Forest Management Under Megadrought: Urgent Needs at Finer Scale and Higher Intensity

Drought and warming increasingly are causing widespread tree die-offs and extreme wildfires. Forest managers are struggling to improve anticipatory forest management practices given more frequent, extensive, and severe wildfire and tree die-off events triggered by “hotter drought”—drought under warmer than historical conditions. Of even greater concern is the increasing probability of multi-year droughts, or “megadroughts”—persistent droughts that span years to decades, and that under a still-warming climate, will also be hotter than historical norms. Megadroughts under warmer temperatures are disconcerting because of their potential to trigger more severe forest die-off, fire cycles, pathogens, and insect outbreaks. In this Perspective, we identify potential anticipatory and/or concurrent options for non-timber forest management actions under megadrought, which by necessity are focused more at finer spatial scales such as the stand level using higher-intensity management. These management actions build on silvicultural practices focused on growth and yield (but not harvest). Current management options that can be focused at finer scales include key silvicultural practices: selective thinning; use of carefully selected forward-thinking seed mixes; site contouring; vegetation and pest management; soil erosion control; and fire management. For the extreme challenges posed by megadroughts, management will necessarily focus even more on finer-scale, higher-intensity actions for priority locations such as fostering stand refugia; assisted stand recovery via soil amendments; enhanced root development; deep soil water retention; and shallow water impoundments. Drought-induced forest die-off from megadrought likely will lead to fundamental changes in the structure, function, and composition of forest stands and the ecosystem services they provide.

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Crop management: principles and practices.

10.1079/9781789245950.0004 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 89-123

Author(s):

Dennis B. Egli

Keyword(s):

Crop Yield ◽

Management Practices ◽

Seed Quality ◽

Production Systems ◽

Crop Management ◽

Planting Date ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Management Options ◽

Physiological Processes ◽

Variety Selection

Abstract This chapter discusses planting-seed quality, variety selection, plant population, planting date and row spacing. The goal of crop management is to create the perfect environment for the growth of the crop, where the perfect environment is characterized by the absence of stress or other factors that reduce crop growth and yield. This goal may be impossible or uneconomical to achieve, but that does not detract from its usefulness as a goal. The management practices discussed in this chapter are fundamental components of grain production systems that contribute to reaching the goal of the perfect environment. There are many management options available to an individual producer; selecting the best combination is not always easy and it may be constrained by factors outside the realm of the physiological processes controlling crop yield.

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Modelling Non-timber Forest Products for Forest Management Planning in Europe

Current Forestry Reports ◽

10.1007/s40725-020-00130-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 309-322

Author(s):

Jari Miina ◽

Mikko Kurttila ◽

Rafael Calama ◽

Sergio de-Miguel ◽

Timo Pukkala

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Forest Products ◽

Joint Production ◽

Forest Owners ◽

Management Planning ◽

Forest Management Planning ◽

Forest Management Practices ◽

Non Timber Forest Products

Abstract Purpose of Review The increased popularity and commercial use of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) calls for the development of models for NTFPs to include their predicted yields in forest management planning and to evaluate the potential of multi-functional forest management. This study assesses and discusses the current state of the art and trends in NTFP yield modelling in Europe and the integration of the models in multi-functional forest management planning at different spatial scales. Recent Findings Climate-sensitive empirical yield models already exist not only for a variety of NTFPs that are economically important to forest owners (e.g. cork and pine nuts) but also for wild-gathered berries and mushrooms, the harvesting of which cannot be controlled by the forest landowner in all European countries. Several studies on multi-functional forest management planning consider the economic profitability of the joint production of timber and NTFP. Harvesting NTFPs can create significant additional incomes for forest owners, compared with timber production only. However, maximizing the economic returns from the joint production of timber and NTFPs often calls for changes in forest management practices. Summary Continued efforts in modelling and predicting the yields of NTFPs have enabled forest managers to further expand the analyses of multi-functional forest planning and management in Europe. Climate-sensitive models also allow analyses on the potential effects of climate change on NTFP yields. New models and forest management practices are still needed for tree fruits, birch sap, a wider variety of wild edible mushrooms, specialty mushrooms cultivated on live trees as well as medicinal and edible forest herbs harvested for commercial value in Europe.

