Forest Management Types Research Articles

Fruiting of Cronartium and Coleosporium rust fungi on Melampyrum spp. in Scots pine stands under various forest management applications in northern Finland

Cronartium pini is the causal agent of Scots pine blister rust in northern Europe. New silvicultural methods have recently been launched to manage Pinus sylvestris stands in Finland. Continuous-cover-forest management (CCF) is an approved alternative method for the traditional rotation-forest management (RF). The aim of this study was to compare fruiting and disease incidence of C. pini in forest stands managed applying the CCF and RF approaches. The incidence of C. pini-caused disease was assessed on P. sylvestris before, and on alternate herbaceous plant hosts Melampyrum pratense and M. sylvaticum one year after the CCF or RF application procedures and compared between several forest management types such as seed-tree cutting (STC), clearcutting (CC), gap cutting (GC), selection cutting (SC) and uncut control in seven study sites. Fruiting of the needle rust fungus, Coleosporium tussilaginis f. sp. melampyri, was also investigated. In 2020–2021, the number of P. sylvestris trees with symptoms of C. pini was low in all management types, and disease incidence varied from 0% to 2.8% among the management types. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of symptomatic pines between the management types and study sites at the beginning of the silvicultural management operations. Ten M. sylvaticum and/or M. pratense from five sample plots were collected in each managed stand. The incidence of symptomatic leaves of C. pini on M. sylvaticum varied from 0.6% to 7.7% among the management types and on M. pratense from 0% to 1.2% one year after the management applications. Coleosporium needle rust was more common than C. pini on Melampyrum spp. The percentage of leaves with C. tussilaginis f. sp. melampyri telia varied from 7.9% to 55.4% on M. pratense and from 0.6% to 24.8% on M. sylvaticum among the management types. The frequency of C. pini telia on M. pratense did not differ between the management types. The frequency of C. tussilaginis f. sp. melampyri telia on M. pratense did not differ between study sites, but it was significantly higher in unmanaged control stands compared to CC- or STC-managed stands a year after the management application. This indicated that the rust fungus fruited on Melampyrum more abundantly in forest stands that had the highest tree density prior to its fruiting. The results provide basic information of rust incidence in forest stands shortly after their management. The long-term effect of the different forest management types on rust incidence both on pines and alternate hosts will be assessed periodically years later. Keywords: alternate hosts; Melampyrum pretense; Melampyrum sylvaticum; Pinus sylvestris; rust diseases; Scots pine blister rust

Forecasting forest management impacts on regeneration traits of high socio-economic value species in Senegal's Sudanian zone, West Africa

Forest management can have major impacts on the dynamic of ecological communities, including shifts in reproduction and survival strategies in newly recruited individuals. This study aims to predict the probability of presence of saplings of various species in managed forests in the Sudanian domain of Senegal based on their functional traits. Data on functional traits and the main commercial and domestic uses of twenty high-socio-economic value species were collected, along with their presence-absence, in 12, 832 plots from twenty sites in Senegal's savannahs spanning four different types of forest management, including unmanaged forests, old managed forests, recently managed forests, and community reserve forests. Mixed logistic regression models were used to predict whether high-value species would be present in different forest management types, depending on their main uses, and regeneration, growth and reproduction functional traits. We hypothesised that forest management would favour species with more efficient colonising and competitive abilities, particularly at high levels of disturbance. Our findings demonstrated that unmanaged forests were more likely to host high-value species, regardless of their functional traits and main uses. These protected forests also hosted the greatest variety of regeneration functional traits, heights and uses. Old managed forests were more likely to host high-value species compared to recently managed and community reserve forests. Moreover, high-value species capable of vegetative regeneration and those with low maximum height were more likely to occur in all types of forests, but this trend was more pronounced under higher management and disturbance intensities. This study highlights that the availability of forest products can be optimised by encouraging management strategies that promote a diversity of functional traits rather than the selective harvesting of certain high-value species. Additionally, the temporal variation in the responses of tree species could be beneficial for forest management, with more diverse values of functional traits and more high-value species being present in older managed forests relative to newly managed forests. These results indicate that it is essential to promote forest resilience after management by protecting high-value species that have the potential to restore forest functional composition over time in managed forests.

