Forest management and carbon market integration at Clemson University forest

Forest management and drought interaction on tree growth in black pine forests across the Mediterranean Basin

Projected climate-driven contraction of Mediterranean coniferous and mixed forests in North Africa: Ensemble SDMs with dispersal constraints.

Archery technology in the Neolithic: Management of the Mediterranean mixed forest and woodworking activities at La Marmotta (Italy)

Effect of weather cycles on cone harvesting for six coniferous species in Czech forest management

Different stakeholder-based forest management scenarios facilitate balancing conservation and production in the bioeconomy.

Climate change poses a significant threat to the sustainability of European forests, emphasizing the urgent need for informed selection of reproductive material and the conservation of genetic resources in key tree species. Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.), one of Europe's most widespread and economically important conifers, exhibits broad phenotypic and ecological variation, making it a priority for adaptive forest management. In this study, we investigated the genetic variation of 56 populations comprising Poland’s best-performing registered seed stands (PL_RSS), ecologically distinct mountain populations (PLM), and reference populations from Northern, Southern, and Western Europe. A total of 1269 individuals were genotyped using mitochondrial DNA markers and over 37,000 genome-wide SNPs to infer demographic history, migration, and potential signatures of historical gene flow. Our analyses revealed high genetic diversity and weak population structure within PL_RSS, consistent with a history of admixture among divergent European lineages, as supported by TreeMix, F-statistics, and spatial migration modelling (FEEMS). In contrast, PLM populations were strongly differentiated, carried unique mt DNA haplotypes, and exhibited signs of long-term isolation, suggesting a glacial refugial origin. These findings provide the first genomic-scale evidence that historical admixture has enhanced the genetic diversity and potential adaptive capacity of Polish Scots pine seed stands. The admixed and genetically rich PL_RSS populations represent valuable resources for breeding programs, including assisted migration and resilience testing under drought and biotic stress conditions. At the same time, the genetically distinct PLM populations warrant conservation priority due to their unique evolutionary legacy. Together, our results advocate a dual forest management strategy combining the use of high-diversity, well-connected seed sources for adaptive forestry with targeted conservation of isolated mountain populations. This approach is essential for preserving genetic diversity, supporting climate-resilient forestry, and maintaining the long-term productivity of Scots pine forests in a rapidly changing environment. • Genome-wide SNP and mtDNA data reveal high diversity in Polish Scots pine seed stands. • Admixture among divergent European lineages enhanced adaptive potential of lowland stands. • Mountain populations show strong differentiation and unique haplotypes of refugial origin. • Dual strategy proposed: conserve isolated mountain stands and utilize admixed seed sources. • Findings support genomics-informed, climate-adaptive forest management in Central Europe.

The potential of altering forest management strategies to support the European Union’s (EU) climate-mitigation goals has been widely debated. However, evidence is particularly scarce for direct comparisons between alternative management strategies under comparable site conditions, making it challenging to design robust forest management recommendations. In this study, we investigated mixed oak forests in a dry region of Bavaria, Germany, (i) to evaluate how fundamentally different management strategies effect the in situ carbon balance and (ii) to identify possible drivers of carbon storage and sequestration. We assessed total ecosystem carbon storage and aboveground carbon sequestration in 93 plots (31 stands), comparing High Forests (HF), Coppice-with-Standards (CWS) and an unmanaged Nature Reserve (NR). Using a model averaging approach for multiple linear regressions, we assessed the drivers of carbon storage and sequestration. Total carbon storage differed only marginally and was not statistically significant (p > 0.05) among the three management strategies with, on average, 173.8 t C ha⁻¹ in HF, 191.4 t C ha⁻¹ in CWS, and 192.1 t C ha⁻¹ in NR. Aboveground carbon sequestration was, on average, highest in CWS (3.51 t C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) compared to HF (2.40 t C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) and NR (2.16 t C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), yet these differences were also not statistically significant. Indicators of structural diversity, including maximum tree height, and variation in diameter at breast height, were significantly positively associated with carbon storage. We did not identify any statistically significant variables explaining carbon sequestration. Our results indicate that a fundamental shift in management from HF to CWS or ceasing management entirely (NR) is unlikely to yield large mid-term carbon benefits in mixed oak forests. We conclude that even a fundamental change in the management of mixed oak forests is unlikely to substantially contribute to achieving national and EU climate targets. • Similar carbon storage in oak forests despite diverging management strategies. • Coppice-with-standards might exhibit the highest carbon sequestration rates. • Structural diversity is positively correlated with carbon storage. • Limited potential to enhance the carbon balance by changing the management approach.

