Integrating remote sensing and site-specific data in forest planning: A multicriteria approach to prioritize forest restoration in Central Europe

ABSTRACT Recreational ecosystem services play a vital role in forest landscapes; however, their spatial assessment remains challenging due to the multifaceted nature of recreational functions. Integrating multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques – specifically the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) combined with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – offers a robust framework for mapping recreational suitability. This study evaluates and maps the recreational suitability of the Olur Forest Planning Unit by incorporating nine key criteria related to landscape attributes, accessibility, and forest characteristics. The results indicate that accessibility-related factors, particularly proximity to roads (weight: 0.21) and water resources (0.21), are the most influential determinants of recreational suitability, followed by erosion risk (0.17) and land cover (0.11). The spatial analysis shows that 91.71% of the study area exhibits low to very low recreational suitability, primarily due to limited road access – only 4.47% of the area lies within 100 meters of road networks – and a relatively small proportion of forest cover. These findings highlight the importance of infrastructure and forest composition in enhancing recreational opportunities. The proposed methodology supports a better understanding of recreational ecosystem services and provides forest managers and policymakers with a practical tool for integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations into sustainable land management.

Rockfalls represent a widespread natural hazard that threatens infrastructures and settlements in mountainous and coastal areas. In Baunei (Sardinia, Italy), steep carbonate cliffs above the SS125 road frequently generate block detachments that endanger traffic and nearby urban areas. The present work adopts a quantitative risk assessment framework, consistent with the Swiss PLANAT guidelines, to evaluate the protective effectiveness of direct-protection forests in combination with engineered barriers. The framework integrates the key components of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability to quantify direct-impact risk and associated economic loss. Using Rockyfor3D simulations, three scenarios were analysed: bare slope, forest only, and forest plus protective works. The results demonstrate that vegetation markedly reduces both runout distance and kinetic energy of falling blocks, halving the direct-impact risk compared to bare-slope conditions. The addition of barriers further decreases residual exposure, with most trajectories intercepted and remaining impacts limited to low-energy classes. Monetised risk estimates confirm an 84% reduction with forest cover alone and near-complete mitigation when complemented by fences, except in short discontinuous segments. The proposed approach offers a replicable and cost-effective tool for rockfall risk management and sustainable protection forest planning in Mediterranean settings.

Recalcitrant species are highly sensitive to drought and climate stress, posing urgent challenges for their conservation. Propagation for ex situ management and habitat restoration depends on adequate fruit handling, yet postharvest protocols remain insufficiently examined to support practical implementation. Cryptocarya alba, a dominant tree of the Chilean Mediterranean biome, reflects this gap. Despite its ecological relevance and central role in forest planning, the biological basis of its recalcitrant behavior has yet to be fully elucidated, constraining informed decision-making on its propagation. Accordingly, this study examined the progressive breakdown of fruit integrity under two contrasting storage conditions—refrigeration (5 °C) and room temperature (20 °C)—over 150 days, using a multiscale approach combining physical measurements, histology, and scanning electron microscopy. Fruit weight, moisture, pericarp thickness, and cotyledon starch exhibited a significant linear decline over time. The rate was consistently higher at room temperature—except for starch, which showed no quantitative differences across treatments, though the severity of granule alterations was greater. Overall evidence indicates a close association among these variables, suggesting that desiccation and metabolism-driven degradation result in the structural collapse of C. alba fruits. These findings highlight the need to integrate environmental conditions alongside complementary strategies targeted at physiological regulation, guiding the development of robust, science-based handling protocols to support the species’ conservation.

Resolving conservation conflict through fire refugia: Integrating landscape resilience into forest management.

Comparative analysis of Biomod2 statistical and machine learning methods for Lactarius deliciosus distribution in Refahiye, Turkiye.

This study aims to develop susceptibility maps for the Pine Processionary Moth (PPM) via multi-criteria decision-making methodologies. This study utilized data on forest stands affected by PPM damage within the Nurdağı Forest Planning Unit in Gaziantep province from 2018 to 2024. Parameters including stand structure, crown closure, development stage, elevation, slope, aspect, annual mean temperature, solar radiation, and annual mean precipitation parameters were used to create the PPM susceptibility maps according to the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Frequency Ratio Method (FRM). Their precision was evaluated by Relative Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis. The AHP model indicates that 73% of the forest stands with PPM damage fall into the high and extreme susceptibility groups, whereas the FRM model shows that 68% of such forest stands are similarly categorized. The AUC values for the FRM and AHP models were determined to be 0.830 and 0.835, respectively. The results reveal that the PPM susceptibility maps generated using the AHP and FRM models are reliable.