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Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10080649 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 649 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mercedes Fernández-Fernández ◽

Pedro Naves ◽

Dmitry L. Musolin ◽

Andrey V. Selikhovkin ◽

Michelle Cleary ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Environmental Control ◽

Pathogenic Fungus ◽

Insect Species ◽

Pitch Canker ◽

Management Options ◽

Pine Trees ◽

Insect Populations ◽

The Impact

Pine pitch canker (PPC), caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg and O’ Donnell), is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The recent introduction of the pathogen to Southern Europe and its spread in Mediterranean region is alarming considering the immense ecological and economic importance of pines in the region. Pines in forests and nurseries can be infected, resulting in severe growth losses and mortality. The pathogen is known to spread in plants for planting and in seeds, and results from recent studies have indicated that F. circinatum may also spread through phoretic associations with certain insects. With this review, we aim to expand the current understanding of the risk of insect-mediated spread of PPC in different parts of Europe. Through the joint action of a multinational researcher team, we collate the existing information about the insect species spectrum in different biogeographic conditions and scrutinize the potential of these insects to transmit F. circinatum spores in forests and nurseries. We also discuss the impact of environmental factors and forest management in this context. We present evidence for the existence of a high diversity of insects with potential to weaken pines and disseminate PPC in Europe, including several common beetle species. In many parts of Europe, temperatures are projected to rise, which may promote the activity of several insect species, supporting multivoltinism and thus, further amplifying the risk of insect-mediated dissemination of PPC. Integrated pest management (IPM) solutions that comply with forest management practices need to be developed to reduce this risk. We recommend careful monitoring of insect populations as the basis for successful IPM. Improved understanding of environmental control of the interaction between insects, the pathogen, and host trees is needed in order to support development of bio-rational strategies to safeguard European pine trees and forests against F. circinatum in future.

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Forest Disturbance Mapping with Sentinel-2 Time Series in Austria

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-7795 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Markus Löw ◽

Tatjana Koukal

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Forest Management ◽

Time Series Analysis ◽

Bark Beetle ◽

Management Practices ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Forest Disturbance ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Forest Disturbances ◽

Sentinel 2

Worldwide, forests provide natural resources and ecosystem services. However, forest ecosystems are threatened by increasing forest disturbance dynamics, caused by direct human activities or by altering environmental conditions. It is decisive to reconstruct and trace the intra- to transannual dynamics of forest ecosystems. Therefore, the monitoring of large and small scale vegetation changes such as those caused by natural events (e.g., pest infestation, higher mortality due to altering site conditions) or forest management practices (e.g., thinning or selective timber extraction) becomes more and more crucial. National to local forest authorities and other stakeholders request detailed area-wide maps that delineate forest disturbance dynamics at various spatial scales.We developed a time series analysis (TSA) framework that comprises data download, data management, image preprocessing and an advanced but flexible TSA. We use dense Sentinel-2 time series and a dynamic Savitzky&#8211;Golay-filtering approach to model robust but sensitive phenology courses. Deviations from the phenology models are used to derive detailed spatiotemporal information on forest disturbances. In a first case study, we apply the TSA to map forest disturbances directly or indirectly linked to recurring bark beetle infestation in Northern Austria.In addition to spatiotemporal disturbance maps, we produce zonal statistics on different spatial scales that provide aggregated information on the extent of forest disturbances between 2018 and 2019. The outcomes are (a) area-wide consistent data of individual phenology models and deduced phenology metrics for Austrian forests and (b) operational forest disturbance maps, useful to investigate and monitor forest disturbances, for example to facilitate sustainable forest management.At a forest stand level, we reconstruct the origin date of forest disturbances (FDD &#8211; Forest Disturbance Date). Theses FDD outputs show the spatiotemporal patterns and the development of damages and indicate that most dynamics are caused by recurring and spreading bark beetle infestation. The validation results based on field data confirm a high detection rate and show that the derived temporal information is reliable. In total, 23400 hectares, i.e., on average 2.8% of the forest area in the study area, are found to be affected by forest disturbance. The zonal statistic maps point out hotspots of significant forest disturbances, where adequate forest management measures are highly needed. Furthermore, this study highlights the TSA&#8217;s potential to also depict and monitor minor human impacts on forests, such as thinning, selective timber extraction or other moderate forest management practices.Keywords:&#160; forest disturbance; forest monitoring; bark beetle infestation; forest management; time series analysis; phenology modelling; remote sensing; satellite imagery; Sentinel-2

