Forest Management Research Articles

A practical framework for applied forestry assisted migration

Recent and projected changes in climate over this century pose an unprecedented threat to the health, diversity, and productivity of forest ecosystems. Forests have migrated and adapted to long-term changes in climate over thousands to millions of years; however, natural migration rates and adaptive responses of tree populations cannot match the rapid pace of current climate change. Consequently, more climate-informed approaches to reforestation are needed as current reforestation strategies using local seed sources may no longer be adequate to meet forest management objectives. Assisted migration is a climate change adaptation technique that can help maintain the ecosystem services and economic value that forests provide. Forestry assisted migration (FAM) focusses on the movement of populations of widespread, commercially, or ecologically important forest tree species within or just beyond their current ranges as a way to maintain forest productivity and health in the face of climate change. Although the forestry community recognizes FAM as a reforestation tool, guidance for planning and implementation of FAM is lacking and a framework that provides this guidance can prove useful to land managers with limited time and resources available who want to undertake FAM. We developed a practical framework (the FAM Framework) to provide a structured approach to ensure the most important considerations and best available science are utilized by land managers wanting to implement FAM on their land base. The FAM Framework incorporates multiple factors for the application of FAM in four sequential phases: assessment and analysis, climate-based plant material selection, seed procurement and deployment, and documentation and monitoring. The FAM Framework was tested by developing an assisted migration plan for the Superior National Forest, Minnesota (MN), and lessons learned from the development of this specific plan were used to revise and improve the FAM Framework for suitability across all lands. While originally designed to meet the needs of National Forest System land managers, it is relevant and applicable across the spectrum of land ownership because it incorporates consideration of critical elements in planning and implementing FAM on any landscape while facilitating adaptive management for active learning and future implementation.

Influence of Forest Plantation Establishment Schemes on Community Livelihoods: A Case of Makutano Forest Kericho County, Kenya

Exploitation of forest resources has been a thorny issue to many countries. In efforts to restore degraded forests, countries have resulted to establishing forest plantations. There is also need to sustain livelihoods of these populations living around forests. Kenya on its part, adopted Plantation Establishment and livelihoods Improvement scheme (PELIS) program as part of participatory Forest management (PFM). PELIS involves the planting of food crops together with tree seedlings. It is however not clear whether balance has been strike between attaining forest cover and improving community livelihoods as was the intent of the program. Consequently, this study sought to shed light on this issue by looking at the influence of forest plantation on community livelihoods. This study adopted the decentralized forest management theory. Cross-sectional research design was adopted. Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in data collection and analysis. The target population was 1719 which included forest adjacent community (FAC) members, and community based organization (CBO) leaders. From this a sample of 212 was selected. Systematic sampling was used in selecting the households and snowball sampling in selecting the CBO leaders involved in two tire focused group discussion. Questionnaire schedules were prepared to be used among household members. The findings indicated a significant influence of PELIS on community livelihood (f = 221.642, P=0.000). Those near the forest registered to have derived more economic benefits than those far away from the forest (f= 3.127, P= 0.000). A strong relationship between the frequency of attending CFA and CBO meetings, the level of involvement in decision making and planning of forest activities (B = 3.479, P< 0.05) was noted. The size of land available for cultivation was found to be statistically significant to food security among the community (f= 221.642, P= 0.000). The most important and most utilized forest products were firewood at 95%, fodder at 71% and droppers from tree pruning at 68%. Further research is needed on how more benefits from products like herbs, wild vegetables and honey cold be realized.

