We demonstrate a near-real time forest disturbance alerting system for Europe using Sentinel-1 radar data. Sentinel-1 radar can penetrate clouds and offers high spatial (∼20 m) and temporal (3- to 6-day) detail. We directly integrated near-real time ERA5-Land temperature and Copernicus forest type data into the disturbance detection framework to address freezing temperatures and seasonal phenology, both of which influence the Sentinel-1 backscatter signal and thus need to be accounted for. This facilitates year-round monitoring across a range of environmental conditions (sub-zero, wet and dry) and forest types (coniferous, deciduous) throughout the boreal, temperate, and Mediterranean forests of Europe. Validation across Europe showed high accuracy, with a user accuracy of 91.2% (±1.3%) and producer accuracy of 74.5% (±6.0%). User accuracy increased to 99% (±0.4%) when excluding errors in the European-scale forest cover mask primarily caused by local overestimation of forest height and density. Disturbances were detected with a median delay of 27 days relative to the first high-resolution optical Planet reference image, which can further be reduced to 1 day through retrospective event-based correction of late detection bias. Compared to existing annual optical-based products, our method improves the detection of small-scale disturbances such as group fellings in Romania. We generated European-scale estimates of intra-annual disturbance seasonality, capturing variation in forest management practices and disturbance regimes such as winter harvesting in northern Europe, spring sanitation cutting in central Europe, and summer wildfires in southern Europe. Overall, this alerting system provides timely and detailed forest disturbance information in support of sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, carbon accounting, and law enforcement efforts across Europe. The alerts are available at https://wurnrt-raddeurope.projects.earthengine.app/view/radd-europe. • Near-real time Sentinel-1 forest disturbance alerting demonstrated across Europe. • Direct integration of ERA5-Land temperature data enabled year-round monitoring. • User accuracy of 91%, up to 99% with forest mask errors excluded; producer accuracy of 75%. • Median relative detection delays of 27 days and 1 day after event-based bias-correction. • First European-scale estimates of intra-annual forest disturbance seasonality.

The instrument of forest planning is regarded as the bedrock of multifunctional forest management, serving as the nexus between forest management concepts and practice. Despite this pivotal function, its linkage to day-to-day forest management has rarely been studied. This case study employs the theory-methods package of practice theory and a variety of qualitative data from public forest management in southwestern Germany to explore the processes through which complex management objectives are substantiated and broken down to the stand level in the forest planning procedure. Additionally, it examines the role that the resulting medium-term management plans and professional relationships play in everyday forest management. First, the formal principles of forest planning and their manifestation in administrative structures are described. This rationalistic conceptualization is then considered in contrast to specific planning fieldwork and everyday forest management situations, which are much more reactively structured and shaped by local situated knowledge as a collaborative and collective practice. The analysis shows that forest management plans only partially function as the intended action-guiding instrument, and even fulfill alternative functions, while being most important for communicative and administrative purposes. Furthermore, the planning process often reveals the non-implementation of the management objectives. The observed responses to this discrepancy can only be understood by acknowledging underlying contextual and relational factors, such as the professionals' organizational positionality and the dynamic socio-material nature of the forest. The intrinsic relational nature of forest management and planning manifests itself in the form of actively cultivated professional social relationships and foresters acting as creative situational adaption artists. • Forest planning and implementation are studied from a practice perspective. • The objectives defined in management plans are often not implemented. • The plans mostly do not function as action-guiding instruments. • The rationalistic management conceptualization contrasts with its reactive practice. • Situated knowledge and relationship work are essential in forest management.

