Elements Of Sustainable Forest Management Research Articles

Spatial and Temporal Assessment of Land Use and Land Cover in Wilpattu National Park Restricted Zone, Sri Lanka


 
 
 The Wilpattu National Park (WNP) is the country's oldest and largest National Park. Aside from the direct destruction of plant and fauna ecosystems that sustain humans with vital resources, removing forest cover throws many crucial natural processes out of balance, which could have several detrimental effects. It is still unknown how the various management alternatives will affect the economic, ecological, and social elements of sustainable forest management and planning. Sustainable development and environmental protection are aided by wise land use and resource management. Many of the farmers reside in these marginal, underproductive forest communities. Through scenario analysis and using a forestry decision support system, this study evaluated the effects of several management approaches on crucial aspects of sustainable forest management. Geographical Information System (GIS), such as participatory online mapping, GPS mapping, and satellite image classification (Remote Sensing Technology), was used. The study employs an evaluation model for land use that considers biophysical and human-related variables as part of an integrated land use assessment. Based on the classification of the images, the environment's impact has been evaluated. Forty-nine Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions are in the influenced zone in the national park. Eight sample GN divisions were selected for detailed assessment based on the area's different landscapes and ecological and cultural settings. The current situation and encroachment were studied in each sample GN division. Also, Current threats, land use, and pressure activities were studied. The land use analysis of the Wilpattu restricted zone revealed the area of encroachment. Analyses conducted in the human village clearly show that the restricted area for human settlement is being encroached upon 2019, permanent building/housing units were found in 2003 satellite image categorization within the 1.6 km restricted zone. By 2021, the number mentioned above will be 3,810 instead. The past 20 years have seen an 89% growth in housing units. Land use analysis indicates nine zones of encroachment. Zones are dominant in encroachment in 19 GN Divisions in total. The Wilpattu forest village's Mullikulam and Eluwankulam GN Divisions are the most crucial and quickly encroaching areas. The highest percentages of restricted zone, land use analysis contain Paddy cultivation, and Chena cultivation shows the second highest value. Minimum land used is utilized for abandoned Chena cultivations. The highest percentage of land use agriculture is Kudawilachiya, Dematamalagama, and Nelumvila. In addition, the lowest agricultural land use was utilized in Horawila, Thalgaswewa, Helabawewa, Mirichchukaadi, and Adiyapualwakkulam.
 
 
 
 Keywords: Sustainable, Deforestation, Forest management, GIS, Restricted zone
 
 
 
 
 

Wood harvesting efficiency analysis of regional forest directorates in Turkey: k-means clustering and data envelopment analysis approach

ABSTRACT Wood harvesting is a crucial element of sustainable forest management. Harvesting of wood and non-wood forest products has gained importance for increasing environmental services, economic development and sustainability of forests. The aim of this study was to reveal the efficiency values of regional forest directorates (RFD) for wood harvesting between 2015 and 2020 in Turkey using six input and two output variables. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) and k-means clustering analysis were used. From the results obtained, 35.7% of the 28 RFDs were efficient using the results of the input- and output-oriented Charnes, Cooper, and Rhodes (CCR) model. In the input-oriented CCR model, for inefficient decision-making units (DMUs) to become efficient, on average the variable that needs to be reduced the most is forest area, and the variable that needs to be reduced the least is allowable cutting. Conversely, in the output-oriented CCR model, an average potential increase of 23.84% in the harvest of industrial wood, and of 29.48% for fuelwood, was determined for the inefficient DMUs. In addition, according to the results of the k-means cluster analysis, it was found that the DMUs in the cluster distribution of inefficient DMUs were similar to each other in terms of location. It will make a positive contribution for inefficient DMUs to consider the efficient DMUs shown as references to reach the targeted input/output values to become efficient. In addition, the results of this study are important for enabling forest managers to make performance evaluations based on efficiency analyses.

The Market Evolution of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: A Global Supply Chain Analysis and an Application of the Delphi Method in the Mediterranean Area

There is an increasing evidence for the significant value and potential of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) worldwide. Among other non-wood forest products, MAPs are considered a key element of sustainable forest management and economic development. As part of Mediterranean cultural heritage, these plants are a major driver of rural tourism, in many areas representing an important raw material for various bio-based industrial sectors. Besides their economic value, MAPs enhance social integration and maintain gender balance as harvesting and processing MAPs is clearly a female dominated task. Despite the prominent contribution of MAPs to local development, conservation of biodiversity and the development of the traditional Mediterranean food system, many challenges and knowledge gaps could potentially place the sector’s development at risk. The aim of this work is to examine the present situation of the MAPs sector in the most productive countries around the Mediterranean and to identify future challenges and priority actions to develop the MAPs sector in the region. To do so, a supply chain analysis was performed to identify the main stakeholders involved. Various experts from Croatia, France, Greece, Spain, and Tunisia participated in the SWOT analysis and the Delphi approach employed in this study. The results highlight the main challenges facing the sector in Mediterranean countries. Five groups of challenges are identified, related mainly to certification and labelling, life quality and wellbeing, market development, research development, and transforming and processing. To overcome these challenges, a set of actions is validated by the interviewed experts with the aim of improving marketing strategies and including various innovations related to political, legal, organisational, and institutional frameworks.