Landscape-level analysis of disturbance regimes in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected area of Western Ghats, India

ABSTRACT The degradation, fragmentation, and depletion of forests have occurred all over the world, simultaneously, with the exponential growth of the human population. The present study assesses the forest disturbance regime of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS), an ecologically significant biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats (WG) through satellite image-based forest and land cover mapping and landscape metric analysis. The on-screen analysis based on field knowledge, facilitated, mapping of seven types of vegetation cover. The majority of forest area was covered by dry deciduous forest (39.2 km2 or 43.15%), whereas the minimum area was covered by disturbed forest (2.05 km2 or 2.26%). The disturbance index (DI) was calculated by linearly combining the land use land cover (LULC), road and settlement closeness, fire risk, porosity, patchiness interspersion, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and fragmentation through a probabilistic weight-based linear additive model. The values of the DI (120–310) reclassified into four classes viz. low, moderate, high, and very high. The results revealed that 74.62 km2 (82.52%) of the forest area has low to moderate disturbance, while the rest of the forest area that is 15.8 km2 (17.48%) has high to very high disturbance. These analyses are based on remote sensing and GIS crucial for forest conservation and management strategies formulation.

Bamboo Forests: Unleashing the Potential for Carbon Abatement and Local Income Improvements

Bamboo forests exhibit a unique efficient growth pattern that makes them invaluable in reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. Additionally, bamboo forests offer a diverse range of products, thus holding the potential to bolster local income. Despite these benefits, the comprehensive assessment of bamboo forests’ potential in both carbon abatement and improving local income enhancement has been hindered by the absence of a detailed bamboo biomass map. In this study, we address this gap by amalgamating a bamboo aboveground biomass (AGB) map covering three prominent producing provinces in southern China, utilizing multi-source remote sensing datasets. The results not only demonstrate a satisfactory consistency with China’s Ninth National Forest Inventory but also provide a more detailed spatial distribution. Based on this AGB estimation, we project an approximately threefold potential increase in annual bamboo culm harvest from existing bamboo forests. This represents a significant opportunity for expanding carbon abatement efforts, elevating local income levels, and facilitating the production of bamboo-derived biofuels. Furthermore, the adoption of an optimized management strategy has the potential to further enhance bamboo production. This study generates the first high-resolution bamboo AGB map and underscores the substantial potential of China’s bamboo forests in contributing to carbon sequestration and improving local income. The favorable income generated for local residents can serve as a compelling incentive for the implementation of sustainable forest management practices, offering a promising pathway toward achieving carbon-related objectives within the forestry sector and providing necessary support for forestry designation projects.

Eco-friendly biocontrol of pine wilt disease: Enhancing tree defense with Bacillus subtilis JCK-1398 for sustainable forest management.

Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by pinewood nematodes (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), poses a significant threat to forestry worldwide. This study introduces a novel biocontrol strategy using Bacillus subtilis JCK-1398, which was selected and identified for its resistance-induction potential after extensive screening of microbial strains from pine tissues. The bacterium was found to biostimulate resistance in Pinus densiflora. Comprehensive analyses, including transcriptomics, qPCR assays, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), revealed that B. subtilis JCK-1398 significantly upregulates defense-related genes and stimulates pinoresinol production, a compound linked to resistance against nematodes. Treatment with B. subtilis JCK-1398 suppressed nematode migration and reduced nematode populations within pine tissues, effects attributed to the enhanced tree defense response. Field trials corroborated these findings, demonstrating a 72 % decrease in PWD incidence with aerial application of JCK-1398, confirming its potential for large-scale forest application. This biocontrol strategy, leveraging the stimulation of plant defense by B. subtilis JCK-1398, presents a promising and scalable, eco-friendly solution for managing PWD. Overall, this study provides new insights into the interactions between the bioagent, the host tree, and the pest nematode, offering an effective and sustainable approach to mitigate pine wilt disease.