Quercus suber bark, known as cork, is an important fire-adaptive trait of this Mediterranean species. However, the increased frequency of wildfires and poor forest management practices can be significant challenges in managing the sustainable exploitation of cork oak stands. This study evaluates cork’s thermal behavior and organoleptic quality for commercial applications under three experimental fire scenarios: prescribed burn, low-intensity wildfire, and high-intensity wildfire. Bench-scale tests were conducted using a vertical mass loss calorimeter to simulate heat exposure levels, measuring temperature changes at four cork depths and quantifying heat-induced damage. Morphological traits—cork thickness, corkback thickness, and relative humidity—were recorded as predictor variables. Additionally, organoleptic and aromatic analyses were performed to assess the suitability of fire-exposed cork for wine stopper production. Results were consistent with the available literature, confirming that cork thickness significantly reduces the maximum temperature at the phellogen level. Specifically, mean cork thickness showed a significant negative effect on Tmax4 (β = −0.02, p < 0.001), indicating a consistent decrease in internal temperatures with increasing thickness across all heat flux levels. By contrast, cork consumption (mass loss) was primarily driven by heat flux intensity rather than cork structural traits. Aromatic profiling and organoleptic analysis revealed the presence of smoke-related compounds in cork samples exhibiting external carbonization. This effect was observed under higher heat flux exposure (particularly at 25 and 50 kW m−2), where visible charring occurred. Under these conditions, commercial quality may be partially compromised, whereas samples without external carbonization did not show comparable aromatic alteration. Further field validation is recommended.

Climatic and anthropogenic disturbances have led to intense small-scale tree cover loss in global forests. However, it remains unclear when forest attributes at a large scale (e.g., 0.05° resolution) will decline in response to such sub-grid (e.g., 30-m) tree cover losses within forest ecosystems. Utilizing global maps of forest attribute proxies, we discover that vegetation greenness, canopy structure, composition, and photosynthesis function can all increase under limited tree cover loss, indicating a widely existing safety margin in global forests that is primarily buffered by a positive edge effect of landscape fragmentation within forest ecosystems. The safety margin varies across biomes (tropical: 7.7%; temperate: 3.7%; boreal: 1.0%) and is often positively correlated with ecosystem resistance. In addition, about 35.7% of the remaining global forests have exceeded the safety margin. Our finding contrasts with the conventional perception that sub-grid tree cover losses are inevitably associated with declines in forest attributes and functions. It provides quantitative information for mitigating forest degradation and has strong implications for sustainable forest management practices.

Mediterranean forests are increasingly exposed to climate-related risks, including large wildfires, prolonged droughts and rural abandonment, making sustainable forest management (SFM) a key element for climate adaptation and territorial resilience. However, despite its recognised importance, the social acceptance of SFM remains insufficiently understood, particularly in relation to how public perceptions are shaped by media narratives and information ecosystems. This study addresses this gap by analysing the relationship between media framing and social acceptance of SFM in a Mediterranean context. A mixed-methods approach was applied in the Valencian region (Spain), combining (i) a systematic analysis of conventional and digital media, (ii) a system mapping exercise to identify dominant narratives and communication dynamics, and (iii) a population survey (n = 1070) focused on perceptions of forests, climate change and forest management. The results reveal a high level of environmental concern and climate awareness, coexisting with limited knowledge of SFM and simplified or distorted perceptions of forest dynamics. Media coverage is predominantly reactive and event-driven, strongly focused on wildfire events, while preventive and adaptive forest management practices remain largely invisible. In this context, support for SFM increases significantly when management practices are clearly explained and contextualised, indicating that resistance is more closely related to communication gaps than to ideological opposition. These findings highlight the critical role of media framing and communication processes in shaping the social acceptance of SFM. The study contributes to the literature by integrating media analysis and social perception within a forest governance perspective, and provides empirical insights to support more effective communication strategies and policy design in Mediterranean regions facing increasing climate pressures.

Abstract Forest structure is shaped by forest management practices, land‐use changes, and natural disturbances, including droughts, fires, storms, and insect outbreaks that drive species‐specific and size‐specific mortality. By modifying the carbon‐water‐energy exchanges with the atmosphere, it influences a stand's capacity to buffer against or succumb to extreme weather events, which in turn determines the long‐term stability of the terrestrial carbon stocks. Given the importance of forest structure for forest land sink, land surface models are moving toward explicit representations of forest structure and management strategies. We present a new procedure to initialize forest diameters over Europe and document its implications for simulations of future forest carbon sinks. The simulated diameters for each grid cell covered by forests are initialized toward the diameter from a forest inventory. To this end, a 300‐year semi‐analytical spinup was carried out to bring the soil carbon pools into equilibrium. A lookup table with the simulated diameter and plant functional type as its entries was built by clearcutting all forests followed by a 200‐year simulation over Europe. For each grid point, the year associated with the simulated diameter that is the closest to the observation is selected, enabling the production of new initial state files over Europe. The new initialization procedure makes the initial state of forest more realistic and therefore significantly modifies the evolution of the forest carbon sink. The method could be further extended to initialize other forest state variables such as height or aboveground biomass.

