Forest-based Sector Research Articles

Log cross section quality metrics: Assessing the usability of roundwood image data for roundwood tracking

The proof of origin of roundwood is becoming increasingly important. As part of the digitization of the forest-based sector and to combat illegal logging, there is a growing interest in tracking wood logs individually. There are several previous publications on biometric wood log tracking based on log image data. A major problem for wood log tracking is the often poor visibility of discriminative features in log ends, such as the annual ring pattern, which makes it very difficult to track such logs. In this work we propose a method that quantifies the usability of image data for the purpose of roundwood tracking. There are no previous publications on this topic. More specifically, we propose a quality map that assesses the usability of different regions of the log cross section and a global quality metric that assesses the quality of entire images. We will show that the local and global quality metrics reliably assess the quality of log cross section images. Furthermore, we will show that the quality map can be used to improve the results of deep learning based log recognition systems. By combining the image data with the local quality map, the roundwood tracking system gets additional information about the usability of the different regions of the log cross section for roundwood tracking, which leads to improvements in most of the results.

Smart forestry – a forestry 4.0 approach to intelligent and fully integrated timber harvesting

ABSTRACT Forestry in general and the wood supply chain in particular are facing a wide range of challenges. Digitalization seems to be able to provide a remedy, but the forest-based sector’s high degree of heterogeneity and the large number of actors hampers the search for solutions – in Germany and beyond. In the presented Smart Forestry approach, we apply concepts from Forestry 4.0 to achieve intelligent and fully integrated timber harvesting. It is based on digital twins that are networked and orchestrated in an Internet of Things. First, we reengineer existing forestry processes, identify the relevant objects and messages, and specify templates for digital twins. The necessary Internet of Things technologies are selected and enhanced for use in forestry. Finally, we build first prototypes of the target system that are the basis for upcoming reference experiments in practice – from the forest owner via production in the forest and logistics to the timber buyer.

Brazilian Forest-Based Sector Perceptions and Contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—Developing Strategies Using the Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA) Approach

The Brazilian forest-based sector (FBS) has a complex and important role in leading local and global bioeconomy and sustainable development initiatives. Among these tasks is the improvement and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, key actors in the FBS still have different perspectives regarding their contributions to the implementation and achievement of the SDGs, and this shortage of understanding and complex problem structure may result in misleading strategic planning, which must be improved to increase and strengthen their participation. This study proposes a participatory assessment to comprehend the perceptions of the Brazilian forest-based sector’s key actors and their contributions to achieving the SDGs by using a problem structuring method (PSM). Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA), a method from PSM and soft operational research, was used to support the strategic decisions and assist in formulating the strategies. Following the SODA approach, this study interviewed 13 key actors from different forest sector institutions in Brazil and listed strategies to improve their contributions to the SDGs. As a result, 29 main goals and 68 strategic options were mapped. The goals reflect the key actor’s understanding of the main contributions of the Brazilian FBS to the SDGs, and the strategic options represent the main strategies that can be implemented to strengthen the participation and positioning of these institutions in Agenda 2030.

Can small and medium-sized companies increase the value added from wood-based side streams?

One of the central goals of circular bioeconomy in the Finnish forest-based sector is upgrading the use of wood-based materials, especially wood-based side streams, to higher value-added products. However, despite these ambitions, most wood-based side streams are used in energy production. Within the forest-based sector, innovative solutions for higher value-added production of wood-based side streams are being developed within small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). Therefore, to promote the process of upscaling these solutions, understanding the success of these companies is pivotal. For this end, we conducted a qualitative study with 10 forest-based SMEs utilizing wood-based side streams to understand both the internal and external factors affecting their ability to scale up their business models. By applying the dynamic capabilities approach from management research and the strategic niche management approach from sociotechnical transition studies, we found that even though the companies are internally well positioned to succeed in their growth aspirations, they face barriers from the dominant forest-based regime. The studied SMEs are facing a mismatch between their own business models and the rules and operating principles of the forest-based sector based on linear economy. Overcoming these barriers and challenging the dominant structures within the Finnish forest-based regime would require joint efforts from the companies. However, the companies have a strong technological orientation, which makes them hesitant with regard to horizontal networking. They also operate in diverse markets, making it difficult for them to find common ground. As a result, the pressure for systemic transformation within the forest-based sector remains nominal.