Spatial Distribution of Fine Roots in Pinus tabuliformis and Populus tomentosa and Their Competition in Soils Response to Nutrient Availability and Proximity

Developing high-efficiency mixed forests or converting low-efficiency pure forests into near-natural mixed forests with optimal structure and function is a crucial aspect of forest management. In the initial stages of afforestation or stand improvement, fertilization and planting distance significantly influence the formation and development of mixed forests. This study investigated how nutrients and planting distance affect root competition between five-year-old Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis) and one-year-old Chinese white poplar (Populus tomentosa) and identified the factors influencing the competitive ability of these two species. Field planting experiments used three fertilization gradients (63 g·m−2, 125 g·m−2, and 250 g·m−2) of Stanley compound fertilizer with an N:P:K ratio of 2:1:1 and two planting distances (25 cm and 50 cm). Each experimental group was planted in circular plots with a radius of 0.5 m, yielding a total of nine plots. The effects of different fertilization concentrations and planting distances on root distribution were analyzed both horizontally and vertically. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between roots and soil nutrients, while Levins’ niche overlap formula evaluated the differences in root competition between the species. Furthermore, principal component analysis quantified the relationships between impact factors and the root competitiveness of the two species. Results indicated that both species primarily allocated their fine root biomass to the shallow 0–10 cm layer. Pinus tabuliformis primarily extended to the southwest, while Populus tomentosa predominantly grew to the north. Both species exhibited enhanced root growth at moderate nutrient concentrations of 125 g·m−2. At a planting distance of 50 cm from Pinus tabuliformis, Populus tomentosa seedlings demonstrated superior root growth compared to those planted 25 cm apart. Pinus tabuliformis demonstrated greater competitive ability in the deeper 10–30 cm soil layers compared to Populus tomentosa, which showed the opposite pattern in the shallow 0–10 cm layers. Furthermore, available phosphorus (contribution rate of one impact factor on the competitiveness indexes, CR: −0.998), organic matter (CR: −0.978), total nitrogen (CR: −0.947), and alkali-hydrolysable nitrogen (CR: −0.937) significantly negatively impacted the competitiveness indexes of Pinus tabuliformis. The fine root surface area, volume, and length of Populus tomentosa also significantly negatively affected its competitiveness indexes, with all contribution rates exceeding an absolute value of 0.847. Results indicated that the root distributions of Pinus tabuliformis and Populus tomentosa overlapped spatially, with each species exhibiting advantages in different regions. Therefore, in future plantation reconstruction and forest management, it is essential to thoroughly evaluate root, soil, and fertilizer factors, adjusting planting distances accordingly, to effectively mitigate competition between the two species and successfully establish a mixed forest.

Individual Tree Crown Detection and Classification of Live and Dead Trees Using a Mask Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network (Mask R-CNN)

Mapping the distribution of living and dead trees in forests, particularly in ecologically fragile areas where forests serve as crucial ecological environments, is essential for assessing forest health, carbon storage capacity, and biodiversity. Convolutional neural networks, including Mask R-CNN, can assist in rapid and accurate forest monitoring. In this study, Mask R-CNN was employed to detect the crowns of Casuarina equisetifolia and to distinguish between live and dead trees in the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone, Fujian, China. High-resolution images of five plots were obtained using a multispectral Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Six band combinations and derivatives, RGB, RGB-digital surface model (DSM), Multispectral, Multispectral-DSM, Vegetation Index, and Vegetation-Index-DSM, were used for tree crown detection and classification of live and dead trees. Five-fold cross-validation was employed to divide the manually annotated dataset of 21,800 live trees and 7157 dead trees into training and validation sets, which were used for training and validating the Mask R-CNN models. The results demonstrate that the RGB band combination achieved the most effective detection performance for live trees (average F1 score = 74.75%, IoU = 70.85%). The RGB–DSM combination exhibited the highest accuracy for dead trees (average F1 score = 71.16%, IoU = 68.28%). The detection performance for dead trees was lower than for live trees, which may be due to the similar spectral features across the images and the similarity of dead trees to the background, resulting in false identification. For the simultaneous detection of living and dead trees, the RGB combination produced the most promising results (average F1 score = 74.18%, IoU = 69.8%). It demonstrates that the Mask R-CNN model can achieve promising results for the detection of live and dead trees. Our study could provide forest managers with detailed information on the forest condition, which has the potential to improve forest management.