Forest ecosystems are major providers of multiple ecosystem services, yet they are increasingly impacted by various natural and human-induced disturbances, as well as by climate change, particularly evident in the territory of the Mediterranean basin. As a result, forests are under significant pressure, leading to their severe degradation and loss. Therefore, the systematic monitoring of forests and the retrieval of their attributes are crucial for effective forest management and conservation planning. In this study we produced a national scale tree canopy cover map for Greece, at 20m resolution, incorporating visually interpreted sample plots, Sentinel-2 satellite data, elevation data, canopy height, and an ecosystem type map. The tree canopy cover model was developed using a stacked ensemble of four machine learning algorithms; Gradient Boosting Machines, Distributed Random Forest, Generalized Linear Model, and Deep Learning (Neural Networks). For the model's assessment, maps depicting per pixel prediction uncertainties were generated. Tree canopy cover ensemble models were developed for six forest types of Greece. According to the results, the tree canopy cover model, achieved an R2 value of 0.72 and RMSE of 18.846%. For the individual tree canopy models developed per forest ecosystem type, performance varied, with R2 value ranging from 0.165 to 0.535 and RMSE from 19.811% to 25.767%. The study highlights the potential of integrating advanced machine learning techniques with earth observation data to enhance forest mapping and provide a standartised approach for forest monitoring and accounting, simultaneously supporting sustainable forest management practices, toward the implementation of national and EU nature conservation, restoration and adaptation policies.

ABSTRACT Finding a balanced approach to advancing sustainable forestry development holds vital theoretical and practical significance across the globe. Compared with timber production, non-timber forest products (NTFPs) carry positive externalities, and their environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially beneficial attributes make them key breakthrough points for sustainable forestry progress. Taking bamboo, a typical NTFP, as an example, this study combines theoretical analysis and a case study in Nanping city to explore how the bamboo industry in Southeast China promotes local forestry sustainability. The case study results revealed that, firstly, the bamboo industry reduces long-term forest resource consumption through its substitution effect on timber products, alleviating the “growth drag” of the forest economy; secondly, international market demand for eco-friendly bamboo products drives the adoption of sustainable forest management practices in the industry, further mitigating “growth drag”; thirdly, the carbon sink value of bamboo resources and the formation of an industrial ecosphere help maintain optimal forest resource utilization; fourthly, the industry’s employment expansion, coupled with improved production efficiency via sustainable technologies, expands its scale while easing resource consumption pressure. For developing countries, utilizing demand growth to stimulate infrastructure improvements and sustainable management application could achieve sustained growth balancing forestry sustainability and poverty alleviation.