Forest Management Type Identification Based on Stacking Ensemble Learning

Forest management is the fundamental approach to continuously improve forest quality and achieve the quadruple functions of forests. The identification of forest management types is the basis of forest management and a key technical link in the formulation of forest management plans. However, due to insufficient application of forestry informatization and digitization, there are problems in the organization and application of management types, such as inaccurate identification, diversified standards, long organizational cycles, and low decision-making efficiency. Typical technical models are difficult to widely promote and apply. To address these challenges, this study proposes the Stacking Ensemble Forest Management Type Identification (SEFMTI) method based on Stacking ensemble learning. Initially, four typical forest management types from the sustainable forest management pilot of the Yichun Forestry Group were selected as research subjects, and 19 stand parameters were chosen to form the research data, training various recognition models. Subsequently, the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression and random forest (RF) methods were used to analyze key decision-making indicators for forest management type recognition and compare the performance of different models. The results show that (1) the SEFMTI model achieved an accuracy rate of 97.14%, effectively improving the accuracy of forest management type recognition while ensuring stability; (2) average age (AG), age group (AGG), crown density (CD), and stand origin (SO) are key decision-making indicators for recognizing forest management types; and (3) after feature selection, the SEFMTI model significantly enhanced the efficiency of model training while maintaining a high accuracy rate. The results validate the feasibility of the SEFMTI identification method, providing a basis for the gradual implementation of sustainable forest management pilots and aiding in the precise improvement of forest quality.

How do stand features shape deadwood diversity?

Saproxylic species from different taxonomic groups often occur only on certain types of deadwood with specific qualitative characteristics. The various types of deadwood are very dynamic elements of forest ecosystems, associated with many site and stand features, as well as with the type of forest management. Using a pool of 29,098 sample plots spread across Poland, we analyzed 30 different deadwood types defined on the basis of three characteristics: position (standing, lying), degree of decomposition, and size. Statistical hurdle models were used to assess changes in the volume of individual deadwood types based on a broad range of independent variables. Depending on the type of management, terrain, site fertility, stand volume, tree density, and stand age, the models revealed substantial differences in the volume of different deadwood types, ranging from 0 to approx. 4 m3 ha−1. It was found that the volume of most deadwood types (except for a few, mostly with diameters under 15 cm) increases with stand age or stand volume. In managed forests at all stages of stand development there is a deficiency of thick deadwood. Both standing and lying deadwood at different decay stages is available continuously, irrespective of the values of individual independent variables, but considerable differences exist. While most lying deadwood exhibits higher levels of decomposition, in standing deadwood the proportions of different decay stages are strongly associated with tree diameter at breast height. The developed models make it possible to predict the volume of individual deadwood types for a broad range of independent variables. The current work presents several examples, with the results showing extremely complex relationships between deadwood diversity and site and stand features at every stage of forest development, with continuous changes in the volume and proportions of different deadwood types. In general, at the landscape level Polish forests contain both standing and lying deadwood at all decay stages in more or less equal proportions. However, in forest management one should pay special attention to the dimensions of retained deadwood. The absence of thick deadwood is particularly conspicuous in lowland managed forests.

Importance of stochastic assembly processes influencing beetle communities increases after logging