When intentions do not matter: Climate change mitigation and adaptation innovations in the Forest-based sector

Climate change mitigation and adaptation innovations in the forest-based sector can potentially have important environmental benefits but it is not clear what drives such innovations. In this paper we present the results of a 2021 survey on a sample of 293 Austrian and Slovenian enterprises in the sector using the theory of planned behaviour. Consistent with previous studies that applied this theory to forest management and other environmental topics, we have confirmed that attitudes, norms and perceived behavioural control significantly affect intentions to act. However, it was not possible to confirm an association between intentions and actual behaviour. To explain the intention-behaviour gap, we explored two factors: First, the respondent's perception of climate change as an opportunity for the forest-based sector to mitigate climate change or as a threat to operations and a need to do adaptation. Second, the belief that environmental problems are a bigger threat in more geographically distant locations (spatial bias). Whereas data on mitigation innovations were insufficient, for adaptation innovations our data indicate that the more strongly climate change is perceived as a threat or an opportunity, the more likely a company is to adapt. Results have implications both for innovation policies addressing the forest-based sector in Europe and for future research on climate change adaptation and mitigation behaviour.

PARTICIPATION OF SILVICULTURE PRODUCTS IN THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF THE BRAZILIAN FOREST-BASED SECTOR FROM 2000 2019

This study aimed to analyze the evolution and participation of forestry products in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Brazilian forest-based sector, from 2000 to 2019. To do so, secondary data collected from Instituto Brazilian Geography and Statistics, considering historical series referring to the produced/commercialized quantity in silviculture (m³) and production value in silviculture (Thousand dollars). To obtain the price evolution (P) of each product, the equation was applied, using the quotient between the value of the production and its respective produced quantities. The analysis of the evolution of the GDP, on the other hand, was conducted by calculating the geometric growth rate (GGR). In relation to the real GDP, the decline started in 2011, however in a more moderate way. The real Brazilian GDP presented a positive rate of 3.51%, different from the silviculture rate that was negative for all products, triggering a decline in the forestry sector rate.

Implementation of Economic Instruments in the EU Forest-Based Sector: Case Study in Austria and the Czech Republic

Economic instruments are political tools created to promote environmental stewardship by influencing consumption and production patterns, fostering technological innovation, and improving the environment; however, if current failures in their formulation or implementation persist, they can negatively impact the environment and society. This research aims to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of economic instruments by extracting these aspects from the forest policy documents of the EU, Austria, and the Czech Republic using the qualitative content analysis method. It has been found that the EU channels its resources from economic instruments through various financing programs that make distribution more effective and align with the environmental objectives of the EU. Additionally, the SWOT analysis indicates that the economic instruments applied in the EU present significant differences in the application and management of forests and the performance of the financial instruments according to the national strategies and action plans used. These identified challenges, limitations, and improvement areas allow for generating suggestions that policymakers can apply concerning the use, implementation, dissemination, and access processes of financing mechanisms for sustainable forest management in the European Union.

Expert-Based Assessment of the Potential of Non-Wood Forest Products to Diversify Forest Bioeconomy in Six European Regions