Thinning Impacts on Carbon and Water Budgets in a Temperate Deciduous Forest Ecosystem

Among various forest management activities, thinning is a prevalent treatment that affects tree growth and living biomass. Increased moisture and light availability may also enhance the mineralization of litter and dead wood organic matter, impacting soil carbon stocks. Thinning may also affect the services forests provide, including water production and nutrient cycling. The impacts of thinning on water yield and carbon stocks have been well documented around the globe while targeting mainly one of these ecosystem services. Our experimental paired catchment study covers both and puts forward long term results. We assessed the carbon stock changes caused by two slight thinning treatments together with the impacts on water yield in experimental paired catchments of 71.9 (W–I) and 77.5 hectares (W–IV) in Istanbul, Türkiye. The null hypothesis was that the slight thinnings did not affect the water yield and carbon stocks significantly. On the carbon stock part, we calibrated and parametrized the CBM–CF3 model with field measurements to simulate changes in carbon stocks of mixed deciduous forest stands. The intensities of the treatments (thinnings) were 11% and 18% of the basal area, performed in 1986 and 2011, respectively. We found that, while C stocks decreased by around 30 tons per hectare during the 1986–2020 period, the water yield was enhanced by approximately 25 mm/yr in the treatment catchment compared to the control watershed during the four-year post-treatment period. This amount of streamflow increase was around 10 percent of the average water yield of the catchments. It was concluded that there was a detectable increase in water yield during the following four years of the slight thinning treatments, while the reduction in abovegound carbon stocks continued for more than three decades.

The Effects of the Selective Removal of Adjacent Trees on the Diversity of Oak-Hosted Epiphytes and Tree-Related Microhabitats

Restoration efforts to maintain oak-dominated habitats and enhance biodiversity often employ selective thinning, but its long-term effect on multiple taxa remains unclear. This study examines the effects of halo thinning around pedunculate oak on epiphytic and tree-related microhabitat (TreM) diversity in the boreal–nemoral forest zone. We revisited nine sites in Latvia with 150–331-year-old oaks, where thinning was conducted in 2003–2004. Epiphyte species composition and cover were assessed, and TreMs were evaluated using standardised methods. Diversity indices (Hill numbers, q = 0; 1; 2; 3) and statistical models (LMMs, Poisson GLMMs) were used to analyse the effects of thinning on species richness and TreM occurrence. Halo thinning over the past 20 years has not caused significant differences in epiphyte or TreM diversity, though managed trees exhibited a higher occurrence of the most common microhabitats. These findings suggest halo thinning may enhance specific TreM features but do not substantially promote epiphyte and TreM diversity. Future research should implement systematic monitoring, deriving the relationships between the conditions after the thinning and their effects, thus serving as the basis for adaptive habitat management strategies. Expanding the scope of such studies is essential for developing evidence-based forest management strategies.