Xerothermophilous beetles are one of the endangered ecological groups of animals, mainly because of the loss of suitable habitats for their development. Many species of these beetles are associated with specific light conditions. Those preferring higher insolation levels may find such conditions in coppices. Coppicing is a type of forest management with a long history, which allowed the survival of many species in the European landscape. After WWII coppicing management was widely abandoned and coppices were transformed into high forest, which caused a significant decline in forest biodiversity. In the Podyjí National Park at the border of Czechia and Austria, coppicing was re-established in two neglected coppices by cutting trees on areas of approximately one hectare in the winter of 2015/2016 to support heliophilous and endangered species of plants and animals. We carried out a study in these two areas by using flight interception traps during the year before the logging (2015), and two years after the logging (2016 and 2017). We analysed the effect of the logging and the following succession on beetle assemblages by comparing beetle taxocoenoses before and after logging. The creation of the clearings in closed-canopy forests had a positive effect on overall species richness and supported threatened species of beetles. We revealed that unlike α-diversity, which was highest during the first year after logging, spatial differentiation of the assemblage (β-diversity) was highest during the second year after logging. Co-occurrence analysis showed that beetle assemblages tended to co-occur more than expected by chance during all study years, indicating shared environmental preferences. On the other hand, after logging the species co-occurrence pattern was closer to random species distribution, showing that dispersal ability and random immigration also play important role in assembly processes.

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) selection forests at Siljansfors in Central Sweden

Continuous cover forestry (CCF) is a type of forest management which is based on ecological principles and avoids clearfelling as much as possible. A specialised form of CCF is the selection system which relies on inhomogeneous size structures in mixed-species forests and on the harvesting of individual dominant trees. The selection system was originally invented by upland farmers in Central Europe some 500 years ago and is fairly uncommon in Northern Europe. In our research, we studied two more or less mono-species Picea abies selection forests at Siljansfors in Central Sweden that have a comparatively low final stem diameter of 50 cm. We involved dynamic demographic equilibrium modelling to identify an ideal size structure as a reference that ensures sustainability. We compared this reference with the observed empirical stem-diameter distributions and found that both stands are indeed advancing towards the structure typical of single-tree selection systems. One stand is particularly close to this ideal, sustainable structure whilst the other requires more goal-orientated management in the future. Our research confirmed that selection forests with largely only one conifer species and a fairly small final diameter are possible at this latitude. We could also show that the dynamic demographic model can be converted to a simpler static model that is easier to apply in forest practice. Since selection stands are rare in Fennoscandia, the two stands studied at Siljansfors have been and will continue to be important research and management demonstration sites in the future.

Effect of forest structure and management on the functional diversity and composition of understorey plant communities

AbstractQuestionsDo forest structural parameters related to stand heterogeneity enhance functional diversity (FD) of understorey plant communities? Do FD and functional composition of understorey plant communities vary between high‐forest (HF) and old coppices‐with‐standard (oldCWS) management types? Are HF stands characterized by a higher FD than oldCWS?LocationSubmediterranean beech forests of Montagne della Duchessa Reserve (central Italy).MethodsWe sampled 57 (20 m × 20 m) forest plots, 29 oldCWS and 28 HF stands, where we recorded plant species cover abundance. We used Leaf–Height–Seed and clonal traits, and run multiple separate linear models to quantify the effect of forest structural parameters and management types on FD and functional composition of understorey plant communities.ResultsWe found that increasing lying deadwood enhanced FD of specific leaf area (SLA) through micro‐environmental heterogeneity of soil fertility regardless of management type. We also found that increased horizontal stratification filtered the range of plant sizes, probably through light reduction. HF management enhanced FD of SLA and clonal traits through micro‐environmental heterogeneity, while reducing the FD of plant size and seed mass. HF tended to select plant communities characterized by high resource acquisition strategies but lower persistence between ramets, possibly as an effect of more mature forest conditions.ConclusionOur study suggests that understorey plant community diversity and composition change in response to forest structure and management. Combining Leaf–Height–Seed with clonal traits offers a promising framework for understanding and predicting plant response to management practices.

Ocena stanja prirodnih vrednosti gazdinske jedinice "Jasenovo-Božetići" na području jugozapadne Srbije

This paper presents the assessment of the condition of natural values of forest stands in relation to the origin, structural form, mixedness as well as in relation to affiliation of the forest stand to forest management type. The object of the research is the Forest management unit "Jasenovo-Božetići" which belongs to the Western forest region in Serbia. Assessment of the condition has been performed in accordance with the method developed on the project entitled Contribution of Sustainable Forest Management to Low Emission and Resilient Development (GCP/SRB/002/GEF). The total area on which the assessment of natural values was carried out amounts to 1684.7 ha. Based on the final assessment of biodiversity, the stands of low natural value cover the area of 1205.6 ha (71.5%), the stands of lower medium natural value cover 300.9 ha (17.9%), the stands of higher medium natural value 178.2 ha (10.9%), while stands of high natural value are not registered.

