Planning and Professional Assistance as Factors Influencing Private Forest Landowner Best Management Practice Implementation

Virtually all states have developed best management practices (BMPs) to mitigate potential adverse effects associated with timber harvesting. This study examined how BMP implementation on Minnesota’s family forest lands varied according to whether the land had a forest management plan, the timber sale was administered by a forester, or a written timber harvesting contract was used. Analysis of field monitoring data from 174 commercial timber harvesting sites on family forest lands found that BMP implementation is only modestly influenced by a forest management plan, supervising forester, or timber harvesting contract. Supervision of a forester had the greatest influence, with six guidelines implemented differently. In contrast, differences were found for just two BMPs with a forest management plan and only one with a written timber harvesting contract. When timber sales were administered by a forester, forest management guidelines generally related to management of the land-water interface were implemented to a higher standard, with significant increases observed for avoidance of infrastructure in filter strips, use of water diversion and erosion control structures, avoiding unnecessary wetland and waterbody crossings, and slash management. Higher timber utilization efficiency (within leave tree guidelines) was also found when a professional forester supervised the timber sale. Study Implications: We examine how BMP implementation on family forest lands varies with three types of supervisory and planning assistance: a forest management plan for the property, sale administration by a professional forester, and a written timber harvesting contract. Field monitoring data from 174 commercial timber harvests on family forest lands indicate that BMP implementation is only modestly influenced by any single form of assistance. Supervision by a forester had the greatest influence, increasing use of four guidelines related to management of the land-water interface. Results may help to inform best practices for landowner assistance and planning.

Assessing the Economic Viability of the Mechanized Removal of Understory Beech during a Shelterwood Harvest

Beech bark disease is a pathogenic complex that has been spreading throughout the American beech’s range since the 1800s. A litany of negative consequences have manifested from the infestation of this disease, many of which deteriorate the ecological functions of forestland. This case study sought to analyze the cost structure for removing a recalcitrant beech understory via mechanized shelterwood harvesting. High-resolution data regarding the day-to-day operation of harvesting equipment was collected using daily production journals. Interviews were conducted with the logging company owner and maintenance supervisor to gather additional information required to calculate machine costs, overhead, job specific costs, and trucking costs. The yield from this harvest was 527 metric tonnes of sawtimber and 4,893 tonnes of clean chips. The total harvesting cost equated to $4,651/ha, with the cost attributed to removing beech at $204/ha. Despite the additional cost of beech removal, the logger generated a total profit of $5,965 and a return on investment of 7.5%, allowing us to conclude that mechanized harvesting can be a viable beech removal strategy given the forest stocking and market conditions that are in place. Study Implications This study breaks down the various costs associated with cutting, skidding, landing, and transporting wood products from a mechanized harvesting operation designed to remediate the effects of beech bark disease. The beech remediation harvest was economically viable for both the landowner and the logger because the timber sale included some valuable hardwood sawtimber, and the harvest system was capable of generating clean chips for a pulp mill with the low-grade hardwood. Furthermore, the landowner’s willingness to accept lower sawtimber stumpage revenues allowed the logger to make a profit and return-on-investment on the job. Had the timber sale been limited to only hardwood pulpwood or fuel chips, the operation would not have been economically viable without the landowner paying for the operation, which, based on our analysis, would be approximately $200/ha.

Changes in the Market of Precious Wood: A Case Study of Submission System in Poland

A timber market occupies a very particular position within the economic reality. Trading of commodities such as precious timber is, indeed, strongly conditioned by the carrying capacity and the silvicultural potential of the forest ecosystem. Timber markets in Poland are characterized by a controlling position of the State Forests, and one of the possible forms of wood sale is the system of submission. A submission usually implies that small quantities of wood with unusual features are being offered to a specific group of customers. The paper presents the sale results and prices of veneer wood commercialized in submission systems and in other forms of timber sale in the territory of Krosno during the years 2000−2019. It is one of the oldest submission markets in Poland, where the most expensive log ever in Poland was sold (13,000 USD/log—close to 7000 USD/m3). The Regional Directorate of State Forest (RDSF) of Krosno is located in the south-eastern part of Poland and manages a forest area of approximately 400,000 hectares. Annual timber harvesting amounts to 2 million m3, of which less than 2000 m3 annually is allocated to the submissions. The data cover a 20-year continuous time series and allow tracing changes in the wood volume offered to the market, the species population structure, and price trends for individual species. The data are being discussed against the background of the economic situation and in relation to the average prices obtained from other methods of sale. Beech was the most sold, but the demands for oak and sycamore appeared to be particularly high during the period of observation. The unity prices can be very variable even for wood from the same species, especially for sycamore. The prices are generally demand-driven and show strong influences from furniture industries and fashion. A rising demand for high quality timber and logs of big dimensions has been noticed. The submission system results in substantial economic benefits for the forest management and the region as a whole.