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Modelling the Sustainability of Forest Production and Yield for a Changing and Uncertain Future

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc66271-3 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 66 (3) ◽

pp. 271-280 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

J. P. Kimmins

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Growth Models ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Calibration Data ◽

Stand Growth ◽

The World ◽

Ecosystem Level

The expected growth of the human population to about 11 billion sometime within the next rotation of most northern temperate forest crops will put greatly increased and varied demands on today's forested lands. Development of the timber resources on those lands that remain dedicated to timber production must be demonstrably sustainable if forest management is to help arrest rather than aggravate the continuing deterioration of the global environment, and if managed forests are to be a carbon sink rather than a carbon source with respect to the global "green-house effect". Unfortunately, the experience-based models traditionally used by foresters cannot make accurate predictions of future forest growth, yield, and carbon balance for the altered growing conditions that are expected to accompany this increase in human numbers. These tools are therefore unsuitable as a means of assessing the sustainability of site productivity under current or anticipated future forest management practices and the expected future soil, climate, and biotic conditions. It is time for foresters around the world to confront this issue and to develop and use more ecologically-sensitive, ecosystem-level stand growth and yield models.Knowledge-based, process-simulation stand growth models have many theoretical advantages, and are the only way of predicting future forest growth and carbon budgets on a particular site in the absence of accurate data on the past growth of forests on that site. However, such models have generally had significant practical limitations as an alternative to traditional forest yield models. They have either been too simple, or, if sufficiently complex, have had unacceptably large calibration data requirements, which has limited their portability. This has restricted most process-based simulation models to research and educational applications.An alternative approach which combines both the experience-based and the knowledge-based approaches offers a more practical alternative. The combination of "historical bioassay" and process-based modelling approaches into "hybrid simulation" stand models can provide a means by which to rank the most probable outcomes and the sustainability of alternative stand-level management strategies under a variety of possible future growing conditions.The accuracy of most forest management and forest economics models ultimately depends on the accuracy of stand-level growth models. As the world experiences increasing problems of air pollution (acid rain and the greenhouse effect), soil degradation, and deforestation, there is an urgent need for foresters to use ecosystem-level growth models that are sensitive to human-induced and naturally caused environmental changes. Use of such models is a necessary prerequisite to good stewardship of forest land and our legacy to future generations.

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Woodland Management Practices in Bronze Age, Bruszczewo, Poland

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12101327 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 1327

Author(s):

Marzena Kłusek ◽

Jutta Kneisel

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Bronze Age ◽

Management Practices ◽

Ring Width ◽

Raw Material ◽

Early Bronze Age ◽

Silvicultural Practices ◽

Growth Ring Width ◽

Management Techniques ◽

Earlywood Vessels

The article presents a study of wood excavated from archaeological site in Poland (2100–1650 BC). The large amount of collected samples created a unique opportunity for research because the subfossil wood was in very good preservation state. This made it possible to carry out dendrotypological analysis. This is the first such study conducted for Early Bronze Age timber originating from Poland. The main goal of the study was to determine whether the presence of strong and abrupt reductions and releases of growth, observed within tree-ring sequences, is due to natural stand dynamics, results from the influence of extreme environmental factors or whether they should be linked to specific silvicultural practices already known in ancient times. Another purpose of the study was to determine the type of forest management techniques applied to the trees growing in Bruszczewo site. The research was conducted using the dendrochronological method. In addition to the measurements of growth-ring width, the development of earlywood and latewood zones, the proportion of sapwood and the presence of specific features of tree trunks were analysed. A detailed study allowed identifying the samples originating from coppiced and shredded trees. A characteristic feature of the trees subjected to these silvicultural practices is the presence of strong and abrupt reductions and releases of growth. Moreover, coppiced trees were specified by the large proportion of sapwood in the cross-section of the stem, reduced number of sapwood rings, small and numerous earlywood vessels, diminished earlywood vessels area. In turn, shredded trees distinguished themselves by a strong reduction in the earlywood width in the years following the shredding event. The research of archaeological wood from the ancient settlement proves that during the Early Bronze Age various forest management techniques were used in this site. These treatments were aimed at improving the quality and quantity of the raw material harvested from forest areas.