Forest Residue Management Impact on Rodent (Rodentia: Murinae, Arvicolinae) Damage in Pedunculate Oak (Quercus robur L.) Forests in Croatia

Small rodents (Rodentia, subfam. Murinae: real mice, Arvicoline voles) greatly affect natural regeneration, stability and dynamics of forest communities worldwide. Every 3–4 years rodent damage in Croatian state forests is the most severe in forest regeneration stands, especially in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) and narrow-leaved ash (Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl.) forests, where rodents can seriously impede natural regeneration by damaging seeds, stems and roots of saplings. These negative interactions are an even bigger challenge nowdays as pedunculate oak and narrow-leaved ash have become more vunerable in the last decades and are known as the most sensitive species of lowland forests in Croatia due to microclimatic and macroclimatic changes and the unfavourable interaction of a whole series of anthropogenic, abiotic and biotic factors. In the last 40 years, in Croatian state forests, rodent management consisted of monitoring and mainly rodenticide use. Trying to implement IPM (Integrated Pest Management) postulates into practice over the years, different prevention methods against small rodents were tested, but not many came to use. The aim of this research was to look into different logging residue management approaches and their effect on the rodent damage in two pedunculate oak forest regeneration stands in central Posavina in Croatia. Rodent damage on stem and root of tree saplings was recorded by visual inspection on three plots (5x5 m) with scattered logging residue, and one plot (5x5 m) with no residue at one micro-depression site (95 m a.s.l.), and on one micro-elevation (99 m a.s.l.) site. Plots with scattered logging residue represented a type of forest residue management in which logging debris (branches) is cut to smaller lengths and distributed evenly at the forest regeneration stand. Plot with no logging debris represented a residue management method in which wood mass is completely removed from the regeneration stand after felling. We counted, determined and inspected tree saplings found at chosen plots for rodent damage (on stem and roots) and also determined the average weight and moisture content of logging residue (branches around 5–7 cm in diameter) found at the site. In spring 2017, 3380 tree saplings (2978; 81% pedunculate oak, 7; 0.2% narrow-leaved ash and 395; 11.7% other deciduous species) were inspected for rodent damage. At micro-depression site, on a plot with no logging residue, only 13.4% of the saplings were damaged, while the average share of damaged saplings on three plots with scattered residue was more than six times higher; 87.8%. The average mass of the logging residue weighed at site with scattered residue was 10.14 kg kg/m2 and moisture content was 19.2%. At micro-elevation site, 25.4% of the saplings were damaged on a plot with no logging residue, while the average share of damaged saplings on three plots with scattered residue was two times higher; 51.4%. The average mass of the logging residue weighed at SRP 1–3 was 5.1 kg/m2. We also determined moderately strong positive correlation (R=0.69133) between the mass of logging residue and rodent damage and strong negative correlation (R=–0.89598) between wood moisture content of the logging residue and rodent damage. In years ahead, with unpredictable climate effects and potentially very variable small rodent dynamics, removing the logging residue after the felling could represent a residue management that contributes to a more effective and ecologically based rodent management. It could also become a usable preventive method within IPM and help prevent sever rodent damage, even during the outbreaks in pedunculate oak regeneration stands.