The forest-based sector plays a significant role in supporting Europe on its pathway towards a more integrated and bio-based circular economy. Beyond the supply of timber, forest ecosystems offer a wide range of products and services beneficial to human wellbeing. Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) play an integral role in provisioning forest ecosystem services and constitute a huge portfolio of species from various taxonomic kingdoms. As diverse as the resources themselves is the list of end-products that may be derived from raw non-wood materials. Multiple value-chains of NWFPs provide benefits to actors across all stages of the supply chain. Forest management has not yet directed full attention towards NWFPs, since timber production remains the main management objective, although multi-purpose management is recognised as a key principle of the sector’s sustainability paradigm. Lack of knowledge of the socio-economic relevance of NWFPs for European societies and diverse property rights frameworks increase the complexity in forest-based decision making additionally. In this study, the future potential of 38 NWFPs for diversifying the forest bioeconomy is investigated by means of multi-criteria analysis, including stakeholder interaction and expert involvement. The results for six case studies in different biogeographical zones in Europe indicate the latent opportunities NWFPs provide to forest owners who are willing to focus their management on the joint production of wood and non-wood resources as well as their value networks. This study intends to unravel perspectives for forest owners in particular, as they often represent principal decision makers in forest ecosystem management, act as main suppliers of NWFP raw materials, and thus can be understood as key stakeholders in a forest bioeconomy. Even though regional perspectives differ, due to varying socio-economic and ecological environments, there is huge potential to strengthen the economic viability of rural areas. Furthermore, sustainable co-production may foster the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems across Europe. Results show that wild mushrooms constitute the most widespread opportunity to increase additional income from forest management, but the most promising NWFPs can be found in the tree product, understorey plant and animal origin categories.

Deconstructing substitution narratives: The case of bioeconomy innovations from the forest-based sector

Under the European Union's bioeconomy strategy, wood-based bioeconomy innovations are expected to produce a stream of marketable substitutive products (lignin-based products, textiles, polymers, chemicals, oils, construction materials, etc). By analyzing how different actors frame substitution, this article advances our theoretical understanding of the drop-in vs functional-innovations (DIFI) framework and critiques the current innovation trajectory that the forest-based sector has embarked upon. The proposed approach sheds light on the role that actors attribute to innovation in the bioeconomy by linking the question of expectations with technological promises and bioeconomy imaginaries. In this respect, this discussion is of relevance for bioeconomy innovation scholars, policymakers, and entrepreneurs seeking to go beyond the current “substitution is the solution” storyline of the forest industry and instead, help shape bioeconomy innovations that have the potential to bring about sustainable and transformative change.

Service trends and the forest-based sector – an analysis of wood construction, the bioeconomy and evolving product service systems

This thesis examines service trends in the operating environment of the forest-based sector on the level of companies and the evolving industrial production systems. The analytical framework is based on sociotechnical transitions research and service research knowledge bases on services and ongoing organizational changes in production and the markets. Three empirical studies have been conducted to detect service trends by investigating: 1) role of services in the European RDI roadmaps of the forest-based sector and parallel industries, 2) distribution of value and business model changes in the supply networks of industrial wood construction, and 3) market offerings and service innovation in sustainable housing construction projects in Finland. The empirical studies demonstrate evolving product service systems (PSS) in the further downstream customers of the forest-based sector, exemplified here by the construction sector. A game changing question for the forest-based sector is whether its industries and organizations focus on serving the PSS of today or whether they will seek to contribute to the next generation of PSS solutions, exemplified here by the potential for system change in construction regime. None of today’s PSS models alone capture the future PSS, but alternative scenarios are needed and assessment of their implications for the forest-based sector and future bioeconomy.

On the reconfiguring value creation logic and networks of the forest sector in a changing business environment

Numerous phenomena, such as sustainability challenges and the increasing importance of knowledge and digitalisation, have tremendous impacts on the global socio-economic system. These phenomena affect the dynamic and complex business environment where different actors from various sectors interact with each other. Responding to the phenomena and changes in the business environment calls for a systemic change in the ways that value-creating activities are performed. One suggested systemic change is a transition to a sustainable circular bioeconomy. Changes in the business environment pressure established business sectors, such as the forest sector, to reconfigure their networks and value creation logic, i.e., the ways in which actors co-create value. In this dissertation I investigated how the value creation logic of the forest sector changes when entering the sustainable circular forest-based bioeconomy. The research design followed a qualitative theory-guided interdisciplinary case study strategy. I analysed scientific and non-scientific documents to determine the past and currently occurring adaptations within the forest industry’s value creation logic. I conducted interviews to identify the possible future value creation logic of forestry service providers and the readiness of forest owners to respond to the occurring changes. According to the findings, the forest sector’s value creation logic is incrementally changing towards holistically sustainable, collaborative and cross-sectoral value co-creation logic. The sector has been able to reconfigure its networks and value creation logic in the past and it seems that the sector’s actors have understood the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration and intangible resources in the sustainable value-creating activities. They have acknowledged that their attitudes and actions will affect the future value creation within the sector. To reach holistic sustainability, actors need to consider the whole forest ecosystem as a capital and a resource base from where value and benefits for the common good are co-created in a forest-based sector.