A new index of forest structural heterogeneity using tree architectural attributes measured by terrestrial laser scanning

The maintenance or enhancement of structural heterogeneity (SH) of forest stands is considered a key element of sustainable forest management in central Europe, making the monitoring of stand structure an important task. However, existing approaches that enable the quantification of SH usually neglect the three-dimensional (3D) representation of forest structures. To overcome this limitation, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) can be applied to provide an efficient, non-destructive and high resolution record of 3D structures. In this study, we present a new structural heterogeneity index (SHITLS) at the plot level which is based on 3D point clouds of individual trees that were derived from multiple scans. Because tree crowns are of particular importance for the 3D SH of forests, we focus particularly on outer and inner crown attributes. To test the robustness and the explanatory power of our index we sampled data on 84 plots across 12 different forest stand types in two study areas of Germany. We analyzed whether our index is able to explain differences between the different stand types. In addition, we compared our SHITLS to an existing stand structural complexity index (SSCI) that is based purely on single TLS scans. We found different trends of SHITLS between stand types dominated by Fagus sylvatica compared to those dominated by coniferous tree species (mainly Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris). Correlation analyses showed a significant, but weak, correlation with SSCI. The advantage of the SHITLS is the use of multiple scans from several scan positions. Thus, a better and very high resolution coverage of the forest structures is achieved. Due to its TLS-based nature this method provides many benefits in terms of reproducibility, objectivity and simplicity of data evaluation.

Reconstruction of Low-value Plantings as an Element of Sustainable Forest Management in the South of the Russian Far East

The article presents the research results of low-value oak plantations in which, in the first half of the 90s of the XX century, measures were taken to reconstruct these objects by forest plantation development created by planting Korean cedar seedlings in previously prepared corridors in the south of Primorsky Krai. The paper analyzed the variability of the main taxation characteristics of the created stands according to the following indicators: average height, average diameter, volume of growing stock as of 2021. The capacity for survival of plants in stands, diameter distribution were studied. According to the research results, it was found that the work performed on the reconstruction of oak forests of mixed origin, despite the admitted deviations from the reconstruction project, has led to positive results. To achieve the best results, it is necessary to adjust the rate of planting seedlings per hectare of the area. The optimal planting rate is 1-1.5 thousand of pcs/ha. It is advisable to increase the distance between plants in the planting row up to 1.5 -2.5 m. After reconstruction works, it is necessary to provide for forest tending in the plantations aimed at creating optimal conditions for the formation of valuable cedar-broad-leaved plantations. It is concluded that it is advisable to carry out the work on reconstruction of low-value plantations of coppice and mixed origin in the southern regions of the Russian Far East in order to achieve the goals of sustainable forest management of the region's forests, including the preservation of their biodiversity.

Forest Soil Management: A Mexican Experience

Forests improve the livelihoods and resilience of communities in diverse ways. In particular, soils provide important environmental services for communities in addition to performing many essential ecological functions in forest ecosystems, such as nutrient uptake, organic matter decomposition, water storage, and provision of anchorage for plant growth. The sound management of forest soils, although often disregarded, is a key element of sustainable forest management. From 2002 to 2016 the Forest Soil Conservation and Restoration Sub-Program was designed and implemented by the National Forest Commission (CONAFOR) in Mexico. Forests in Mexico have high biological diversity and are often owned, governed, and managed by communities or, in some cases, community forestry is practiced. Despite the importance of periodic monitoring to ensure that policies are both effective and suitable for diverse conditions and decision making, the policies implemented by this program were not evaluated during its years of operation. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to identify the deficiencies of this policy as well as opportunities based on a review of the official information available on the Forest Soil Conservation and Restoration Sub-Program of CONAFOR during the 2002-2016 period and interviews with key informants. In addition, we aimed to highlight experiences that may be useful for similar soil conservation policies in tropical forest regions. The identified limitations ranged from conceptual problems such as policy weakness and lack of understanding of local drivers of soil degradation to an overly rigid implementation of soil conservation measures across diverse forest ecosystems and socio-ecological contexts. These deficiencies had several unintended outcomes: perhaps the most relevant was the inability of forest communities to build capacities for soil conservation. Another important limitation was the complete lack of monitoring of the program and its outcomes, which could have prevented its poor results. Finally, a lack of transparency in the distribution and determination of funding was noted. In conclusion, the hierarchical approach of this policy appears to have compromised its long-term efficacy.