Bird Community Composition and Functional Guilds Response to Vegetation Structure in Southwest Ethiopia

Shade coffee farms in southwest Ethiopia are known to host high levels of avian biodiversity. However, these farms vary in terms of forest management, which affects their understory, mid-story, crown cover, and canopy closure, and hence their structural complexity. Such differences in vegetation structure can potentially affect the survival of specialist bird species, and shade coffee farms may not equally contribute to avian biodiversity conservation. This study aimed to investigate how avian community composition, richness, and the relative abundance of different bird functional guilds relate to structural differences in vegetation shaped by forest management. Bird guild classification was based on bird species forest dependence, diet type, migration status, nest type, foraging, and nesting strata, and bird communities were surveyed using the Timed Species Counts (TSCs) method. Species turnover in bird communities was evaluated using detrended correspondence analysis and redundancy analysis, whereby multiple regression models were used to examine bird guild responses to vegetation structure. Total bird species richness and relative abundance did not respond to vegetation structure. However, the richness of forest specialists and understory foragers, and the relative abundance of mid-high foragers, all positively related to tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and crown cover, whereas the relative abundance of species with medium levels of forest dependency, mid-high/canopy foragers, and open-nesters were positively related to basal area and canopy cover. This study demonstrates that the relative value of shade coffee farms for avian biodiversity conservation depends on the type of forest management, and that bigger trees with larger crown cover provide a habitat of higher quality to habitat specialist birds.

Open forest successional stages and landscape heterogeneity promote wild bee diversity in temperate forests

AbstractRecent studies have emphasized forests as crucial habitat for wild bees. In Europe, most forests are managed following the principles of close‐to‐nature silviculture, which combine timber production and nature conservation. However, open late and early successional stages within these forests are largely missing, which could be important for wild bees. This highlights that close‐to‐nature silviculture alone might not be sufficient to conserve bees within temperate forests. Open structures such as canopy gaps and road verges in forests could improve habitat for bees. To provide management recommendations for wild bee conservation in temperate forests, we analyzed how components of bee beta diversity varied between forest management types and tested how open structures, namely clear‐cuts, canopy gaps, and forest road verges influenced bee abundance, richness, and diversity. In addition, we analyzed the abundance and percent of red‐listed bee species at different scales. Bees were sampled using 90 pan traps on 45 (1 ha) plots in 2019 and 2020 in the Black Forest, Germany. Plots were selected in 15 triplets each consisting of three management types related to different successional stages: unmanaged, close‐to‐nature, and small clear‐cut. Beta diversity was not consistently nested highlighting the importance of different management and successional stages within the landscape to support bees in forests. Abundance, species richness, and Shannon diversity of bees were highest on clear‐cuts, compared to unmanaged‐ and close‐to‐nature plots. At landscape scale, wild bee abundance increased with canopy openness while wild bee diversity increased with landscape heterogeneity. Abundance‐ and percent of red‐listed bee species increased with the length of forest road verges. We advocate creating habitats at local scales which offer flowering and nesting resources by providing canopy gaps. At landscape scale, heterogeneity created through different forest successional stages is needed to conserve the entire community of wild bees.

Лесные ресурсы как основа развития региональных лесных комплексов

This article discusses the issues of assessment, use and classification of forest resources in a theoretical and practical way (on the example of several subjects of the Russian Federation). Forest resources, at the same time, are taken into account in this article as the most important factor that ensures the attraction of investments in the forest complexes of Russian regions. As part of the study, by reviewing the literature, the main theoretical provisions regarding forest resources and the opinions of various scientists on the role of forest resources for the economy were considered. For the Voronezh, Belgorod, Kursk, Tambov and Lipetsk regions, a quantitative analysis of data on concluded lease agreements for the use of forests for various types of forest management was carried out. The result of the study is the confirmation of the thesis that the availability of forest resources makes it possible to attract more tenants for the forests using, and, consequently, to increase revenues from the forests using to the budget system of the Russian Federation, which, in turn, ensures an increase in government spending on forestry and conservation of forest resources. Established priority directions of forest using for the regions of the Central Chernozem area, such as recreational activities, forest climate projects, organization of harvesting and collection of non-wood forest resources, medicinal plants.

Soil seed bank responses to edge effects in temperate European forests.