A forest-based circular bioeconomy for sustainable development: a case study of Konya Province, Turkey

The concept of the circular bioeconomy is becoming increasingly important for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development worldwide. The aim of this study is to develop a set of indicators suitable to monitor the implementation of the circular bioeconomy principles in the forest-based sector. The indicators were defined considering the 4R framework and tested in a case study in Konya Province, Turkey. The data to calculate the indicators were collected through the administration of a questionnaire to wood processing enterprises in the study area. The results show that the majority of roundwood processed by enterprises and the workforce are locally sourced. Two strengths of the forest-based sector are the high average productive yield and the economically efficient allocation of wood residues for panels and bioenergy production. Conversely, the main weaknesses are the low amount of certified roundwood processed and the high CO2 emissions due to the transport of wood materials. Considering the results of this study, the current situation in Konya Province could be improved through an enhancement of the Chain of Custody (CoC) certification for both local roundwood and wood residues.

Unlocking Romania’s Forest-Based Bioeconomy Potential: Knowledge-Action-Gaps and the Way Forward

As national governments continue developing bioeconomy strategies, the forest-based sector becomes increasingly important. Romania’s forest sector can be at the heart of a sustainable circular-bioeconomy transition. However, despite recently launching its national forest strategy, the country has yet to produce a comprehensive bioeconomy strategy where the forest sector is properly acknowledged and integrated. Here, we discuss the potential opportunities and challenges for developing a national circular–bioeconomy strategy that builds around the forest-based sector. Methodologically, we build on qualitative insights from two foresight workshops conducted with 16 international experts. Conceptually, we draw on recent forest-based circular-bioeconomy literature, which we synthesize and use to complement the insights provided by workshop participants. Three main key findings emerged from this analysis: (i) Several knowledge gaps related to biomass availability, carbon storage, biodiversity status, ecosystem services, or governance arrangements persist. (ii) A circular forest bioeconomy must focus on regional and rural development, including both traditional wood use, as well as new wood-based products. Finally, (iii) the transition to a forest-based bioeconomy requires substantial investments in areas such as forest infrastructure, education, and labor force. Forward-looking policies can address these challenges by fostering new ways of thinking, collaborating and researching the bioeconomy. We anticipate our article to be a starting point for more informed discussions around the role of forests and the forest-based sector in Romania’s future bioeconomy strategy. Furthermore, as work around the implementation of the national forest strategy has recently commenced, the ideas discussed here could help decision-makers better integrate and coordinate national and European forest policies with bioeconomy ambitions.

A new framework for prognosing forest resources under intensified disturbance impacts: Case of the Czech Republic

Forest management decisions increasingly rely on modelling tools, which help identify future risks, optimize management decisions, and provide a suite of indicators beyond timber production. Here we developed and tested a novel simulation and upscaling framework (SUF) and used it for prognosing forest resources of the Czech Republic (Central Europe), which is currently one of Europe's hotspots of disturbance intensification.The SUF is based on an empirical forest model that simulates the development of 8240 forest stands representing forest conditions in 206 administrative districts of the Czech Republic. The effect of natural disturbances is considered via empirical species- and age-specific mortality probability (MP) functions parameterized based on the national forest damage reports and remote sensing data. An upscaling procedure was developed to obtain district- and country-wide estimates. We tested this framework for its ability to (i) reproduce the initial forest conditions from the year 2003, (ii) reproduce forest dynamics in 2003–2016 (i.e., before the recent disturbance wave), (iii) reproduce the recent mortality pulse in 2017–2020, and (iv) generate plausible and consistent outputs under several disturbance and management settings in 2003–2050.The SUF reliably reproduced forest dynamics in both testing periods. The country-wide growing stock (GS) simulated for 2004–2050 oscillated around the initial value of 661 mill. m3 if the reference MP and management were considered. Using the elevated MP (corresponding with the recent disturbance period) increased the mean annual mortality rate from 0.78 % to 1.19 % and caused GS to decrease by 21 % in 2050. The wave of elevated mortality lasted 16 years, ceasing in 2033 due to the depletion of vulnerable stands. Reducing the rotation length by 40 % increased the harvests temporarily and caused GS to decrease by 29 and 33 % in 2050 under reference and elevated MP, respectively. At the same time, mortality was reduced by up to 18 % due to the removal of potentially vulnerable stands.The presented SUF is able to accommodate diverse forestry data, reproduce real forest dynamics, and generate outputs that correspond with the national forestry statistics. Flexible adoption of different mortality and management regimes makes it a versatile tool for supporting management decisions and policies. The presented simulations highlighted the negative prospects of the regional forests and the need for a profound transformation of management practices and the regional forest-based sector.

