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Abstract
Research Highlights: To inform eco-designers in green building conception, we propose a conceptual model for the assessment of the impact of using wood on the quality of ecosystems. Background and Objectives: The proposed model allows the assessment of the quality of ecosystems at the landscape level based on the condition of the forest and the proportion of different practices to characterize precisely the forest management strategy. The evaluation provides a numerical index, which corresponds to a suitable format to inform decision-making support tools, such as life cycle analysis. Materials and Methods: Based on the concept of naturalness, the methodology considers five naturalness characteristics (landscape context, forest composition, structure, dead wood, and regeneration process) and relies on forest inventory maps and data. An area within the boreal black spruce-feathermoss ecological domain of Quebec (Canada) was used as a case study for the development of the methodology, designed to be easily exportable. Results: In 2012, the test area had a near-natural class (naturalness index NI = 0.717). Simulation of different management strategies over 70 years shows that, considering 17.9% of strict protected areas, the naturalness index would have lost one to two classes of naturalness (out of five classes), depending on the strategy applied for the regeneration (0.206 ≤ ΔNI ≤ 0.413). Without the preservation of the protected areas, the management strategies would have further reduced the naturalness (0.274 ≤ ΔNI ≤ 0.492). Apart from exotic species plantation, the most sensitive variables are the percentage of area in irregular, old, and closed forests at time zero and the percentage of area in closed forests, late successional species groups, and modified wetlands after 70 years. Conclusions: Despite the necessity of further model and parameter validation, the use of the index makes it possible to combine the effects of different forestry management strategies and practices into one alteration gradient.
Highlights
Quantitative tools to discriminate between different wood supplies depending on forest management and wood procurement practices are needed to inform architects and designers planning the eco-design of buildings
Model results for the 3 forest management units (FMU) give a naturalness index (NI) of 0.717 for the year 2012, which corresponds to the near-natural class (Table 8)
The application of pressure as a reduction of the condition contributes to an important reduction of the naturalness resulting from the progression of the first cutting cycle over the area. Such an important reduction of the quality observed as a result of the initial land use transformation process is coherent with the conceptual model proposed by life cycle analysis (LCA) developers for ecosystem quality evolution related to land use [43]
Summary
Quantitative tools to discriminate between different wood supplies depending on forest management and wood procurement practices are needed to inform architects and designers planning the eco-design of buildings. Using the science of applied ecology, such tools should make it possible to evaluate and compare the impact of different forestry strategies and the combination of practices on the quality of forest ecosystems. Our methodology allows the evaluation of combinations of practices and provides one numerical index, a suitable format for further use in decision-making support tools for eco-design and green building conception, such as life cycle analysis (LCA) [1]. An area within the boreal black spruce-feathermoss ecological domain of Quebec (Canada) was used as a case study for the development of the methodology, designed to be exportable. Conclusions: Despite the necessity of further model and parameter validation, the use of the index makes it possible to combine the effects of different forestry management strategies and practices into one alteration gradient
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