Increasing the carbon sink function of forests is critical for achieving carbon (C) neutrality in the context of global climate change. Past studies have focused on the estimation of forest biomass or C storage, while those on forest C sink potential remain limited. In particular, there remain few systematic investigations to define the forest C sink, to characterize the synergistic influencing factors, and to develop related quantitative analysis methods. The development of scientific C enhancement strategies requires the construction of C density-age models integrating multiple stand factors. These models allow accurate quantification of the gap (∆C) between actual and maximum C sequestration capacity. This study used permanent sample plot data to develop and validate a novel multi-model assessment approach for quantifying the C sink potential of Larix olgensis plantations in Heilongjiang Province, China, and to translate the results into precise management tools. An Average-Level Model (ALM) was established to define baseline C sequestration. Three innovative potential assessment models were then proposed: (1) the Empirical Upper Boundary Model (PLM1); (2) the Dummy Variable Model (PLM2); and (3) the Quantile Regression Model (PLM3). These models define the maximum C sequestration capacity from distinct perspectives. PLM1 (R2 = 0.7910) characterized the theoretical upper limit of C sink potential (79.86 Mg·ha−1), making it suitable for macro-strategic goal setting, though it is somewhat dependent on extreme data points. PLM2 (R2 = 0.7943) achieved the best fit, and when combined with measurable stand conditions (site class index [SCI] > 16 m, stand density index [SDI] > 800 trees·ha−1), it provides clear guidance for management practices. Although PLM3 showed a lower goodness-of-fit (R2 = 0.1056), it provided reasonable parameter estimates and robust predictions, offering a reliable upper-bound reference for C sink project planning and risk control. At a stand age of 60 years (yr), the C sink enhancement potentials (“∆” C) corresponding to the three models were 15.73, 14.48, and 13.26 Mg·ha−1, representing increases of 24.53%, 22.58%, and 20.68%, respectively, over the average level (64.13 Mg·ha−1); the peak C sequestration rates of the models were 104.3%, 82.7%, and 60.5% higher than that of the ALM, with peak times occurring earlier at 9, 7, and 11 yr, respectively, underscoring the importance of the early management. The multi-model assessment approach developed here facilitates “precision carbon enhancement” by quantifying C sink potential across its theoretical, achievable, and robust upper-bound dimensions. This quantification provides both mechanistic insights into C sequestration processes and a critical link between theoretical understanding and practical forest management. This work holds significant value for advancing forestry C sinks in service of national strategies.

Abstract. Wijayanti ARY, Arafat A, Nurhikmah. 2026. Intergenerational adaptation in a shifting landscape through Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and forest beekeeping. Asian J For 10 (1): r100114. https://doi.org/10.13057/asianjfor/r100114. This article aims to analyze how Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) related to forest beekeeping livelihoods is inherited, transformed, and negotiated across generations under social forestry arrangements. Focusing on the Buttu Puang community forest farmers group (KTH) in Tappina Village, Binuang Sub-district, Polewali Mandar District, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, the study employs a qualitative case study approach grounded in Berkes' corpus-praxis-cosmos framework. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis to examine intergenerational dynamics of ecological knowledge, forest management practices, and symbolic values amid socio-ecological change, involving 26 community members engaged in forest beekeeping, processing, and related activities. The findings indicate that TEK in forest beekeeping is not a static knowledge system but a dynamic and adaptive process shaped by changes in forest access, market rationalities, and shifting intergenerational values. While core ecological knowledge regarding forest flora and honeybee behavior remains relatively stable, intergenerational differences are evident in the modification of management practices and the reinterpretation of symbolic meanings. Knowledge transmission occurs through selective, situational, and negotiated processes rather than linear inheritance. These patterns indicate that continuity and change coexist within TEK, mediated through ongoing intergenerational negotiation rather than simple erosion or preservation. The study contributes to forestry and ethnobiology scholarship by demonstrating that the resilience of forest-based livelihoods under social forestry arrangements depends on maintaining social and ecological spaces that enable intergenerational learning and knowledge negotiation. Policy implications suggest that social forestry initiatives should move beyond preservation-oriented approaches and actively support adaptive, intergenerationally grounded knowledge systems to sustain community-based forest management.

ABSTRACT While forests are generally regarded as beneficial for water quality, forest management can significantly impact water quality, even if sustainable forest management practices are applied. Fellings alter water balance and nutrient cycling, while forest roads with impermeable surfaces fragment ecosystems and enhance runoff. Road construction often requires extensive landscape modification and material relocation, which increases substance leaching and erosion. In the present study, water quality parameters and nutrient export were monitored over eight years (2016–2023) in a forested catchment (2212 ha) and its sub-catchments. During this period, 15.8 km of forest roads were constructed, and fellings occurred across 18.8% of the catchment. Fellings increased nitrogen compound concentrations and export, with effects persisting for four-five years. Runoff patterns strongly controlled the export of total nitrogen, calcium, and dissolved organic carbon. The onset of fellings and higher felling intensities raised total suspended solids levels, though high variability masked statistical significance. Calcium and potassium concentrations also increased during periods of more intense felling, though their export patterns closely followed runoff dynamics. Road construction increased calcium and total suspended solids concentrations.