ABSTRACT Millions of trees are lost in urban areas globally, thereby increasing the vulnerability of urban dwellers to natural disasters. Jakarta is a city and province experiencing an increase in flooding and air pollution. This paper examines urban forest implementation in Jakarta, Indonesia, through a systematic literature review while examining its ecological benefits through i-Tree Canopy. This research finds that urban forests are less well managed in Indonesia, especially Jakarta, due to the government and community’s lack of attention and awareness of the importance of the ecological role of urban forests. However, in reality, the benefits of Jakarta’s urban forests from carbon absorption and pollution removal are estimated to reach at least 8 million USD/year. Community participation in urban forest management in Jakarta remains very limited and is often dominated by authority holders (tokenism). Thus, the importance of collaboration (process and effect) in effective urban forest management is an issue that needs to be studied in further research in the global and Jakarta context.

Forests are vital ecosystems that sustain biodiversity, regulate climate, and support local livelihoods. However, in the Kashmir Himalayas, forest productivity faces multiple constraints, including financial limitations, population pressure, land-use changes, and political instability. This study employs expert-based assessments and the Garrett ranking method to systematically evaluate the key challenges and opportunities for improving forest resource productivity in the region. Findings reveal that financial limitations (Mean Garrett Score [MGS] 70.80; R1), increasing population pressure (MGS 68.70; R2), and political volatility (MGS 65.53; R3) are the most significant bottlenecks, driving degradation and resource depletion. However, there are opportunities in terms of technological interventions such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) (MGS 71.33; R1), the launch of holistic research and development projects (MGS 68.50; R2), Participatory Forest Management (PFM) (MGS 66.10; R3), and the integration of agroforestry (MGS 60.43; R4), which could neutralize the constraints and boost the overall forest productivity in this fragile Himalayan region. Cashing in on these opportunities by adopting multipronged strategies could help in ecological restoration, real-time monitoring of forest health, improving forest cover and density, protecting wildlife, and enhancing the livelihoods of forest dwellers in the region. Encouraging research collaborations among forest agencies and skill development programmes for officials provides pathways to optimize resource management, ensuring socio-economic benefits for communities. Sustainable forest management is crucial for balancing conservation and economic needs while enhancing ecological resilience. The study highlights the need for a multi-stakeholder approach, offering insights for policymakers in shaping future forestry strategies.

ABSTRACT The sustainable management of Pinus nigra plantations under changing climatic conditions requires a comprehensive understanding of how tree growth dynamics and climate–growth relationships are influenced by site orientation and tree social status. This study investigates growth parameters in two P. nigra plantations situated on contrasting slopes in central Albania: northwest (NW) and southeast (SE). Trees were classified into dominant (Dom) and suppressed (Supp) social classes. Radial growth responses to temperature, precipitation, and drought measured via the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), were assessed using Pearson correlation analyses. The results revealed Dom trees exhibiting greater growth than Supp individuals, and overall higher growth observed at the SE site. Trees at the SE site were more responsive to summer temperature and precipitation than those at the NW site. Radial growth responses to SPEI were most pronounced in latewood, with the strongest effects observed in Dom trees at NW and Supp trees at SE. The highest correlations were found with the 1-month SPEI in July at NW, and the 4-month SPEI in August at SE. These findings offer valuable insights for the development of adaptive forest management strategies under increasingly warm and arid conditions.