Strategic Directions for Strengthening Sustainability of Forestry Workforce

Today in many countries and regions, forestry sector deals with a considerable shortage of forestry workers and faces the serious challenge of ensuring a qualified and sustainable workforce. Current global processes and structural changes, such as emigration from rural areas, aging of the population, unfavorable age structure of existing employees, negative demographic trends (migrations, decline in birth rate, negative natural increase, etc.), lack of interest in the so-called 3D (dirty, dangerous and demeaning) jobs, low cost of labor and others, significantly contribute to such an adverse situation. Additionally, forestry work, especially wood harvesting, represents a very risky, professionally highly demanding and physically extremely intensive activity, which is regularly classified as one of the most dangerous occupations with a high proportion of serious injuries, fatalities and occupational diseases. For these reasons, the forestry profession is considered unattractive, and the job of a forestry worker undesirable. All of this makes finding the people interested in these jobs very difficult, and the task of ensuring the necessary workforce for all regular activities in sustainable forest management becomes very hard. In this paper, based on the surveys carried out in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FB&H), i.e. evaluation of forestry workforce sustainability factors, and on the study of available strategic documents, policies and case studies, strategic directions aimed at strengthening the sustainability of forestry workforce were elaborated. The sustainability factors were observed in three categories related to: a) stronger recruiting in forestry, b) more successful retention of forestry workers, and c) higher work commitment of forestry workers. Established rankings, together with other findings, were used to define four separate strategic directions: (1) Direct financial strategy, which emphasizes direct monetary payments to workers and is oriented towards labor productivity, (2) Indirect financial strategy, which focuses more on providing indirect material gains to workers and the quality of performed work, (3) Educational strategy, aimed at the education and training of workers, and (4) Technical-technological strategy, aimed at increasing the mechanization in forest operations thus reducing the demand for labor. The paper elaborates the basic starting points and main characteristics (priorities, measures and activities, stakeholders, responsible authorities, etc.) of each strategic direction considering the possibility and conditions of their implementation in national forestry sector. The objective of the paper is to raise the required awareness of the forestry workforce issues, its position and status, and also to provide foundations for enhancing the attractiveness of forestry work and improving the overall sustainability of the forestry workforce. The results of the study point out the critical issues and provide valuable insights that can help in formulating effective policies and strategies for the future.

Evaluation and Prediction of Ecological Benefits in Song-Liao River Basin

The evaluation and prediction of ecological benefits are significant for regional resource development planning and path designing. This study established a novel ecological benefits evaluation system by integrating macro-ecosystem structure, Ecosystem service index (ESI), and ecological quality index (EQI). Based on this system, this study evaluated the spatiotemporal characteristics and changing trend of ecological benefits in Song-Liao River Basin (SRB) from 1990 to 2020. The results show that the macro-ecosystem structure in Song-Liao River Basin remains stable, and the ecosystem service and ecological quality generally show a trend of first decline and then increase. The average growth rates of ESI and EQI were 0.6% and 0.4%, respectively, during 1990–2020. The ecological benefits of natural areas with widely distributed forest areas are higher, while those of areas with frequent human activities are lower. The prediction model based on machine learning has achieved good modeling effect, which shows that the ecological benefits of SRB will be on the rise in the future. Based on the evaluation results, we suggest that more environmental protection policies on the basis of maintaining the existing development plan should be promoted to reduce the contradiction between human and nature in the development process. For the abundant natural forests in this area, reasonable forest management should be carried out to improve the carbon-fixation capacity of vegetation, and a Methodology for managing natural forests should be constructed to make full use of the existing carbon sinks. For the new afforestation project being promoted, carbon-sink afforestation projects of CCER (Chinese Certified Emission Reduction) should be promoted to realize the synergy between economic development and environmental protection.

Advancing Knowledge in Forest Water Use Efficiency Under Global Climate Change Through Scientometric Analysis

Forests are critical in regulation of carbon and water cycles and mitigation of climate change. Forest water-use efficiency (WUE) refers to the ratio of biomass produced (or assimilated carbon) to the amount of water used by forests, which indicates how effectively a forest utilizes water to achieve productivity. Climate change and its impact on forest WUE are important research directions that explore the complex relationship between global environmental change and the forest ecosystem dynamics. The global intensification of climate change underscores the need for an inclusive understanding of forest water use and makes it crucial to know how forests balance carbon and water resources, which is essential for effective forest management and predicting ecosystem responses to climate change. This study aims to comprehensively and objectively analyze current research trends and future directions related to the response of forest WUE to climate change. Our database included 1755 research papers from the Web of Science Core Collection, spanning from 2000 to 2023. Our analysis included cooperative networks of countries, authors, and institutions, as well as the most frequently cited journals and articles, keyword co-occurrence analysis, and a keyword burst analysis. The results showed that the top cooperative country, author, and institution is PR China, Prof. Dr. Jesús Julio Camarero from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, respectively. The leading journal in this field is “Global Change Biology”. Critical research hot topics include gas exchange, modeling, altitudinal gradients, tree growth dynamics, net carbon exchange, global change drivers, tropical forests, nitrogen stoichiometry, Northern China plains, and extreme drought conditions. Frontier topics that have emerged in recent years include studies on China’s Loess Plateau, stable isotopes, radial growth, gross primary productivity, and Scots pine. The insights from this analysis are vital for researchers, decision-makers, and forestry professionals aiming to mitigate the impacts of climate change on forest WUE and overall ecosystem health and resilience. This study emphasizes the importance of sustained research efforts and global research collaboration in addressing the intricate challenges posed by climate change to forest ecosystems.

