 – 2030 advances the vision of SDG 15. Nigeria’s high demographic growth rate has led to the surging demand for land to support settlements and farming. Coupled with extensive illegal or uncontrolled logging, the annual forest net loss of 5% is one of the highest rates globally in percentage terms. This paper is a critical analysis of the policy-law interface of the forestry sector in Nigeria. It examines the country’s trajectory or state of preparedness for sustainable forest management, and it concludes that forestry policy and law in Nigeria must undergo urgent reforms so that the forest commitments such as those under SDG 15 and other regional and global instruments can be ultimately achieved.

Download Full-text

Study of the Optimal Dosage of Celullose Ash as a Contribution Filler in Asphalt Mixtures Based on Its Adhesiveness under Moisture Conditions

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13020854 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 854

Author(s):

Diana Movilla-Quesada ◽

Aitor C. Raposeiras ◽

Manuel Lagos-Varas ◽

Osvaldo Muñoz-Cáceres ◽

Valerio-Carlos Andrés-Valeri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Latin American ◽

Critical Concentration ◽

Resource Scarcity ◽

Wear Loss ◽

Optimal Dosage ◽

Bituminous Mixtures ◽

Forestry Sector ◽

Natural Aggregates ◽

Moisture Conditions ◽

By Products

Chile is the first Latin American country to begin an “ecological overdraft”, as established by the Global Footprint Network (GFN). This implies that the country’s ecological footprint has exceeded the global average bio-capacity. The consumption of natural aggregates for construction in Chile has grown by around 6.6% in the last year, with around 120 million tons being extracted. Given the above, it is important to seek alternatives that help to minimize the problem of resource scarcity, as well as the recovery of industrial by-products and/or waste. The Chilean forestry sector has also grown in recent years, generating approximately 4000 metric tons of waste in 2018, which was deposited in landfills or disposed of on forest roads. The present research is focused on the reuse and possible recovery of ash from the incineration of cellulose as a filler in bituminous mixtures. We analyze the adhesiveness of the filler/bitumen system in dry and wet states, based on the Cantabro wear loss test. The results obtained show that the limit of the relation between the volumetric concentration and critical concentration (Cv/Cs) is 1 for the addition of ash and that concentrations lower than or equal to this value present controlled losses, with 1.00 being the optimal (Cv/Cs) ratio that allows better behavior against the effect of water.

Download Full-text

Problematising refugee migrants in the Swedish forestry sector

Transfer European Review of Labour and Research ◽

10.1177/1024258919827133 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 63-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Eva Wikström ◽

Anna Sténs

Keyword(s):

Learning Environment ◽

Migrant Workers ◽

Analytical Approach ◽

Migration Policy ◽

Labour Shortage ◽

Refugee Integration ◽

Forestry Sector ◽

Health Promoting ◽

Printed Press

In this article, ideas behind current Swedish efforts to integrate refugees in ‘green’ industries are analysed. We ask why the employment of refugees in forestry, a sector historically and globally notorious for its abuse of migrant workers, has come to be regarded as a solution in official Swedish migration policy. A discourse analytical approach is applied, analysing what the arguments are for introducing refugees to forestry work and how the forest, as a space, is depicted and used discursively as a means for refugee integration. The sources for the analyses consist of articles appearing in the printed press from 2015 to 2017. Three main problem discourses are identified: the ‘labour shortage’ discourse, the ‘refugees in need of work’ discourse and the ‘forest as a health-promoting learning environment’ discourse. The hazardous aspects of forestry work or the fact that refugees might be overqualified for the jobs offered are generally left unproblematised.

Download Full-text

Analysis of the perceived condition of forests in the Czech Republic

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/64/2013-jfs ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 59 (No. 12) ◽

pp. 514-519 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

M. Riedl ◽

L. Šišák

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

Public Perception ◽

Forest Policy ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

The Real ◽

The Public ◽

Forestry Sector ◽

Realistic Perception ◽

Opinion Polls

A realistic perception of the condition of forests, and the attributes of the forestry sector, by the public constitutes one of the basic prerequisites for successful implementation of forest policy in any country. Although data objectively demonstrate that the condition of Czech forests has improved, opinion polls show a gap between the public perception of the condition of Czech forests and the real status of these forests. The reasons for the discrepancy between reality and the perception of the public, and between the results of different surveys, are analysed. The most significant differences were found in perceptions of damage and threats to forests. The effectiveness of communication about forest policy is discussed, and some ways to create more effective communication are examined.

Download Full-text