Sustainable Forest Management for Nontimber Products

Many of the plants and fungi that are harvested for nontimber products (e.g., foods, medicines, crafts) are critical to healthy forest ecosystems. These products also are essential to rural societies, contributing to the material and nonmaterial composition of communities and cultures. Product sales make important contributions at all economic scales, from household to national economies. Nontimber forest products (NTFPs) have been harvested for generations, sometimes centuries, yet they are seldom integrated into forest management. Few methods exist for inventory and assessment, and there is little evidence that harvests are sustainable. This article examines three elements of sustainable forest management for nontimber products: sociocultural, economic, and ecological, and elaborates with detailed examples of edible and medicinal species from United States (U.S.) forests. We synthesize the state of knowledge and emerging issues, and identify research priorities that are needed to advance sustainable management of NTFPs in the United States. Despite their social, economic, and ecological values, many of these species and resources are threatened by the overuse and lack of management and market integration. Sustainable management for nontimber products is attainable, but much research and development is needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of these resources and their cultural values, and to realize their economic potentials.

Совершенствование мониторинга лесов путем использования облачных технологий как элемента устойчивого лесоуправления

Совершенствование мониторинга лесов путем использования облачных технологий как элемента устойчивого лесоуправления

Social Perceptions and Forest Management Strategies in an Italian Alpine Community

Individuals' perceptions are becoming increasingly relevant as a central component of social and environmental sustainability. As a result, the social dimension has become a fundamental element of sustainable forest management. To investigate people's perceptions of forest management, it is necessary to analyze values and norms in the social and cultural context and, at the same time, to consider individual preferences for forest management strategies. Trento municipality in northeast Italy was chosen as a study area because of its location in the European Alpine region and because of the links that exist between individuals and forest resources. A structured questionnaire was sent to 1000 randomly selected household heads. Responses were analyzed, taking into consideration the relationship between perceptions and respondents' gender, age, education, and geographical location; this allowed highlighting of statistical differences between groups. Results confirmed the importance of gender, age, and location in influencing individuals' preferences. Results also showed that people generally prefer open forests with mixed tree species and different sizes, which is in line with the goals of the local public forest service's management strategies.

Tolerance of focal species to forest management intensity as a guide in the development of conservation targets

Although forest managers are trained to optimize timber production, they should be encouraged to integrate biodiversity conservation as an element of sustainable forest management. To do so, coarse-filter approaches should be complemented with an assessment of the response of carefully selected focal species to forest management intensity. Once conservation objectives have been defined, researchers should determine the shape of focal species’ responses to descriptors of management intensity. Sharp transitions (thresholds) in species responses can yield insight for the development of quantitative conservation targets, with the understanding that critical resources (e.g., specific stand structures; amount of habitat in the landscape) should be maintained well above the threshold values observed. Conservation targets should be determined by land managers and policy-makers on the basis of objective, empirical evidence obtained by researchers to ensure that scientific investigation is conducted in the absence of external pressure.

Publics* and woodlands in England: well-being, local identity, social learning, conflict and management

People's values and ways of viewing and interpreting the world around them provide the framework in which they assess and describe their use of woodlands and debate and understand wider environmental isues. Publics' values for woodlands and trees are a key element of sustainable forest management, as values underlie people's actions and behaviour and, without a greater understanding and awareness of this, organizations will often continue to experience conflict over management. The research described in this paper focuses on the social and cultural values of woodlands and trees in both urban and rural areas in the north-west and south-east of England. Using a qualitative methodology, in-depth discussion groups were held with a range of respondents from different socio-economic backgrounds to discuss people's relationships and interactions with woodlands. The analysis of the discussion group data highlights a number of major themes. These themes include publics' feelings of well-being gained from using and viewing woodlands, conflict and confusion over what is viewed as anti-social behaviour and issues concerned with who owns land. The themes also highlight the importance of education and learning about the environment, people's sense of personal and community identity in relation to woodlands as well as issues of management for conservation, economic and public benefit. The research helps to describe and explain the ways in which woodlands and trees are perceived and used within contemporary society. Implications for future policy development are explored, emphasizing the need for effective public participation, the importance ot addressing people's safety worries, the significance of education in a multi sensory environment and the importance and meaning of place.