Future Scenarios of Forest Carbon Sink in a Typical Subtropical County

In the context of achieving global carbon neutrality, forests play a pivotal role in sequestering atmospheric CO2, particularly in China, where forest management is central to national climate strategies. This study evaluates the forest carbon sink capacity in Zixi County, a subtropical region, under varying climate scenarios (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5). Using the Forest-DNDC (Denitrification–Decomposition) model, combined with high-precision climate data and a random forest model, we simulate forest carbon density and forest carbon sink under different management strategies. The results indicate that under the baseline scenario, forest carbon density in Zixi County increases by 31% over 42 years under the SSP2-4.5 climate scenario and by 28.6% under SSP5-8.5. In the enhancing economic scenario, carbon density increases by 8.5% under SSP2-4.5 and by 7.2% under SSP5-8.5. For the natural development scenario, a significant increase of 130% is observed under SSP2-4.5, while SSP5-8.5 shows an increase of 120%. Spatially, forest carbon sinks in Zixi County total 843,152 T C in 2020, 542,852 T C in 2030, and 877,802 T C in 2060 under the baseline SSP2-4.5 scenario; under SSP5-8.5, these values are 841,321 T C in 2020, 531,301 T C in 2030, and 1,016,402 T C in 2060. In the enhancing economic scenario, the total carbon sink is 34,650 T C in both 2020 and 2030, increasing to 427,351 T C in 2060 under SSP2-4.5, while under SSP5-8.5, it is 46,200 T C in 2020, 34,650 T C in 2030, and 415,801 T C in 2060. The natural development scenario shows the total carbon sink under SSP2-4.5 as 11,157,332 T C in 2020, 3,441,910 T C in 2030, and 1,409,104 T C in 2060, and under SSP5-8.5, it is 10,903,231 T C in 2020, 3,337,960 T C in 2030, and 1,131,903 T C in 2060. Spatial analysis reveals that elevation and forest type significantly affect carbon density, with high-altitude areas and forests dominated by Chinese fir and broadleaf species showing higher carbon accumulation. The findings highlight the importance of targeted forest management, prioritizing species with higher carbon sequestration potential and considering spatial heterogeneity. These strategies, applied locally, can contribute to broader national and global carbon neutrality efforts.

Impact of Skidding and Slope on Grapple Skidder Productivity and Costs: A Monte Carlo Simulation in Eucalyptus Plantations

Background: In the context of mechanized timber harvesting, alterations in technical parameters, such as skidding distance and terrain slope, have the potential to influence the productivity and production costs associated with the self-propelled grapple skidder. Furthermore, these variables are inherently uncertain, which could potentially cause forest managers to make inaccurate decisions. The objective was to analyze whether four skidding distances and two slope classes influence the productivity and production costs of the grapple skidder in Eucalyptus planted forests from a stochastic perspective using the Monte Carlo method. Methods: Productivity was estimated using the time study protocol. To calculate the cost per scheduled hour of the grapple skidder, both fixed and variable costs were considered, and subsequently, the production cost was determined. Results: The mean productivity of the grapple skidder on flat slopes was 114.35 m3 h−1, while on wavy to strong wavy slopes it was 80.43 m3 h−1. In flat slopes, considering all skid distance ranges, the mean production cost was 0.82 USD m−3, while in wavy to strong wavy slopes it was 1.48 USD m−3. The mean values for operator labor costs and fuel account for 58.1% of the cost per scheduled hour of the grapple skidder. Conclusions: The mean productivity of the grapple skidder in Eucalyptus planted forests decreased with increasing skidding distance in both slope classes but was 29.7% lower on wavy to strong wavy slopes compared to flat slopes. The mean production cost of the grapple skidder during timber skidding on flat slopes is 80.0% lower than on wavy to strong wavy slopes. For future investigations, the impact of other slope classes, skid distances, and silvicultural aspects on productivity and production costs can be considered from a stochastic perspective using the Monte Carlo method.