In the context of anthropogenic climate change characterized by a sustained increase in average annual tem-peratures, transformation of precipitation patterns and more frequent extreme weather events, forest ecosystems in Russia are facing increasing pressure. This study aims to develop an integrated scientific-methodological approach for assessing vulnerability and adaptive capacity of forests as well as quantitatively determining the effectiveness of im-plemented adaptation measures. The methodological basis of this work included systems analysis encompassing examination of current legal regulations on forestry-climate policy, content analysis of strategic and operational planning documents, statistical analysis of data from the state forest register and industry reports, along with synthesis of scientific research on the impact of climatic factors on forests. As a result of the conducted research, key climate risks for Russian forestry were systematized based on region-al natural-ecological characteristics. A hierarchical indicator system was developed for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of adaptation measures. This system integrates an integral index reflecting overall dynamics of forest cover and a set of specific metrics that quantitatively characterize changes in individual risk components such as productivity, species composition, fire hazard, phytosanitary threats, and consequences of extreme weather phenome-na. For each indicator, clear sources of primary data have been identified within official reporting forms, ensuring methodological consistency, verifiability, and comparability of results at all levels of management. The necessity of applying this proposed system is justified for transitioning from qualitative assessments to quantitative cost-benefit analyses and evaluation of overall effectiveness of adaptation policies in the forestry sector. Implementation of the developed approach into practical forest planning and monitoring will enhance evi-dence-based decision-making, objectify industry reporting, and optimize resource allocation for activities aimed at enhancing resilience and preserving ecosystem functions of forests under changing climatic conditions.

The Triad framework seeks to balance the economic and ecological functions in forested landscapes by combining intensively, extensively, and unmanaged areas, assuming a higher support to biodiversity in extensively rather than in intensively managed forests. We quantified the effects of Triad zoning on biodiversity in (sub)montane eutrophic European beech forests. Using a European-wide multitaxon database and a "virtual" landscape approach (i.e., by resampling empirical data), we evaluated how the proportion of Triad management categories affected the landscape-level species diversity of birds, saproxylic beetles, vascular plants, epiphytic bryophytes, lichens, and wood-inhabiting fungi, as well as multitaxonomic diversity. The results varied greatly among taxonomic groups. Multitaxonomic diversity peaked in landscapes composed of 60% unmanaged and 40% intensively managed forests. While intensive management can benefit some taxa through the creation of open habitats, unmanaged forests are the backbone of biodiversity conservation, underlining the need to safeguard the remaining old-growth forests under natural dynamics, and to extend the current area of unmanaged forests in Europe. Extensive forest management, however, did not contribute to biodiversity conservation as expected. As withdrawing such a high proportion of European forest landscapes from management is unfeasible given the increasing demand for timber, efforts are needed to increase the presence of structural features supporting biodiversity into extensively managed forests.

Assessing the impact of private forest owner preferences on the supply of ecosystem services.

Optimizing forest planning: Balancing timber production and carbon sequestration through a multi-objective disjunctive formulation

Urban forests, as a form of green infrastructure, play a vital role in enhancing urban resilience, environmental health, and quality of life. However, users perceive and utilize these spaces in diverse ways. This study aims to identify latent perception types among urban forest visitors and analyze their behavioral, demographic, and policy-related characteristics in Incheon Metropolitan City (Republic of Korea). Using latent class analysis, four distinct visitor types were identified: multipurpose recreationists, balanced relaxation seekers, casual forest users, and passive forest visitors. Multipurpose recreationists preferred active physical use and sports facilities, while balanced relaxation seekers emphasized emotional well-being and cultural experiences. Casual users engaged lightly with forest settings, and passive forest visitors exhibited minimal recreational interest. Satisfaction with forest elements such as vegetation, facilities, and management conditions varied across visitor types and age groups, especially among older adults. These findings highlight the need for perception-based green infrastructure planning. Policy recommendations include expanding accessible neighborhood green spaces for aging populations, promoting community-oriented events, and offering participatory forest programs for youth engagement. By integrating user segmentation into urban forest planning and governance, this study contributes to more inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable management of urban green infrastructure.

Integrating spatial aspects in forest planning: Optimizing boreal forest landscapes reveals trade-offs between timber and grouse habitats at multiple scales.

Because Pinus koraiensis and Chamaecyparis obtusa are key species for economic forest plantations in Korea, understanding their responses to elevated CO2 is critical for future forest planning. Using seedlings grown in a controlled phytotron environment, we examined gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, photopigment contents and biomass under elevated CO2 conditions. Initially, both species showed no significant differences in net photosynthesis (Anet). P. koraiensis prioritized leaf structural development and showed CO2 induced stress, reflected in altered chlorophyll fluorescence, before showing enhanced photosynthesis following leaf maturation. C. obtusa initiated early biochemical adjustments, indicated by increased biochemical parameters of photosynthesis (maximum carboxylation rate, Vcmax; electron transport capacity, Jmax; and triose phosphate utilization, TPU), yet required more time for these changes to result in higher photosynthetic rates. By the mid-stage, both species under elevated CO2 surpassed ambient conditions in Anet, their ability to capitalize on elevated CO2. As seasonal dormancy begins, C. obtusa exhibited reduced physiological activity and a decline in photosynthetic rates. Notably, enhanced biochemical traits did not translate into increased biomass in either species, likely due to nutrient constraints or elevated respiratory costs. Meanwhile, P. koraiensis exhibited an overall increase in photosynthesis at later stages, mainly driven by developmental timing rather than CO2 itself. These findings underscore species-specific acclimation patterns and suggest that P. koraiensis may be more suited to benefit from future CO2 enrichment than C. obtusa, informing targeted strategies in climate-resilient forest management.