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Summer Bat Habitat Use and Forest Characteristics in Managed Northeastern Forests

Journal of Forestry ◽

10.1093/jofore/fvaa059 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Megan E Gallagher ◽

Shannon L Farrell ◽

René H Germain ◽

Vanessa G Rojas

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Habitat Use ◽

Management Practices ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Managed Forests ◽

Forest Management Practices ◽

Management Actions ◽

Mature Stands ◽

Forest Managers

Abstract There has been limited research investigating summer habitat use of bats in managed forests in the northeastern United States. Consequently, there is limited knowledge to inform forest managers seeking to maintain or enhance bat habitat, particularly for several federally threatened, endangered, or candidate species. In summer 2017–2018, we conducted repeated acoustic surveys to determine what forest characteristics are associated with bat habitat use in managed forests in the Adirondack region of upstate New York. We modeled detection corrected probability of occupancy for bats in three phonic groups: high, mid, and low frequency. Across all phonic groups, probability of occupancy increased with decreasing canopy cover. High-, mid-, and low-frequency bats were more likely to use recently harvested sites (<10 years since harvest). High-frequency bats also used mature stands. Midfrequency bats demonstrated a preference for further distances from forest roads, whereas low-frequency bats preferred areas with a higher percentage of clutter. Our results suggest that tending and regenerating even-aged forest management practices can provide habitat for foraging bats in the Adirondacks. Study Implications: Several northeastern bat species have been granted or are candidates for federal endangered or threatened status; therefore, forest managers may increasingly need to consider how forest management actions affect bats. This research elucidates the effects of forest management practices on summer bat habitat use in northeastern forests. Foresters can use this information to limit negative impacts to bat habitat from management actions and identify management opportunities that protect or enhance bat habitat. All bat species we studied showed higher probability of use in stands with lower percent canopy cover, including stands recently harvested with the shelterwood method. However, special attention is owed to postharvest management to maintain suitable conditions, particularly concerning American beech. It is common in northeastern forests for beech to sprout root suckers following harvesting activities that can result in dense thickets, impeding bat flight abilities and limiting habitat connectivity for bats and other wildlife. Our findings also show that several bat species forage in mature stands that have a natural open understory and in areas around or near waterbodies. Consequently, even-aged tending and regeneration techniques in hardwood and mixed-wood forests, coupled with maintenance of nearby aquatic habitats, can provide habitat for bats.

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Economic and ecological trade-off analysis of forest ecosystems: options for boreal forests

Environmental Reviews ◽

10.1139/er-2015-0090 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 348-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Si Chen ◽

Chander Shahi ◽

Han Y.H. Chen

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Forest Ecosystem ◽

Boreal Forests ◽

Sustainable Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Ecological Functions ◽

