Forest Investment Framework as a Support Tool for the Sustainable Management of Planted Forests

Planted forest ecosystems provide a wide range of goods and services such as timber, carbon sequestration, and avoided erosion. However, only ecosystem services with market values (e.g., timber) are usually represented in decision making while those with non-market values (e.g., avoided erosion) that are difficult to quantify are often ignored. A spatial economic tool, the Forest Investment Framework (FIF), integrates data from forest growth models with spatial, biophysical, and economic data, to quantify the broader value of planted forests and to represent non-market values in sustainable forest management. In this paper, we have tested the applicability of FIF in three types of case studies: assessment of afforestation feasibility, regional economic analyses, and ecosystem service assessment. This study provides evidence that a spatial economic tool that quantifies the economic, environmental, and social values of the planted forest ecosystem is valuable in informing land management decisions for maintaining and enhancing the provision of market and non-market ecosystem services to society.

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Assessing the Broader Value of Planted Forests to Inform Forest Management Decisions

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12060662 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 662

Author(s):

Richard T. Yao ◽

David J. Palmer ◽

Tim W. Payn ◽

Sally Strang ◽

Colin Maunder

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Forest Management ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Planted Forest ◽

Binary Forms ◽

Planted Forests ◽

Market Values ◽

Decision Making Processes

This study highlights the importance of incorporating objectively quantified, non-market environmental values (such as avoided erosion and carbon sequestration) into land use decision making for sustainable forest management. A continuously developing approach that has facilitated discussions between researchers, industries, and governments on the quantification of non-market values is the ecosystem services (ES) framework. Using a spatial economic tool, called Forest Investment Framework, this study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first assessment of the market (timber) and non-market (carbon sequestration, avoided nitrogen leaching and avoided erosion) ES values of the 1.75 million-hectare New Zealand planted forest estate. To collect the views of key planted forest industry representatives on ES assessment/quantification, we interviewed 14 forest managers representing 60% of the planted forest area. Results from the spatial economic analysis indicated that the non-market ES values can be more than four times the timber profit nationally, and up to 12 times higher in New Zealand’s most erosion-prone region. These estimated values are indicative and should be treated with caution. From a sensitivity analysis, we found that different discount rates significantly impact ES values, ratios, and distributions. Results from the interviews indicated that ES quantification helped inform decision making by supporting license to operate, while also signaling the development of a reward system for sustaining ES. Sixty-four percent of survey respondents identified the importance of quantifying ES in ecological terms and describing other non-market ES in spatial, qualitative, or binary forms. Overall, this study provided evidence of how estimated non-market ES values compare with market values and highlighted the importance of including them in decision making processes. Future cost benefit analyses that incorporate these non-market monetary ES values would complement multi-criteria analysis that integrate additional dimensions and allow decision makers to rank options based on their particular criteria.

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Targeting perennial vegetation in agricultural landscapes for enhancing ecosystem services

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170512000385 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 101-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 103

Author(s):

H. Asbjornsen ◽

V. Hernandez-Santana ◽

M. Liebman ◽

J. Bayala ◽

J. Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Management Tool ◽

Past Century ◽

Pollination Services ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Wide Range ◽

Perennial Vegetation ◽

Hydrologic Regulation ◽

Pathogen Populations

AbstractOver the past century, agricultural landscapes worldwide have increasingly been managed for the primary purpose of producing food, while other diverse ecosystem services potentially available from these landscapes have often been undervalued and diminished. The incorporation of relatively small amounts of perennial vegetation in strategic locations within agricultural landscapes dominated by annual crops—or perennialization—creates an opportunity for enhancing the provision of a wide range of goods and services to society, such as water purification, hydrologic regulation, pollination services, control of pest and pathogen populations, diverse food and fuel products, and greater resilience to climate change and extreme disturbances, while at the same time improving the sustainability of food production. This paper synthesizes the current scientific theory and evidence for the role of perennial plants in balancing conservation with agricultural production, focusing on the Midwestern USA as a model system, while also drawing comparisons with other climatically diverse regions of the world. Particular emphasis is given to identifying promising opportunities for advancement and critical gaps in our knowledge related to purposefully integrating perennial vegetation into agroecosystems as a management tool for maximizing multiple benefits to society.