AimThe amount of forest edges is increasing globally due to forest fragmentation and land‐use changes. However, edge effects on the soil seed bank of temperate forests are still poorly understood. Here, we assessed edge effects at contrasting spatial scales across Europe and quantified the extent to which edges can preserve the seeds of forest specialist plants.LocationTemperate European deciduous forests along a 2,300‐km latitudinal gradient.Time period2018–2021.Major taxa studiedVascular plants.MethodsThrough a greenhouse germination experiment, we studied how edge effects alter the density, diversity, composition and functionality of forest soil seed banks in 90 plots along different latitudes, elevations and forest management types. We also assessed which environmental conditions drive the seed bank responses at the forest edge versus interior and looked at the relationship between the seed bank and the herb layer species richness.ResultsOverall, 10,108 seedlings of 250 species emerged from the soil seed bank. Seed density and species richness of generalists (species not only associated with forests) were higher at edges compared to interiors, with a negative influence of C : N ratio and litter quality. Conversely, forest specialist species richness did not decline from the interior to the edge. Also, edges were compositionally, but not functionally, different from interiors. The correlation between the seed bank and the herb layer species richness was positive and affected by microclimate.Main conclusionsOur results underpin how edge effects shape species diversity and composition of soil seed banks in ancient forests, especially increasing the proportion of generalist species and thus potentially favouring a shift in community composition. However, the presence of many forest specialists suggests that soil seed banks still play a key role in understorey species persistence and could support the resilience of our fragmented forests.

The global exposure of species ranges and protected areas to forest management

AbstractAimMany vertebrate species globally are dependent on forests, most of which require active protection to safeguard global biodiversity. Forests, however, are increasingly either being disturbed, planted or managed in the form of timber or food plantations. Because of a lack of spatial data, forest management has commonly been ignored in previous conservation assessments.LocationGlobal.MethodsWe combine a new global map of forest management types created solely from remote sensing imagery with spatially explicit information on the distribution of forest‐associated vertebrate species and protected areas globally. Using Bayesian logistic regressions, we explore whether the amount of forested habitat available to a species as well as information on species‐specific threats can explain differences in IUCN extinction risk categories.ResultsWe show that disturbed and human‐managed forests dominate the distributional ranges of most forest‐associated species. Species considered as non‐threatened had on average larger amounts of non‐managed forests within their range. A greater amount of planted forests did not decrease the probability of species being threatened by extinction. Even more worrying, protected areas are increasingly being established in areas dominated by disturbed forests.ConclusionOur results imply that species extinction risk and habitat assessments might have been overly optimistic with forest management practices being largely ignored so far. With forest restoration being at the centre of climate and conservation policies in this decade, we caution that policy makers should explicitly consider forest management in global and regional assessments.

Carbon storage potential of Eucalyptus urophylla at several density levels and forest management types in dry land ecosystems

Abstract. Marimpan LS, Purwanto RH, Wardhana W, Sumardi. 2022. Carbon storage potential of Eucalyptus urophylla at several density levels and forest management types in dry land ecosystems. Biodiversitas 23: 2830-2837. Tropical forests can store high amounts of carbon because they have suitable environmental factors. Furthermore, they are different from others that grow in dry areas, which tend to experience limited rainfall. Ampupu (Eucalyptus urophylla) is an endemic tree in East Nusa Tenggara, which is continuously damaged. This is caused by various anthropogenic activities, which increase along with the population around the forest. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the carbon content stored in natural forest areas of E. urophylla at different density levels and land use types. Field inventory was carried out in the study location using the stratified sampling method, after which the density levels were divided into three groups, viz. high, medium, and low. Sampling was then carried out in 3 different land-use areas, including production, protection, and conservation forests. Furthermore, a total of 90 plots were used, where each land-use type consists of 30 plots with a size of 25 m × 40 m. The results showed that the carbon content at the low, medium and high-density levels were 108.20, 185.24, and 291.33 MgCha-1, respectively. Values of 211.91, 214.69, and 221.14 MgCha-1 were also obtained from the production, protection, and conservation forests, respectively. Based on the results, the natural forests of E. urophylla have a significant effect on carbon sequestration in East Nusa Tenggara.