A geography-based decision support tool to quantify the circular bioeconomy and financial performance in the forest-based sector (r.forcircular)

This study focuses on the development, implementation and application of a spatial-based decision support tool—named r.forcircular—aimed at quantifying both the level of the circular bioeconomy and the financial performance in the forest-based sector. The methodology merges a set of indicators based on the 4R framework (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover) of circular economy in a multicriteria approach. Outputs are computed for different scenarios and are calibrated based on variations in the selling price of raw materials and on higher mechanisation of production process phases (felling, processing, extraction and chipping of wood residues). The increase in wood assortment value leads to an improvement in the sustainability of the forest-wood supply chain in circular bioeconomy and financial terms. The application of a higher level of mechanisation seems to have conflicting results compared to those of other scenarios. The r.forcircular model was tested in an Italian case study (in the Municipality Union of Valdarno and Valdisieve in the Tuscany region, Italy) with the aim of understanding its applicability and replicability in other contexts. The results of the test showed that, in the study area, superior outcomes were observed for high forests than for coppices due to the low value of wood products obtainable from coppices.

Non-destructive determination of core-transition-outer wood of Pinus nigra combining FTIR spectroscopy and prediction models

The early detection of wood quality by using advanced analytical non-destructive methods is an ongoing area of research and is highly interesting for the forest-based sector. The presence of core wood has negative effects on the performance of this material; hence, it is essential to identify this region as well as to define the endpoint where the region defined as transition wood begins. The purpose of this study was to apply a novel methodology for wood quality classification, based on FTIR spectroscopy, in combination with chemometrics, generating models capable of differentiating and predicting core wood, transition, and outer wood of Pinus nigra. This study also attempts to classify which specific IR bands define the chemical differentiation of woody regions. The results of the predictive models generated were satisfactory, attaining a full identification of classes with a non-linear SVM-DA model showing higher correlation coefficients than the generated linear SIMCA and PLS-DA models. SIMCA and PLS-DA were suitable for bands contrast and for categorizing the IR fingerprint in relation to the core-transition-outer regions. This study presents discriminative models generated from a non-destructive and relatively fast IR methodology with high correlation coefficients, thus improving the existing methods that are currently practiced for identifying wood quality. However, the database requires progressive calibration and adjustments to have acceptable reliability when validating the methods over time.

Supply of wood processing residues – a basic calculation approach and its application on the example of wood packaging

Waste reduction, recycling and increased material efficiency are key objectives in complex industrial ecology. The wood processing industry also aims at a more intensive resource recovery and usable residual volumes. Important volumes of wood processing residue potentials can be found at the EU level. However, to date no reliable calculation approach has been established. To fill the information gap, this study presents an approach for calculating the supply of wood processing residues. The methodological approach follows the concept of a material flow analysis. We quantify the material flows based on product-specific conversion factors and the coefficients of material efficiency. This paper intends to develop a calculation approach based on existing statistical data from official classifications such as Prodcom. We perform the calculation approach on standardised wood packaging products at the European level. The calculated supply of wood processing residues the European Union in 2018 was 29.7 million m³f with a total material input of about 70.8 million m³f and a production volume of 40.8 million m³f. A maximum volume of 29.6 million m³f sawnwood is used for the production of wooden containers. Quantification results can be further differentiated – e.g., the share of sawmill by-products. Hence, the calculation approach supports the visualisation and understanding of material flows within the forest-based sector. Wood processing residue coefficients resulting from product specific MFA can be repeatedly applied to annual production data of wood products, wood composites and wood supply chains. Thus, the quantification of wood processing residues improves the results of existing and future wood resource balances including cascade uses by increasing their level of detail.