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The relative contributions of forest growth and areal expansion to forest biomass carbon sinks in China

Biogeosciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/bgd-12-9587-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 9587-9612 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

P. Li ◽

J. Zhu ◽

H. Hu ◽

Z. Guo ◽

Y. Pan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Forest Biomass ◽

C Sequestration ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Forest Area ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Biomass Density ◽

Planted Forests ◽

Leading Role ◽

Forest C

Abstract. Forests play a leading role in regional and global terrestrial carbon (C) cycles. Changes in C sequestration within forests can be attributed to areal expansion (increase in forest area) and forest growth (increase in biomass density). Detailed assessment of the relative contributions of areal expansion and forest growth to C sinks is crucial to reveal the mechanisms that control forest C sinks and is helpful for developing sustainable forest management policies in the face of climate change. Using the Forest Identity concept and forest inventory data, this study quantified the spatial and temporal changes in the relative contributions of forest areal expansion and increased biomass growth to China's forest C sinks from 1977 to 2008. Over the last 30 years, the areal expansion of forests was a larger contributor to C sinks than forest growth for all forests and planted forests in China (74.6 vs. 25.4 % for all forests, and 62.4 vs. 37.8 % for plantations). However, for natural forests, forest growth made a larger contribution than areal expansion (60.4 vs. 39.6 %). The relative contribution of forest growth of planted forests showed an increasing trend from an initial 25.3 to 61.0 % in the later period of 1998 to 2003, but for natural forests, the relative contributions were variable without clear trends owing to the drastic changes in forest area and biomass density over the last 30 years. Our findings suggest that afforestation can continue to increase the C sink of China's forests in the future subject to persistently-increasing forest growth after establishment of plantation.

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The relative contributions of forest growth and areal expansion to forest biomass carbon

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-13-375-2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 375-388 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

P. Li ◽

J. Zhu ◽

H. Hu ◽

Z. Guo ◽

Y. Pan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Forest Biomass ◽

C Sequestration ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Forest Area ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Biomass Density ◽

Planted Forests ◽

Leading Role ◽

Relative Contribution

Abstract. Forests play a leading role in regional and global terrestrial carbon (C) cycles. Changes in C sequestration within forests can be attributed to areal expansion (increase in forest area) and forest growth (increase in biomass density). Detailed assessment of the relative contributions of areal expansion and forest growth to C sinks is crucial to reveal the mechanisms that control forest C sinks and it is helpful for developing sustainable forest management policies in the face of climate change. Using the Forest Identity concept and forest inventory data, this study quantified the spatial and temporal changes in the relative contributions of forest areal expansion and increased biomass growth to China's forest biomass C sinks from 1977 to 2008. Over the last 30 years, the areal expansion of forests has been a larger contributor to C sinks than forest growth for planted forests in China (62.2 % vs. 37.8 %). However, for natural forests, forest growth has made a larger contribution than areal expansion (60.4 % vs. 39.6 %). For all forests (planted and natural forests), growth in area and density has contributed equally to the total C sinks of forest biomass in China (50.4 % vs. 49.6 %).The relative contribution of forest growth of planted forests showed an increasing trend from an initial 25.3 % to 61.0 % in the later period of 1998 to 2003, but for natural forests, the relative contributions were variable without clear trends, owing to the drastic changes in forest area and biomass density over the last 30 years. Our findings suggest that afforestation will continue to increase the C sink of China's forests in the future, subject to sustainable forest growth after the establishment of plantations.

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Monitoring and evaluating participation in national forest programmes. The Catalan case

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2006.0438 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 157 (10) ◽

pp. 438-444 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Glòria Domínguez ◽

Jordi Tena

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Forest Policy ◽

Monitoring And Evaluation ◽

Raw Material ◽

Decision Making Process ◽

National Forest ◽

Multiple Use ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Wide Range

In recent years, sustainable forest management has become the paradigm for forest policy. In this context, national forest programmes (NFP) are defined, in the broad sense, as planning instruments to achieve sustainable forest management at both national and subnational levels. The challenges for forest policy is to increase the number of agreed strategies and improve communication relations with the wide range of stakeholders involved, as well as those posed by the multiple use of forests, which are perceived not only as a source of raw material but also of goods and services for society in general. Although the definition and the contents of NFPs in Europe is in a permanent process of improvement, redefinition and discussion, it seems clear (since it appears implicit in several of their principles) that their formulation and implementation must entail a greater involvement of society in the decision making process, and more emphasis will have to be placed on the aspects of participation. The umbrella of participation covers a wide range of different processes and in this context the need emerges to monitor and evaluate this participation. This paper describes the monitoring and evaluation and shows the main results of the participation conducted in the framework on the national forest programme of Catalonia during the years 2003 – 2005.