Sustainable management of mountain forests in the Czech Republic

Forest management in the Czech Republic (CR) was not shaped in the environment of natural forests but in the territory that was influenced by unregulated felling and animal grazing for a long time. Hence the fear for sustainable and balanced benefits from forests endangered by long-term uncontrolled exploitation was legitimate. Almost after three centuries of application of the sustainability principle, forests are considered not only as a source of renewable wood raw material but also as a tool of the environment formation. Mountain forests are an important landscape component of this country. They are an object of specific importance from the aspect of natural environment conservation, stabilization of natural processes and general landscape homeostasis. In addition, they fulfil a number of production and non-production functions. Cardinal elements of sustainable forest management in the CR conditions are as follows: management of the forest as an ecosystem, i.e. transition from exclusive care of forest tree species and their stands to care of the whole forest ecosystems; restructuring (conversion, reconstruction) of damaged and declining forests; optimum (species, genetic, spatial, age) structure of forest ecosystems differentiated according to site conditions and management targets; differentiated transition from general management to group or individual methods; utilization and support of spontaneous processes such as natural regeneration, competition and other principles of self-regulation. The above cardinal elements of sustainable forest management are applicable to forests of the CR in general, but their importance considerably increases in mountain forests where many species survive on the margin of subsistence. Moreover, mountain forests of CR have been heavily destroyed by anthropogenic factors, especially air-pollution ecological stresses, during the last three or four decades.

Implementation of criteria for sustainable forest management

Resolution  H1 of the Second Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in  Europe    defined sustainable forest management. Resolution L2 of the third  conference in Lisbon    adopted the Pan-European operational level guidelines for sustainable  forest management.    These guidelines are designed for sub-national applications at a practical  level. They should be    applied in the context of, and in full respect to, national and/or regional  instruments and actions.    They are directly based on the resolutions H1 and H2 and they follow the  structure of the six    pan-European criteria that were identified as the core elements of  sustainable forest    management.    The paper implements the six criteria by proposing and developing for each  criteria a number of    key issues that should be kept in mind for the realization of sustainable  forestry at the field level.    Altogether, 39 items are presented, such as forest maintenance,  profitability, exploitation    techniques, enhancement of biodiversity, native tree species, dead wood and  old trees,    participation, etc.    The major problem remains the assessment of sustainable forest management.  There is a lack    of knowledge. Sustainable forest management requires that no big  shortcomings on a large    area occur for each of the criteria. Sustainable forest management is a  process of continuous    improvement.

Innovative forest practice agreements–What could be done that would be innovative

The concept and implementation of sustainable development are resulting in seemingly impossible goals for policy-makers and practitioners. Sustainability, in terms of government policies, tends to mean something quite different than what it means to Aboriginal peoples. Sustainability to Aboriginal peoples is not just about the environment and development; it is about survival of their peoples. Because of the close link between the social and economic elements of sustainable forest management, policies for strengthening the economic development of the forest sector are unlikely to be successful in the long run when they do not integrate environmental, social and cultural concerns. Innovative forest practice agreements (IFPAs) and other forms of community-based tenures offer vehicles to do so something unconventional–alternative mechanisms and means by which to incorporate indigenous knowledge and values and to implement Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Key words: Indigenous peoples, Sustainable Forest Management, Innovative Forest Practices, tenure arrangements, Article 8(j), Convention on Biological Diversity

Aboriginal and treaty rights and Aboriginal participation: Essential elements of sustainable forest management

Governmental criteria and indicators for sustainable forand respect for the rights of est management, both in Canada and internationally, and priindigenous people, their comvate sector certification systems are recognizing Aboriginal munities, and other communities, or Indigenous issues as essential elements of sustainable forand forest dwellers. Appropriate est management. Why? Are these not political, social and ecoconditions should bepromoted nomic issues? What do they have to do with sustainable forfor these groups for them to est management? have an economic stake in forest use, to perform economic Why are Aboriginal issues considered an activities, and achieve and mainintegral part of sustainable forest tain cultural identity and social

Elements of sustainable forest management

Elements  of the modern day vision on sustainable forest management are discussed. Some  aspects of the concept are analysed, focusing on the natural definition in  comparison with the ecosystem definition. The significance of ecological  stability is emphasized. It is pointed out that perhaps the most important  aspect of forest stability and sustainability is the ability to retain soil  fertility. Attention is paid to the importance of species composition, the  role of organic matter, the impact of forest use and the problems of forest  engineering.     In order to reach sustainable forest management, a number of strategies can  be applied, based either on the market or the state. There is a need for  measurable criteria and indicators for the evaluation of sustainability.  Therefore new programmes of scientific sampling or even basic research are  still needed.     Forest sustainability provides still a dramatic lot of questions and  efforts, a.o. on the potentiality of sustainable forestry.