Projection Matrix Models: A Suitable Approach for Predicting Sustainable Growth in Uneven-Aged and Mixed Hyrcanian Forests

The Hyrcanian forests of Iran are mainly managed with the single-selection silvicultural technique. Despite significant ecological benefits associated with selection cutting, this type of forest management leads towards more challenging situations where it is difficult to maintain and practice successful forestry than in even-aged systems. Therefore, this study provides relevant management tools in the form of models to estimate low growth levels in Hyrcanian forests. In the present study, estimation of the population growth rate and then the allowable cut rate of these forests using a matrix model have been calculated in the Gorazbon district. For this purpose, the data of 256 permanent sample plots measured during the years between 2003 and 2012, as well as the data recorded about the trees harvested according to the forestry plan, have been used. As a first step, the most frequently occurring tree species were divided into four groups (beech, hornbeam, chestnut-leaved oak, and other species). Compartments of the district were divided into two groups of logged and unlogged compartments. The purpose of this division was to estimate the allowable cut and compare its volume with the volumes of observed and predicted allowable cuts obtained from forestry plans. The results showed that the total operated allowable cut (OAC) in logged compartments was more than the estimated allowable cut (EAC). In unlogged compartments, the total predicted allowable cut (PAC) was more than EAC. A comparison of EAC and OAC showed that hornbeam has been harvested more than its potential. However, chestnut-leaved oak and other species group have depicted opposite trends. Our models provide important advancements for estimating allowable cut that can enhance the goal of practicing sustainable forestry.

The heterogeneous effect of forest tenure security on forestry management efficiency of farmers for different forest management types

PurposeAfter the Collective Forest Tenure Reform (CFTR) in China, the enthusiasm of farmers for forestry management is stimulated. However, the forest tenure security varies among farmers, making the research conclusions of its impact on forestry management efficiency inconsistent. Based on the survey data of 1,627 households from the collective forest regions in 6 provinces of China in 2017, this paper not only discusses the differences of farmers' forestry management efficiency after the reform, but also further explores the heterogeneous impact of forest tenure security on forestry management efficiency in combination with different forest management types.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed the stochastic frontier production function model to measure the forestry management efficiency of farmers. Then, Tobit models were used to discuss the influencing factors of farmers' forestry management efficiency.FindingsThe results demonstrate that the improvement of farmers' forest tenure security can effectively improve forestry management efficiency, but the effect is affected by forest management types. For farmers who manage economic forests and non-timber forests, safe tenure promotes the forestry management efficiency; while for those who manage ecological public welfare forests, tenure security plays an opposite role.Originality/valueTherefore, satisfying farmers' differentiated demands for forest tenure according to forest management types to improve forest tenure security and further refining supporting policies of collective forestry reform is of great significance to improve the efficiency of farmers' forestry management in collective forest regions.

Forest Governance Effectiveness of Community- and Government-managed Forests in Cameroon

Effective implementation of forest governance principles such as transparency, participation, accountability, coordination, capacity, user rights protection and security driven by positive government interventions are instrumental for sustainable forest management. The study used satellite-derived data to explore forest loss in community forest (CF) and government-managed forest in Cameroon from 2001 to 2014. The study also examined the extent to which community forest rights are legally recognised and protected and how government interventions undermine or promote CF management effectiveness in Cameroon. The rationale was to understand the forest outcome of different forest management approaches with varied user rights and management objectives. This is considering that community forest managers have been seen as better managers of forests than government agencies, if their full rights are well recognised and protected. We used semi-structured open-ended questionnaires, followed by focus group interviews with CF management institutions and document review for data collection. Forest loss showed significant increasing trends and was higher in CF than in other forest management types from 2001 to 2014. Stakeholder perceptions of CF rights and government intervention or actions varied between CF management institutions. Community forest rights such as rights to full ownership and control, full management, unlimited duration, alienation, and due process and compensation are not legally recognised and/or protected in community forestry in Cameroon, producing negative forest outcomes. Negative government interventions such as imposing excessive bureaucratic obstacles and initial financial investment in the processing of application files for CF applications and commercial user rights of timber harvesting, colluding with local elites, individuals and corrupt municipal and administrative authorities, and retaining full administrative ownership and control of CF land and resources, also produces negative forest outcomes. The non- recognition and protection of higher level CF rights and excessive negative government interventions in CF management contributes to undermining community’s willingness and readiness to prevent deforestation activities and voluntary engagement in conservation activities involving tree planting and management for long term community benefits. Therefore, recognising, strengthening and protecting all the CF rights proposed by the Rights and Resources Initiative and avoiding negative government interventions in CF management are helpful strategies in achieving the expected conservation and local development objectives of CF in Cameroon and in the Congo basin region.