ABSTRACT The consequences of climatic changes in mountain environments largely reshape human-environment interactions, differently impacting women. Recognising these disparities, gendered approaches to climate change have emerged as a perspective for promoting community-led sustainable development. This paper aims to provide an alternative to the prevailing dominant narrative of women as victims of climate change, but instead as solution-oriented change makers. It discusses the transformative nature of women-led initiatives that are driving regenerative farming. It focuses on the Garhwal Himalayas, specifically on Marrora Forest Farms. Thus, it promotes sustainable livelihoods, forest management, and combating climate change. It employs a qualitative approach, incorporating ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and participant observations. A blended theoretical framework of Feminist Political Ecology and Community-Based Natural Resource Management provides a lens to understand gendered relations, socio-ecological change, and collective resource management. This paper illustrates the role of traditional ecological awareness and sustainable livelihoods. The findings contribute to broader discussions on the gender–climate nexus and nature-based solutions in mountains.

Abstract Lebanon cedar ( Cedrus libani ) is a keystone conifer of eastern Mediterranean mountains, and an important species for forest conservation and restoration. However, range-wide patterns of population structure in C. libani remain poorly resolved, limiting evidence-based management and conservation efforts. In this study, we investigate the genetic structure and diversity of C. libani across its main distribution range of Anatolia and its closely related taxon, C. brevifolia (Cyprus cedar). Using 15 nuclear microsatellite markers (nSSRs), we analyzed seed lots from 14 stands across Türkiye and trees from one natural population of C. brevifolia in Cyprus. Our results reveal a significant genetic differentiation between C. brevifolia and C. libani (pairwise FST 0.063 to 0.114), as well as high genetic diversity within both taxa (mean expected heterozygosity H E ≈ 0.507; mean allelic richness Ar = 6.97). STRUCTURE analyses identified K = 3 as the primary level of population subdivision, separating C. brevifolia from C. libani and revealing a clear east–west separation within Anatolian C. libani . Subsequent hierarchical analyses resolved five genetically distinct clusters of C. libani , corresponding to major geographic regions of the Taurus Mountains (Antalya, Isparta, Konya, Mersin, and Kahramanmaraş). These clusters reflect pronounced spatial structuring and region-specific genetic diversity potentially influenced by macro-scale tectonic and climatic barriers. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the spatial genetic structure of C. libani in Anatolia offering valuable insights for sustainable forest management and gene conservation.

Simulation outputs from forest landscape models are complex, and tools for their visual analysis and effective communication are often limited. In this paper, we present EcoViz, a novel, open‐source visualisation platform designed to complement existing forest models by providing advanced 3D visualisation capabilities. EcoViz facilitates the exploration of simulation results through two primary modes: symbolic rendering, designed for analytical tasks, such as pattern recognition and model evaluation, and photorealistic rendering, leveraging physically based rendering (Mitsuba 3) and a custom library of European 3D tree models for communication purposes. The platform imports spatially explicit individual tree or cohort data and employs a temporally coherent sampling technique to visualise individual trees derived from cell‐based density maps. Key features include: interactive side‐by‐side comparison of different simulation scenarios or time points, with synchronised navigation (viewpoint, timeline, transects), a mini‐map overview, timeline controls with linked ecological metric graphs, and transect analysis tools. The practical application of EcoViz is demonstrated by visualising simulations of the Berchtesgaden National Park under baseline and climate change scenarios exported from a forest landscape model. This case study showcases EcoViz's utility for comparative scenario analysis across spatial scales and how it aids model evaluation through visual inspection. While symbolic views support detailed analysis, the photorealistic output offers a compelling tool for science communication with diverse audiences, including scientific peers, forest managers, and the public.