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The Business Side of Ecosystem Services of Soil Systems

Earth ◽

10.3390/earth1020002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 15-34

Author(s):

Elena A. Mikhailova ◽

Christopher J. Post ◽

Mark A. Schlautman ◽

Gregory C. Post ◽

Hamdi A. Zurqani

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Soil Survey ◽

Business Systems ◽

Business Decision ◽

Soil Resources ◽

Organizational Hierarchy ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Soil Systems ◽

Wide Range

Current applications of the Ecosystems Services (ES) framework to soils are narrowly defined (e.g., soil-based, pedosphere-based, etc.), and focus on soil properties while treating soil as a closed system. Because soil is an open system, it receives and loses matter across its boundaries within Earth’s spheres (atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, ecosphere, and anthroposphere), which also need to be accounted for in economic analysis. In market economies, the market transforms resources from the Earth’s pedosphere and related spheres into goods and services for societal welfare with non-market institutions mediating human and environmental interactions. These transformations and mediations can result not only in welfare but damages as well. The concept of soil ES and ecosystem disservices (ED) is a human-centered framework, which can be a useful tool in business decision-making. Soil ES (e.g., provisioning, regulation/ maintenance, and cultural) are used to produce goods and services, but the value of these ES and ED are not always accounted for as a part of business decision-making. The objective of this review is to illustrate the monetary valuation of ecosystem services of soil systems (SS) with examples based on the organizational hierarchy of soil systems. The organizational hierarchy of soil systems can be used in economic valuations of soil ES by scale (e.g., world, continent), time (e.g., soil, geologic), qualitative and quantitative degrees of computation (e.g., mental, verbal, descriptive, mathematical, deterministic, stochastic), and degree of complexity (e.g., mechanistic, empirical). Soil survey databases, soil analyses, Soil Data Systems (SDS), and Soil Business Systems (SBS) provide tools and a wide range of quantitative/qualitative data and information to evaluate goods and services for various business applications, but these sources of soil data may be limited in scope due to their static nature. Valuation of soil resources based on soil and non-soil science databases (e.g., National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) databases, etc.) is critically needed to account for these ES/ED as part of business decision-making to provide more sustainable use of soil resources. Since most ecosystems on Earth have been modified by human activity, “soil systems goods and services” (SSGS) may be a more applicable term to describe soil contributions (benefits/damages) to economic activity, compared to a term such as “soil ecosystem goods and services.”

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Opinions towards the water-related Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes: The stakeholders’ point of view

10.21203/rs.3.rs-22143/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alessandro Paletto ◽

Klára Báliková ◽

Isabella De Meo

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Forest Management ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Water Discharge ◽

Stakeholder Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Payments For Ecosystem Services ◽

Runoff Reduction ◽

Wide Range

Abstract Background: Forests provide a wide range of water-related ecosystem services (WES) vital for human well-being such as groundwater recharge, runoff and water discharge to streams, soil erosion protection, aesthetic landscape and recreational opportunities. Sustainable forest management and afforestation/reforestation practices can maintain and improve the long-term provision of WES. In this context, new market-based mechanisms – Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) – can promote sustainable forest management by reducing negative externalities. To implement PES schemes for WES, many stakeholders with different knowledge, interests, and needs must be consulted and involved in the design and implementation process.Methods: The aim of this study is to investigate stakeholders’ opinions on the relationships between forests and water resources and the water-related Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes in Italy. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered by email to 39 stakeholders identified through a stakeholder analysis. The stakeholders were classified in four groups: buyers (15.4% of stakeholders), sellers (15.4%), intermediaries (43.6%), and knowledge providers (25.6%).Results and conclusions: The results show that the three most important WES provided by forests are soil erosion reduction, followed by provision of habitats for different species and surface runoff reduction. The respondents emphasize the importance of regulating and supporting services, while they minimize the importance of cultural services. For the sample of respondents, market-based instruments have an efficiency comparable to regulatory instruments, but a shared value for ecosystem services among stakeholders is required in the implementation of PES schemes. According to respondents' opinions, the public authority should play the role of both buyer and regulator, while the other stakeholders should be consulted (citizens) or actively involved (farmers’ and forest owners’ associations) in the decision-making process related to the PES schemes.