Effect of coppice conversion into high forest on soil organic C and nutrients stock in a Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) forest in Italy

In forest ecosystems, a variety of abiotic and biotic soil forming factors drives soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrients cycling with a profitable outcome on climate change mitigation. As a consequence, type and intensity of forest management, through its impact on carbon (C) and nutrient soil stocks, can be considered as an additional soil forming force. In this study, we investigated the influence of the coppice conversion into high forest on pedogenesis and on soil C and nutrient (N, P, Ca, Mg, and K) stocks, fifty years later the beginning of the conversion-cycle. The trial was established in a Turkey oak forest historically managed under the coppice system in central Italy. Specifically, we considered tree population density (natural evolution – control, moderate thinning, heavy thinning) where soil samples were collected according to genetic horizon to estimate C, N, and P stocks both in the forest floor and at fixed depth intervals (0–30, 30–50 and 50–75 cm). Further, the stocks of exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K were also assessed for the mineral layers. The results showed that litter and the upper layer of mineral soil (0–30 cm) contained a similar quantity of C (about 74–83 Mg ha-1), independently of the trials and no differences were observed also in the whole soil stocks (about 192–213 Mg ha−1). The comparison of the mean stocks calculated per 1-cm of thickness of organic (O), organo-mineral (OM), and mineral (M) layers, although it did not display any difference among trials (excepted for P and Mg), showed a similar capability of the organo-mineral horizons to store C and nutrients compared with the organic ones (e.g., about 6–12 Mg ha−1, 0.3–0.5 Mg ha−1 and 0.5–1.5 kg ha−1 for C, N and P, respectively). Our findings showed that thinning operated on Turkey oak coppice did not affect soil capacity to store C and nutrients. These results suggested that the forest ecosystem itself is the main soil forming force and this is consistent with the target of adopting forest management able to control the global C cycle through the storage of SOM in the mineral soil rather than in forest floor, where SOM turnover is faster.

Effective management of Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parlat.) coastal forests considering tsunami mitigation

Coastal forests have been recognized to considerably reduce the energy of tsunamis and act as a measure against them. However, broken trees due to tsunamis produce woody debris and cause secondary damage to people and buildings. Thus, coastal forests have both positive and negative effects on tsunamis and people. To elucidate the relationships between these effects and forest management, three experimental forest management types were considered in this study: the sparse type (ST: 0.6 ? Ry ≦ 0.7), middle type (MT: 0.8 ? Ry ≦ 0.9), and dense type (DT: unthinned), where Ry is the relative yield index. In addition, numerical simulations were performed for the forest types considered. The effect of fluid force reduction depended on the growth stage of the forest stands and the occurrence of forest damage caused by the tsunami. For a tsunami height of 5 m, DT and ST exhibited the highest and lowest effectiveness in reducing the fluid force, respectively. However, when the tsunami height exceeded 15 m, the three management types exhibited almost the same effectiveness in reducing the fluid force. Moreover, tree damage increased with an increase in the tsunami height. All trees were damaged under all management types for a tsunami height greater than or equal to 15 m. Modes of tree damage included tree overturning and trunk breakage. The modes of tree damage for MT and ST were overturning only, and DT exhibited a combination of overturning and trunk breakage. Therefore, ST and MT are more suitable than DT for preventing trunk breakage. Thus, forest management against tsunamis should take estimated tsunami height into account for each region.