Data descriptionThis dataset compiles detailed representative forest stand structure data from a European hemiboreal forest region; it spans multiple forest types, successional stages, and forest management contexts. It integrates measurements of live trees and dead wood, including fallen trunks, snags (standing dead trees), stumps and fine woody debris (down to 3 mm diameter), together with tree species identity, dimensional attributes, and decay stages. A subset of stands has been surveyed repeatedly, capturing temporal changes in forest structure.Study areaEstonia, hemiboreal forest zone. Field sampling was conducted between 2006 and 2024.Data coverageThe dataset comprises detailed stand-structure measurements from >600 forest stands, mostly represented by 2-ha plots. It includes most common hemiboreal forest types along gradients of dominant tree species and soil moisture. These range from low-productivity, dry Scots pine–dominated forests to black alder–dominated mobile-water swamps, with particularly strong representation of productive Norway spruce–deciduous mixed forests and drained peatland forests. Stand ages range from a few years post clearcutting to old stands with the dominant tree layer >200 years old. Old stands without signs of management are well represented (98 study stands) and constitute a substantial reference set for naturally developing and old-growth forest conditions in the region. The stands encompass a broad range of silvicultural treatments, including post-clearcut and post retention-cut succession, mature forests with sanitary cutting history, stands subject to precommercial and commercial thinning, and shelterwood cutting. In addition, a subset of stands includes repeated measurements of forest structure following ditch closure (rewetting) as part of a peatland forest restoration experiment.MethodsLive trees, standing dead trunks and stumps were recorded along strip plots (area-based sampling), while downed dead wood items were measured along transects (line-intersect method).ApplicationsThe dataset enables modelling above-ground tree carbon, quantitative assessment of habitat conditions for biodiversity, and analyses of their relationships with forest characteristics. It enables analyses of how specific forest management practices (clearcutting, retention forestry, shelterwood harvest, thinning) affect the stand structure, habitat quality, and carbon stocks. Because the dataset includes geopositioned measurements collected starting from the early 2000s onward, it can be combined with time-matched or contemporary remote sensing data, or with newly collected field data from stands of comparable ages, to assess structural changes in similar forest types over time. Given that hemiboreal forest types share structural features with closed-canopy boreal and northern temperate forests dominated by spruce–pine–deciduous mixtures, the dataset is applicable for regional modelling across approximately ten degrees of latitude, spanning from the Fennoscandian middle-boreal zone to the northern limit of the beech region in mid-Lithuania.

Forest treatments such as prescribed burns, mastication, and thinning are widely implemented across the western USA to reduce fuels and enhance wildfire resilience. These practices also influence snow accumulation and melt, which, in turn, affect snow storage and duration. Since many regions depend on seasonal snow for water resources, it is essential that forest management practices preserve or even enhance snow storage as a buffer against the impacts of climate change. To test the hypothesis that thinning and canopy gap creation can maximize snow storage, particularly on north-facing slopes, experimental forest treatments representing a range of thinning intensities were implemented on Cle Elum Ridge in the headwaters of the Yakima River Basin, Washington, USA. Ground-based snow observations, combined with pre-treatment (2021) and post-treatment (2023) snow-on lidar, show that canopy thinning increased snow depth and storage by 30% on north-facing slopes and by 16% on south-facing slopes. Snow depth was positively related to canopy openness, as measured by sky view fraction and canopy edge metrics, with stronger effects on north-facing slopes. In contrast, there was no clear relationship between snow depth and degree of thinning as measured by forest basal area, a common forestry metric used to plan treatment prescriptions. Using canopy edge metrics and sky view fraction relationships, we estimated the hydrologic benefit of thinning during 2023 at 12.3 acre-feet of water storage per 100 acres of north-facing forest and 5.1 acre-feet on south-facing slopes. These findings highlight the potential to incorporate hydrologic resilience as a co-benefit when planning fuel reduction strategies.