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The GrassGro decision support tool: its effectiveness in simulating pasture and animal production and value in determining research priorities

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea98011 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 40 (2) ◽

pp. 247 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

S. G. Clark ◽

J. R. Donnelly ◽

A. D. Moore

Keyword(s):

Decision Support ◽

Growth Models ◽

Research Priorities ◽

Decision Support Tool ◽

Animal Production ◽

Grazing Management ◽

Rooting Depth ◽

Diverse Range ◽

Support Tool ◽

Wide Range

The GrassGro decision support tool combines animal intake and nutrition models, soil moisture and pasture growth models with management rules. GrassGro simulates pasture and animal production using a wide range of pasture species and sheep and cattle enterprises. Data from the Temperate Pasture Sustainability Key Program grazing management sites were used to validate the predictions of GrassGro. The pasture and animal production from a diverse range of sites were successfully simulated. Limitations of GrassGro were identified (parameter sets not available for some pasture species, inability to simulate clumpy swards, rudimentary interspecies competition model) and some improvements were made to its performance (improved species parameter sets and improved modeling of rooting depth). Recommendations are made on priority areas of research to improve GrassGro and on improvements in methodology which could be adopted by future programs like Temperate Pasture Sustainability Key Program.

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Multi-criteria analysis to compare multiple risks associated with management alternatives in planted forests

Forest Systems ◽

10.5424/fs/2020292-15660 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. e004

Author(s):

Margot Régolini ◽

Céline Meredieu ◽

Hervé Jactel ◽

Ander Arias-González ◽

Manuela Branco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Growth Models ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Expert Assessment ◽

Management Approach ◽

Planted Forests ◽

Energy Wood ◽

Multiple Risks ◽

Forest Values ◽

Management Alternatives

Aim of study: Adaptation of silviculture in planted forest may help to mitigate damage due to biotic and abiotic hazards. However, compromises have to be found because it is not possible to minimize the risk from all hazards through application of a single forest management approach. The objective of this study was to improve a multi-criteria risk analysis (MCRA) method that makes it possible to rank forest management alternatives (FMAs) according to multiple risks. Material and Methods: We defined eight FMAs for maritime pine forests in France, Spain and Portugal. We used as the definition of risk the combination of hazard, susceptibility and exposure. Hazard level was estimated using archive data on occurrence and severity of damaging agents over the last few decades. Forest susceptibility to hazards was evaluated by experts who scored the effect on stand resistance of eleven silvicultural operations characterizing each FMA. Exposure was estimated as value at stake, which combined forest standing volume, simulated with forest growth models, and wood prices.Main Results: Using the PROMETHEE algorithm, we found that the overall ranking of FMAs was consistent across all countries, with short rotation plantations to produce pulpwood or energy wood were the least at risk. The ranking was mainly driven by forest values at stake. We found that by improving the accuracy of forest values exposed to damage, based on growth models and representative wood prices, the MCRA outcomes were more useful and realistic.Research highlights: Our methodology provides a relevant framework to design FMAs that would minimize risks while maintaining income.Keywords: Pinus pinaster; vulnerability; hazards; growth modelling; expert assessment; wood price; southwestern Europe.

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Modelling Future Growth of Mountain Forests Under Changing Environments

10.1007/978-3-030-80767-2_7 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 223-262

Author(s):

Michal Bosela ◽

Katarína Merganičová ◽

Chiara Torresan ◽

Paolo Cherubini ◽

Marek Fabrika ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Models ◽

Model Averaging ◽

Forest Growth ◽

Mountain Forests ◽

Silvicultural Treatments ◽

Wide Range ◽

Species Mixture ◽

Fast Development ◽

European Mountain ◽

Future Growth

AbstractModels to predict the effects of different silvicultural treatments on future forest development are the best available tools to demonstrate and test possible climate-smart pathways of mountain forestry. This chapter reviews the state of the art in modelling approaches to predict the future growth of European mountain forests under changing environmental and management conditions. Growth models, both mechanistic and empirical, which are currently available to predict forest growth are reviewed. The chapter also discusses the potential of integrating the effects of genetic origin, species mixture and new silvicultural prescriptions on biomass production into the growth models. The potential of growth simulations to quantify indicators of climate-smart forestry (CSF) is evaluated as well. We conclude that available forest growth models largely differ from each other in many ways, and so they provide a large range of future growth estimates. However, the fast development of computing capacity allows and will allow a wide range of growth simulations and multi-model averaging to produce robust estimates. Still, great attention is required to evaluate the performance of the models. Remote sensing measurements will allow the use of growth models across ecological gradients.

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