Life cycle assessment of Austrian and Slovenian raw wood production

Forestry will play an increasingly important role as a raw material contributor since climate change mitigation requires a shift from fossil-based materials to renewable, bio-based materials. Consequently, an increase in wood demand is expected. Slovenia has a forest coverage of 59% while almost half of Austria is covered by forest (43 %). In these countries, the forest-based sector has an important role. We look at the environmental impact of forestry in Slovenia and Austria under an increase in wood demand. This contribution has a twofold purpose: 1) to describe the environmental impact of Slovenian and Austrian forestry and forest products with a focus on sawlogs, and 2) to provide life cycle inventory data for Slovenian and Austrian forestry and importing countries for other LCA needs, for example, LCAs in the construction or biorefinery sectors and for benchmarking purposes. This contribution explores the use of the European Life Cycle Inventory of Forestry Operations (EFO-LCI) database [1]. The life cycle impact assessment applies the 16 impact categories as recommended by the European Commissions for LCA/Environmental Footprint in Europe [2] and provides additional indicators important for bio-based materials.

The role of Bioeconomy in the Czech national forest strategy: a comparison with Sweden

The 2012 European Bioeconomy Strategy has been adopted in some European countries' national policies. However, it has not been officially included in the Czech Republic's national policy. In Sweden, the Bioeconomy Strategy has been adopted in the national policy and the National Forest Programme (NFP). The paper reviews the current forest policy in the Czech Republic in meeting the purposes of the forestbased bioeconomy by performing a comparative study between the Czech Republic and Sweden. As bioeconomy principles are core values in the Swedish NFP it aims not only to deliver sustainable forest products and ecosystem services to support forest enterprises but also to achieve a fossil-fuel-free Sweden. Although the Czech Forest Policy denotes the European Bioeconomy Strategy as one of the reference documents, it does not directly relate to shifting from fossil fuels to bioenergy. The implementation of the Czech document is limited to the forest-based sector. Bioeconomy principles are expected to be included in inter-ministerial committees at the government level in the Czech Republic. The challenges faced by the country include fulfilling the provision of sustainable forest biomass and high added-value products while harmonising forest policies and regulations.

Deepening the territorial Life Cycle Assessment approach with partial equilibrium modelling: First insights from an application to a wood energy incentive in a French region

An innovative modelling framework and metrics are developed to assess the economic and environmental performances of regional incentives in the wood energy sector. Our approach is based on the coupling between a partial equilibrium economic model of the forest sector with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Its originality relies on the computation of regional eco-efficiency ratios while taking account of diverse direct and indirect spatial and market interactions. Several adaptations were implemented to ensure consistency between the two modelling approaches in terms of process yields and flow balances. These adaptations make it possible to produce both economic and environmental indicators with a consistent perimeter. Finally, we used two kinds of eco-efficiency indicators to compare bioenergy policies. On the one hand, Partial Eco-Efficiency (PEE) combines the economic surplus induced by an incentive on the energy wood sector with its potential environmental impacts. On the other hand, Full Eco-Efficiency (FEE) adds the environmental impacts avoided by substitution between wood-energy and fossil fuels, compared to a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. The proposed adaptations were applied to a case study in the French Grand Est region that compared the eco-efficiency of scenarios with or without a subsidy to wood energy consumption. Results show that subsidy increases the eco-efficiency of the forest-based sector using both PEE and FEE while keeping competition with the other regions to a minimum. However, most benefits come from the consideration of avoided impacts, with FEE far exceeding PEE. Using FEE, the scenario with the subsidy is 5% to 50% more eco-efficient than the BAU despite an increased consumption of wood products, due to economic gains and avoided impacts. These outcomes show the importance of considering potential trade-offs when assessing the economic and environmental performance of regional policies in favour of the bioeconomy.