The study comprehensively analyses the evolution of the scientific concept of forest ecosystem services in the context of the transition from traditional resource-oriented approaches to contemporary models of natural capital valuation. The theoretical foundations underlying the understanding of ecosystem services as an integral outcome of forest ecosystem functioning, combining ecological, social, and economic benefits for society, are examined. The relevance of interpreting forest ecosystem services as economic assets capable of generating long-term value, forming stable financial flows, and serving as an instrument for enhancing the economic resilience of the forest sector is substantiated. Based on the synthesis of international theoretical and methodological frameworks and the analysis of national experience, the key challenges in implementing an economic accounting system for ecosystem services in Ukrainian forest management practice are identified. Particular attention is paid to institutional, methodological, and legal constraints that hinder the monetization as well as capitalization of non-resource forest functions, including regulating and cultural services. Promising directions for the development of an ecosystem-oriented forest management model are defined, which envisage the systematic integration of ecosystem services into the mechanisms of strategic planning, financial management, and economic accounting of forestry activities. This model is based on viewing forest ecosystems not merely as a source of resource-based products, but as multifunctional economic assets capable of generating long-term societal and financial value. It is demonstrated that the implementation of these approaches provides a methodological foundation for the capitalization of regulating as well as cultural forest ecosystem services, the development of new financial instruments, and the diversification of income sources within the forest sector. Special attention is given to adapting this model to the conditions of Ukraine’s post-war recovery, particularly in the context of assessing environmental losses, substantiating compensation mechanisms, attracting climate finance, and achieving sustainable development goals at the national and regional levels.

Genetic diversity is a key prerequisite for adaptation to changing environments. Maintaining genetic diversity in forest trees is crucial amid climate change, given their long generation times. Forest management practices can affect the genetic diversity of forest ecosystems through selective felling or reforestation strategies following harvests. To assess how managed forests respond to climate-driven changes, we investigated patterns of genetic diversity and local adaptation by contrasting old-growth and recently planted stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies). We assess both neutral and adaptive genetic variation by sequencing pooled samples collected from 45 first stands across northern Sweden. Our results reveal no significant differences in overall genetic diversity between natural and planted populations, indicating that current forest management practices have not substantially reduced genetic variation. Analyses of adaptive variation demonstrate strong signatures of local adaptation in old-growth populations, with clear correlations between genetic and environmental distances. In contrast, planted stands show weaker adaptive signals and are also at greater risk of non-adaptiveness under future climate scenarios. While current forest management practices preserve much of the neutral genetic diversity necessary for long-term forest health, our findings highlight the importance of conserving and promoting adaptive genetic variation available in old-growth stands to ensure resilience against ongoing climate change.

Hollow-bearing trees (HBTs) provide a critical habitat resource for hollow-dependent animals, many of which are threatened due to a range of natural and human disturbances. Developing strategic conservation plans for HBT-dependant fauna requires an understanding of the spatial distribution of HBTs across multiple scales. Historically, landscape-scale estimates of HBT abundance have been based on extrapolations from much smaller areas where they have been directly observed. Remote-sensing technologies that provide high-resolution data at large spatial scales have the potential to improve the quality and coverage of HBT estimates across complex forested landscapes. In this study we used high-resolution, LiDAR-based metrics of forest structure and topography, coupled with detailed ground-based assessments of HBT abundance and environmental covariates, to develop predictive models of HBT abundance across ∼340,000 ha of temperate forest in southeastern Australia. Our analyses estimated a mean density of 4.4 (95 % CI: 3.7 – 5.1) HBT per ha across the study region. The abundance of different HBT form classes varied substantially by forest tenure and vegetation type. Our analyses identified complex relationships between the abundance of HBTs and key environmental and forest structural predictors that reflect how fine-scale variability in environmental conditions, disturbance history, and forest management practices within complex landscapes influence HBT abundance and occurrence. High-resolution, spatially explicit remote-sensing data can be used to provide rigorous empirical estimates of the distribution and abundance of HBTs in complex forested landscapes. These are critical to informing conservation and forest management planning to ensure long-term continuity of HBTs within these landscapes. • Remote-sensing data provide rigorous empirical estimates hollow bearing trees (HBTs). • A mean density of 4.4 (3.7 – 5.1) HBT per ha was predicted. • Abundance of HBTs varied by environmental and forest structural factors. • Spatial predictions can inform conservation planning within the study landscape.