Key Message This dataset offers high-resolution multi-temporal data on European beech tree dynamics, collected through UAV LiDAR and multispectral sensors at Alpe di Catenaia, Central Italy. It tracks architectural and phenological changes under different forest management regimes, providing valuable insights for ecological research and forest management. The data can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14650937 , with comprehensive metadata available to facilitate its use and interpretation and a standardised metadatafile at https://metadata-afs.nancy.inra.fr/geonetwork/srv/fre/catalog.search#/metadata/30e8c7be-de64-4a83-8fea-0610feb7f74f .

Understanding how ecological dominance aligns with culturally and economically valued plant use is critical for participatory forest management. This study integrated vegetation structure and ethnobotanical valuation to assess angiosperm importance across three forest strata (Mixed Deciduous Forest (MDF), Dry Dipterocarp Forest site 1 (DDF1), and Dry Dipterocarp Forest site 2 (DDF2)) within the Ngao Model Forest, Northern Thailand. Fifteen 10 × 10 m vegetation plots (five per forest stratum) were surveyed to calculate the Importance Value Index (IVI), and 198 semi-structured interviews were conducted to derive the Use Value Index (UVI) and a standardized Socio-Economic Value Index (SEVI). A total of 112 angiosperm species were recorded across forest types, with strong structural dominance by dipterocarps in DDF sites and greater compositional heterogeneity in MDF. Spearman rank correlation analysis supported the working hypothesis that ecological dominance is only weakly associated with cultural and socio-economic importance. IVI showed weak but significant positive correlations with UVI (ρ = 0.288, p < 0.05) and SEVI (ρ = 0.300, p < 0.05), indicating partial but limited alignment between structural abundance and livelihood value. Several species with moderate or low IVI exhibited disproportionately high UVI and SEVI scores, reflecting their importance in food, medicinal, and commercial use categories. Conversely, certain canopy dominants showed limited ethnobotanical significance. These findings demonstrate that ecological abundance alone is an insufficient proxy for community-defined species value. Integrating structural, cultural, and socio-economic indices provides a more comprehensive framework for identifying priority species in community-managed forest systems. The IVI–UVI–SEVI comparative approach offers practical insights for model forest governance by distinguishing ecological dominants, multipurpose livelihood species, and culturally significant taxa occurring outside forest interiors. This multidimensional valuation framework strengthens participatory forest management and biodiversity prioritization in heterogeneous tropical landscapes.

This study aims to discover legal characteristics, namely behavioral norms in pata dela, particularly those related to sustainable forest development and food security. The method used in this study is empirical legal research conducted in Rakalaba Village, West Golewa District, Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province. The approaches used in this study are legal sociology, philosophy, legal history, and conceptual approaches. The data used in this study are primary and secondary data. The data were processed and then analyzed using descriptive qualitative methods. The novelty of this study focuses on the character of legal norms, namely the commands and prohibitions contained in the local wisdom of pata dela. These legal norms serve as guidelines for realizing sustainable forestry development that has an impact on food security. The results of the study show that the Ngadhu bhaga customary law community has an oral tradition called pata dela or ancestral teachings. Pata dela contains primary legal norms, namely commands marked with the word bodha, which means mandatory. In addition, pata dela also contains prohibitions marked with the word ma'e, which means forbidden. Pata dela plays a role in sustainable forest development based on customary law. For example, in the command “Bodha sepe ne'e de kenge, latu ne'e de kabu” and the prohibition “Ma'e rawu dhapi kabu, ma'e sa'a dhapi tara”. Through this oral tradition, the community can ensure that plants continue to grow. Pata dela also has implications for realizing food security for the Ngadhu Bhaga community. It contains commands and prohibitions that reflect an ecological understanding that food crops must be sustained so that they remain available over time. Food security is not only a matter of the availability of food at present, but also a guarantee that future generations will continue to have access to quality food sources. Conclusion of this study is that Pata dela contains primary legal norms that include commands and prohibitions. Pata dela is still alive and is still used as a guideline in sustainable forest development to achieve food security.