Assessments of Landowners’ Willingness to Accept Compensation for Participating in Forest Certification in Shandong China

Achieving sustainable management of forests in China is becoming increasingly important with more awareness and realization of the importance of forests in environmental protection. Forest certification, a market-based instrument to promote sustainable forest management, has been recognized by many countries including China. While landowners’ perception and perspective regarding this voluntary program have been well-documented in literature, how to motivate and incentivize landowners to participate in forest certification remained under-studied questions. With the face-to-face survey of landowners in Shandong, China, this study analyzed landowners’ willingness to accept compensation for participating in forest certification. Results indicated that landowners average accepted compensation, in terms of increased timber price, was about RMB120 (~$17.2)/m3 to have their forests certified. Results from multiple regression showed that the level of such compensation required for certification adoption was influenced by ownership size, owners’ demographics, certification program requirements, as well as importance placed on timber sale. These findings would inform policy-makers in designing compensation-related polices and establish incentive-based mechanisms to motivate landowners participate in forest certification programs in China.

An empirical model for the raw wood assortment price predicting – case study in Slovakia

Sales of timber, which represent the main source of forest management income, are essential for the economic welfare of forest businesses. Planning the timber sale management faces a certain amount of uncertainty and risk in such difficult conditions of climate change. Model scenarios make preparation for potential future development possible. The aim of the study was to create a prediction model of coniferous and non-coniferous sawlogs for the area of the Central Europe. The objective of the model was to estimate the variations in the price of coniferous or non-coniferous sawlogs following a linear regression equation in the analysed time series from 2001 to 2017. The price of coniferous sawlogs was significantly affected in a negative way by the amount of incidental fellings and in a positive way by the Gross Domestic Product. The price of the non-coniferous sawlogs was significantly affected in a positive way by the GDP and the volume of non-coniferous sawlog export. These factors caused a non-elastic response of the coniferous sawlog price. The impact of these factors depends to a great extent on the wood species composition of the forests in the Slovak Republic. The model also can be set for conditions of other countries when considering their economic indicators.

Forest Inventory

Data and information are required to manage a renewable natural resource (such as forest) sustainably. This information is largely obtained through forest inventories. Forest inventory is very important in forest management since it provides the data for planning, monitoring, evaluation, research, growth and yield, biodiversity, and timber sale. Inadequate and/or irregular forest inventory has resulted to paucity of data on which forest management decisions can be based. This study aimed at enlightening conservationists, ecologists, environmentalists, and forest managers on the need to carryout diversity assessment and inventory of flora and fauna resources within their forest ecosystems. This will help to ensure sustainable yield and prevent the extinction of economic trees and endangered animal species in the tropical dry forests. The study therefore recommended that inventory should be carryout among the tropical dry forests at regular intervals.

Consulting Forester Timber Sale Practices in the US South

Private timber sale transactions are vital to the forest products industry in the US South. Consulting foresters often assist private landowners in administering timber sales, and their decisions and practices have a major impact on landowner compensation, satisfaction, and market efficiency. This study used a mixed-mode survey of consulting foresters in 11 southern states to examine contract terms, timber sale practices, and market conditions on private sales. Responses were received from 430 consultants, resulting in a 37 percent response rate. Final harvests are primarily offered to bidders, whereas thinnings are more likely to have timber prices negotiated. Pay-as-cut payment terms are typical for thinnings, but less common in the Mountains where lump sum is relatively more common. Well under 50 percent of firms from the Coastal Plain and Piedmont conduct presale inventories on thinnings, whereas nearly two-thirds of firms in the Mountains use inventories on these types of harvests. Fewer than 25 percent of responding foresters suggested that restrictive quotas reduced landowner revenue on pay-as-cut timber sales. Consulting firms reporting that sawtimber quotas were never a problem in their area reported at least two more sawtimber outlets than those concerned about restrictive mill quotas.