Determination of land surface temperatures for some oak stands with Landsat 8 OLI satellite images: a case study from Turkey.

This study investigates the effect of forest cover, development stage and aspect factors on surface temperature (LST) in Demirköy and Düzce Forest Enterprises (FE) using Landsat 8 OLI satellite imagery from July 2021. In Demirköy FE, the highest LST value was recorded in the district center with 47.4 °C, in Düzce FE, the highest LST value was recorded in the provincial center with 44.6 °C, while the lowest value was 14.3°C in Demirköy FE and 13.02 °C in Düzce FE in densely forested areas. When the stands were evaluated, it was found that pure juvenile oak stands had the highest average LST value with 30.48 °C in Demirköy FE and 23.96 °C in Düzce FE, whereas lower LST values were observed in old oak stands due to more dense cover. In terms of aspect, higher temperatures were recorded in the southern and western aspects in both study areas. In Düzce FE, high LST values were also observed in juvenile stands in the northern direction, indicating the influence of local factors such as topography and solar radiation angle. The highest LST values were observed in open forest areas; 6-9 °C higher temperatures were found in Demirköy and 1-5 °C higher in Düzce compared to vegetated areas. Significant correlations were found between LST and vegetation indices, and the highest correlation was found between LST and Normalized Difference Structuring Index (NDBI) (R2, 0.54 in Demirköy and R2, 0.50 in Düzce). NDVI showed a negative relationship with LST (R2, 0.47 in Demirköy, R2, 0.43 in Düzce). These findings reveal the critical role of forest density, tree species, and forest management practices in regulating surface temperatures, especially in the context of urbanization and deforestation.

Nest site selection and threats to nesting colonies of white-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) in Himachal Pradesh

White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) suffered the most significant population decline among the three species of Gyps vultures impacted by the South Asia-wide diclofenac toxicity of the 1990s. Although the population lost about 99 % of its individuals, nesting populations still remain in a few pockets in India. One such population is known from the Himalayan foothills in the Kangra region, representing the northernmost nesting population of the species in India. From 2020–2024, we carried out an extensive study on the nesting ecology of the species, identifying 17 colonies with 617 active nests in 553 trees in an area of 5739 SqKm, constituting the highest nesting population reported in India. The smallest colony had ten nests, while the largest had 68. Except for a single nest on a Ficus religiosa tree, all others were on old-growth Chir Pine, Pinus roxburghii, having an average GBH of 254.8 cm (± 49.3 SD). By analyzing 18 variables, we determined vulture preferences for nest tree characteristics. Results indicate that nesting site selection primarily depends on GBH, canopy cover and nearest nest distance. About 80 % of nests were found between 600 and 800 m elevation. The primary threats include forest fire, resin tapping, and tree felling. We recommend protecting larger-sized old-growth forests through awareness campaigns with forest managers and local communities to safeguard the nest sites of the critically endangered bird.