Forest mapping is essential for sustainable forest management and climate adaptation, enabling the assessment of forest composition and condition to prevent degradation. This study developed a U-Net-based deep learning framework for forest type classification using Sentinel-2 MSI satellite imagery and vegetation indices that capture seasonal canopy properties. A two-step approach was adopted, first delineating forested areas and then classifying forest types into needleleaf, broadleaf, and mixed forests. The forest area classification model achieved an overall accuracy of 0.958 (Kappa = 0.916), confirming reliable separation of forest and non-forest areas. For forest type classification, incorporating multi-seasonal imagery consistently enhanced performance, with the NDVI-based model achieving the highest overall accuracy of 0.831 (Kappa = 0.698). These results highlight the importance of integrating multi-seasonal spectral information to capture canopy variability and improve classification accuracy. The resulting reproducible framework thus supports ecosystem monitoring, hazard assessment, and adaptive forest management, offering foundational data for near real-time resource management under changing climatic conditions.

This study evaluates the performance of multispectral optical sensors onboard PlanetScope (PS) and Sentinel-2 satellites in mapping burned areas resulting from a small forest fire that occurred on 21 March, 2025, in Nghiem Mountain, northern Vietnam. Cloud-free pre- and post-fire imagery acquired on the same dates (January, 17 and 12 May, 2025) were used to compute the differenced Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (dNDVI) using Red and Near-Infrared surface reflectance. A threshold value (T = 0.10), selected after analyzing the dNDVI histograms, was applied to classify burned (dNDVI > T) and unburned regions (dNDVI ≤ T). Results showed a strong spatial correlation between dNDVI maps derived from both satellites (R = 0.97), although Sentinel-2 tends to yield slightly higher dNDVI values than PS satellites. The burned area estimated from PS was 20.225 ha, while Sentinel‑2 produced a similar estimate of 20.622 ha, a difference of less than 2% and in close agreement with the official damage assessment report (~20 ha). Most discrepancies occurred along fire boundaries, where mixed pixels and spectral heterogeneity are expected. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of Sentinel-2 and PS satellite imagery for mapping burned areas from small-scale fires, which is essential for forest management. Despite several limitations, including dependence on clear-sky conditionss and the lack of a ground-based validation dataset, the proposed approach provides a timely and cost-effective solution for wildfire mapping at small scales, particularly important in remote regions.

Watersheds are essential ecological and hydrological systems that provide freshwater resources, regulate floods, sustain biodiversity, and support agricultural livelihoods in the Philippines. In the Ilocos Region of Northern Philippines, watershed systems are particularly significant due to the region’s upland landscapes and strong exposure to monsoonal rainfall and tropical cyclones, which drive hydrological variability and influence ecosystem stability. However, increasing land-use change including deforestation, agricultural expansion, and settlement development together with climate variability is placing growing pressure on these watershed ecosystems. This mini-review synthesizes literature on the hydrological, ecological, and land-use dynamics of watersheds in the Ilocos Region using a structured narrative synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, government reports, and regional studies retrieved from major academic databases. Findings consistently indicate that forest loss and land conversion increase surface runoff, reduce infiltration, accelerate soil erosion, and degrade water quality. These changes disrupt freshwater ecosystems, weaken ecosystem services, and heighten risks of flooding and seasonal water scarcity for surrounding communities. Although management approaches such as community-based forest management and integrated watershed management have been introduced, effectiveness is often constrained by institutional fragmentation, insufficient long-term monitoring, and weak integration between research and policy. Key research gaps include limited long-term hydrological datasets, insufficient integration of biodiversity indicators in watershed assessments, and a lack of basin-scale analyses linking land-use change to hydrological and ecological processes. Addressing these gaps and strengthening collaboration among scientists, policymakers, and local stakeholders will be critical for advancing sustainable and climate-resilient watershed management in the Ilocos Region and similar tropical landscapes.