Trade Off ◽

Trade Offs

Intensive forest management practices for production forestry can potentially impact the sustainability of ecological functions and associated forest ecosystem services. Understanding the trade-offs between economic gains and ecological losses is critical for the sustainable management of forest resources. However, economic and ecological trade-offs are typically uncertain, vary at temporal and spatial scales, and are difficult to measure. Moreover, the methods used to quantify economic and ecological trade-offs might have conflicting priorities. We reviewed the most current published literature related to trade-off analysis between economic gains and sustainability of forest ecosystem functions and associated services, and we found that most economic and ecological trade-offs studies were conducted in tropical and temperate forests, with few having their focus on boreal forests. Analytical methods of these published studies included monetary valuation, biophysical models, optimization programming, production possibility frontier, and multi-objective optimization. This review has identified the knowledge gaps in the understanding and measurement of the economic and ecological trade-offs for the sustainable management of boreal forests. While it remains uncertain how economic activities might best maintain and support multiple ecological functions and associated services in the boreal forests, which are susceptible to climate change and disturbances, we propose the use of optimization methods employing multiple objectives. For any tool to provide sustainable and optimal forest management solutions, we propose that appropriate and robust data must be collected and analyzed.

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Landscape-scale simulations as a tool in multi-criteria decision making for agri-environment schemes

10.1101/524181 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Chris J. Topping ◽

Lars Dalby ◽

Jose W. Valdez

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Management Practices ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Simulation System ◽

Landscape Context ◽

Context Dependency ◽

Multi Criteria Decision Making ◽

Management Options ◽

Management Actions ◽

Wide Range

AbstractIncreasing concerns over the environmental impacts of agriculture in Europe has led to the introduction of agri-environment schemes (AES) to help mitigate biodiversity loss. However, effectiveness of AES has been mixed and only partially successful in achieving desired outcomes. To improve effectiveness and reduce high costs, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) can help support decision-making and determine the most effective management action. Although MCDA has great potential for evaluating policy measures, it rarely considers the context-dependency of species responses to management practices across different landscapes. Landscape simulations can, therefore, be valuable for reducing the uncertainties when predicting the consequences of management actions. A potential suitable simulation system is the Animal, Landscape, and Man Simulation System (ALMaSS), a mechanistic simulation with can improve MCDA with the automatic integration of a species ecology and behaviour and landscape context. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of ALMaSS in evaluating AES management practices across different landscapes and estimate their ability to achieve the proposed conservation outcomes of three typical species of conservation interest. In this study, the effect of a particular management strategy on a species was dependent on the landscape context, in our case, a combination of landscape structure and the type and distribution of farms, and varied depending on the metrics being measured. Although we did not aim to make recommendations of particular management strategies, we demonstrate how simulations can be used for MCDA to select between management strategies with different costs. Despite the complexity of ALMaSS models, the simulation results provided are easy to interpret. Landscape simulations, such as ALMaSS, can be an important tool in multi-criteria decision making by simulating a wide range of managements and contexts and provide supporting information for filtering management options based on specific conservation goals.

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Forest Management In Mongolia – A Review Of Challenges And Lessons Learned With Special Reference To Degradation And Deforestation

GEOGRAPHY ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY ◽

10.24057/2071-9388-2019-102 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 133-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alexander Gradel ◽

Gerelbaatar Sukhbaatar ◽

Daniel Karthe ◽

Hoduck Kang

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Land Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Forest Health ◽

Hydrological Regime ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Special Focus ◽

Driven System ◽

The Status

The natural conditions, climate change and socio-economic challenges related to the transformation from a socialistic society towards a market-driven system make the implementation of sustainable land management practices in Mongolia especially complicated. Forests play an important role in land management. In addition to providing resources and ecosystem functions, Mongolian forests protect against land degradation.We conducted a literature review of the status of forest management in Mongolia and lessons learned, with special consideration to halting deforestation and degradation. We grouped our review into seven challenges relevant to developing regionally adapted forest management systems that both safeguard forest health and consider socio-economic needs. In our review, we found that current forest management in Mongolia is not always sustainable, and that some practices lack scientific grounding. An overwhelming number of sources noticed a decrease in forest area and quality during the last decades, although afforestation initiatives are reported to have increased. We found that they have had, with few exceptions, only limited success. During our review, however, we found a number of case studies that presented or proposed promising approaches to (re-)establishing and managing forests. These studies are further supported by a body of literature that examines how forest administration, and local participation can be modified to better support sustainable forestry. Based on our review, we conclude that it is necessary to integrate capacity development and forest research into holistic initiatives. A special focus should be given to the linkages between vegetation cover and the hydrological regime.

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