Integrating Forest Ecosystem Services into Health Strategies to Improve Human Well-Being

As the largest terrestrial ecosystem covering extensive expanses of the Earth’s surface, forests offer crucial health benefits to humans, both directly and indirectly. Presently, health services derived from forest resources have presented significant opportunities for enhancing human well-being. Nonetheless, the absence of a comprehensive understanding regarding the mechanisms by which forests impact human health jeopardizes the potential gains in health. Regrettably, there remains a dearth of scholarly work elucidating these pathways. This paper aims to furnish a thorough examination of how forests influence human health. We initiate by formulating a conceptual framework upon which we delineate the various pathways through which forests impact human health. These encompass the provisioning of resources, preventive services, and forest therapies. Concurrently, we outline the moderating influence of social, economic, and individual characteristics as mediators within this pathway. These characteristics are classified into two overarching dimensions: accessibility and behavioral choices, which notably affect marginalized demographics such as those with lower socioeconomic status, women, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and children in developing nations. Consequently, we build upon these foundational insights to propose six strategies aimed at perpetuating the positive impact of forests on human health in the foreseeable future. In the future, the development of forest management policies, the assessment of long-term health benefits, social practices, and international cooperation must be considered holistically to attain the dual objective of sustainable forest management and the advancement of human well-being.

Hutan Nagari Simancuang: Pengelolaan Hutan Skema Perhutanan Sosial di Kabupaten Solok Selatan

The aim of this research is to describe and explain social forestry scheme forest management in Jorong Simancuang, South Solok Regency, West Sumatra Province. The research method uses a descriptive approach with data collection through interviews. The Infoman consists of the Nagari Forest Management Institute (LPHN), the Social Forestry Business Group (KUPS), community leaders, companions of the Indonesian Conservation Group (KKI) Warsi and the Farmers' Group. The results of this research show that social forestry is present in the Jorong Simancuang Village community, strengthening the legitimacy of the community's desire to protect their forests as a source of water for agriculture and forests as a source of farming economy.

Enhancing economic multifunctionality without compromising multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality via forest enrichment.

Enriching tree species-poor and less productive forests by introducing economically valuable species is a strategy proposed for achieving multipurpose forest management. However, empirical evidence from managed and mature forests on the impact of this enrichment on ecological (multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality) and economic dimensions remains scarce, particularly when nonnative species are used. Here, we propose and test a framework that integrates economic multifunctionality, encompassing timber production-oriented goals and resistance against disturbances, with multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality in European beech forest stands enriched with conifers. Our results show that enriched beech forest stands (~80 years old) can provide high levels of economic multifunctionality without compromising multidiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality. In comparison to pure beech stands, enriched stands with Douglas-fir supported win-win-win situations for these three dimensions. Our findings contribute to the discussion of integrating biodiversity, ecosystem, and economic functions, providing empirical evidence for future forest management.

Perceptions of preschoolers and parents on forest pollution

IntroductionAn examination of preschool children’s perceptions and attitudes towards the environment and forests has recently been conducted. However, little research has focused on preschool children’s and their parents’ perceptions of clean and dirty forests. Investigating these perceptions is essential to increase children’s interest in and sensitivity to the environment, thereby fostering their development as responsible individuals who protect the natural world.MethodsThis study aimed to address this knowledge gap by examining the perceptions of clean and dirty forests held by 40 5–6-year-old students and 40 parents, randomly selected from two preschools: one attended by children from high socioeconomic families and the other by children from low socioeconomic families, in a Mediterranean coastal city in southwestern Turkey. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic information and perceptions of clean and dirty forests. Additionally, drawing sheets were distributed to the students to illustrate their concepts of clean and dirty forests.ResultsThe results indicated that individuals with higher educational levels had more complex and conscious perceptions of clean forests. Children considered abstract concepts, such as supernatural forces and fossil fuels, while parents focused on awareness and conservation status. Conversely, parents and children with lower levels of education tended to concentrate on more concrete and everyday factors, such as litter and natural disasters. Individuals with higher socioeconomic status generally associated forest cleanliness with conscious behaviors and conservation, whereas those with lower socioeconomic status linked it more with polluting factors.DiscussionThis investigation provides valuable insights into the management and control of local forests by incorporating the perspectives of children and their parents, promoting responsible and sustainable tourism practices.