Climate-smart forestry: Strategies, policies, and technologies for enhancing climate change mitigation and ecosystem sustainability

Natural forest regeneration is necessary to preserve forest stability, resilience, and long-term functionality. In Austria, where protective forests cover approximately 40 % of forested areas, regeneration deficits threaten the sustainability of ecosystem services, particularly in the face of increasing disturbance events. Natural regeneration does not only ensure a continuous forest cover, but itself increases the protective function of the entire stand by increasing water retention and slope stability, and preventing soil erosion and small rockfalls. Despite the importance of promoting regeneration, forest managers lack clear, data-based guidance on environmental and structural conditions that support it. We aimed to identify key site and stand variables that influence the density of natural regeneration in alpine protective forests and to provide actionable recommendations for improving forest management practices. Our analysis revealed that regeneration density is significantly influenced by topographic conditions and overstory structure, with varying preferences for light availability. Key factors included incident solar radiation, crown base height, and stand stratification. Results indicate that a one-size-fits-all approach to gap size or residual basal area is inadequate. Our findings advance the ecological understanding of alpine protection forest dynamics and deliver a practical framework for implementing site-adapted, sustainable forest management strategies. • Natural regeneration in alpine forests is shaped by stand and topographic variables. • LiDAR-based metrics improve modeling of regeneration density in protective forests. • Generalized additive models reveal nonlinear effects of canopy and site conditions. • One-size-fits-all silvicultural targets fail to meet species-specific light needs. • Findings support site-adapted, data-driven forest regeneration strategies.

Abstract Mature and old-growth (MOG) forests hold significant ecological and societal value in the United States. In 2022, a presidential executive order directed the U.S. Forest Service to conduct a MOG forest inventory, and regional definitions were developed using the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) system. However, the sparse forest inventory network limited estimates to coarse area-level summaries, and efforts to include specific MOG forest management practices in National Forest management plans were abandoned. National-scale MOG forest mapping at high spatial resolution is essential for balancing and harmonizing MOG conservation, stewardship and management directives, and several recent studies have produced such maps. These approaches either apply alternative definitions, interpolate MOG information without incorporating empirical data at prediction locations, or define MOG characteristics from remote sensing products rather than inventory data. Thus, an enhanced MOG forest inventory that leverages both the national FIA MOG classifications and empirical remote sensing data for predictions remains a pressing need. Here, we developed a spatial Bayesian modeling framework that uses remotely sensed predictor variables to operationalize the FIA plot-level MOG definitions into spatially continuous, fine-scale inference across the conterminous U.S. Our models produce posterior distributions of MOG class presence at 1 ha resolution, enabling probability surfaces and aggregated estimates with transparent uncertainty at policy and ecologically relevant scales. Cross-validation revealed minimal bias nationally but moderate over-prediction in some strata. We estimate that, on all lands, 154.83 million ha contain mature forest and 25.17 million ha contain old-growth—respectively 43.74% and 8.57% of forest area. Our work advances spatial modeling techniques for integrating inventory plot and remote sensing data to characterize complex, context-dependent forest attributes consistently across large geographic extents. This study produces publicly available, spatially continuous MOG information based on the national definitions, providing a foundational resource to inform MOG forest management and conservation.

ABSTRACT Forests not only provide a pool of natural resources, but they can also foster responsible agency among forest communities through managing them. Based on a case study in Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh, India, this work investigates how the existing forest management policies and practices in India create a platform for the community to achieve its well-being in the context of natural resource management. It extends the framework of the Capability Approach to empirically examine the freedom of the community to participate in forest management, their role as agents of change and their participation in effective public deliberation. Findings suggest that the policy primarily grants “paper freedom” to the community to participate in forest management, and the effective community participation is largely crippled in the absence of individual and social conversion factors, such as education and inclusivity. Community perceives themselves as “beneficiary” with dominant extraction motives, rather than as an “agent” who can contribute to forest management. The study emphasises the role of freedom to participate in public discussion towards the co-creation of knowledge by policymakers and the village community.