Forest planning is vital for ensuring objective fulfilment for decision-makers. Forest-owning companies often organise their planning in a hierarchy of separate stages (i.e. strategic, tactical and operational planning). The objectives for the strategic stage are generally to maximise net present value and long-term harvest levels without threatening the environmental integrity of the forests. However, in the subsequent stages of the planning hierarchy, with a shorter-term focus, the objective is often to minimise costs due to budgetary constraints. These misaligned objectives introduce a dilemma, especially when considering that decisions are typically made using uncertain data. We examined the suboptimality caused by using low-quality forest data in a long-term harvesting planning problem and how this suboptimality is affected by misaligned objectives between the strategic and tactical planning stages. The low-quality forest data were simulated in a Monte Carlo simulation that maintained a real-world structure of errors. The results show that uncertainty in forest data impacts objective fulfilment more than the level of alignment of objectives. However, a high degree of objective alignment performs better than the opposite, regardless of the level of quality of data.

Wildfires are becoming an increasingly severe threat to European forests, driven by climate change, land use changes, and socio-economic factors. Integrated solutions for wildfire prevention, early detection, emergency management, and ecological restoration are urgently needed to enhance forest resilience. The Horizon 2020 SILVANUS project developed a comprehensive multi-sectoral platform combining technological innovation, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable forest management strategies. This report analyses the Slovak Republic’s participation in SILVANUS, applying a seven-criterion fit–gap framework (governance, legal, interoperability, staff capacity, ecological suitability, financial feasibility, and stakeholder acceptance) to evaluate the platform’s alignment with national conditions. Notable contributions include stakeholder-supported functional requirements for wildfire prevention, climate-sensitive forest models for long-term adaptation planning, IoT- and UAV-based early fire detection technologies, and decision support systems (DSS) for emergency response and forest-restoration activities. The Slovak pilot sites, particularly in the Podpoľanie region, served as important testbeds for the validation of these tools under real-world conditions. All SILVANUS modules scored ≥12/14 in the fit–gap assessment; early deployment reduced high-risk fuel polygons by 23%, increased stand-level structural diversity by 12%, and raised the national Sustainable Forest Management index by four points. Integrating SILVANUS outcomes into national forestry practices would enable better wildfire risk assessment, improved resilience planning, and more effective public engagement in wildfire management. Opportunities for adoption include capacity-building initiatives, technological deployments in fire-prone areas, and the incorporation of DSS outputs into strategic forest planning. Potential challenges, such as technological investment costs, inter-agency coordination, and public acceptance, are also discussed. Overall, the Slovak Republic’s engagement with SILVANUS demonstrates the value of participatory, technology-driven approaches to sustainable wildfire management and offers a replicable model for other European regions facing similar challenges.

Urban forests have a definition that has developed over time. Initially defined as urban greenery or as a measure of human impacts from urbanisation on forest systems, urban forests have varying definitions and are more often referred to for urban greenery. This urban greenery and measures of outcomes in sustainability terms are in urban landscapes and surroundings. With more specific definitions according to forest system definitions the complexity, multiple functions and advanced outcomes and functions of urban forest systems compared to other urban green space (UGS) types is more clearly understood. This article, using a literature review, discusses the definition of urban forests influencing how their impacts are measured, expected, and optimised. With clarified definitions, urban forest quality is considered in the literature review by search terms and topics of selected articles. Examples of selected indicators of the quality of urban forests and then of software and metrics used to plan and design urban greenery are presented. Refined wilding as a concept for urban functional biodiversity is then compared and used as a conceptual frame to analyse findings and prove the relevance and contribution of knowledge of the concept itself. Indicators of measures are provided, and they lead to a suggestion for clearer defining of urban forests. The findings can influence planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of urban forests as a higher-quality UGS type with multiple functions. Urban forests require improved defining of the value, quality, and coverage of their UGS type to be optimised. Refined wilding can give conceptual guidance for understanding the multiple and advanced functions that urban forest biodiversity provides for urban landscapes and populations. Urban tree canopy and urban forest systems in an urban landscape, as compared to other UGSs that connect to forested areas, either urban or peri-urban, are important differentiating definitional factors. Different metrics encourage a measure of this difference. The human realities of an urban landscape and population will determine whether and how a forest system can exist in a suburban landscape and are influential as to whether an urban tree canopy compared to a multifunctional diverse stratified semi-natural system of wild native and non-native varieties is established and can be maintained. The importance of maintaining newly established and existing urban forests and trees is a significant factor.

Forests planned for social use are classified as such due to the cultural ecosystem services they offer. To fully benefit from these services, forest stands for social use must be easily accessible and interconnected, not just through forest roads but also through recreational trails, a key outdoor leisure infrastructure. However, forest planning and trail design are seldom integrated. This study addresses this issue by proposing a method to create connector routes between official trails and forest stands managed for social objectives (FSMSO), enhancing the socio-recreational use of forests. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), our approach analyses overlap between official trails and FSMSO, identifies direct routes with origin-destination matrices and assesses FSMSO accessibility. Route viability was then calculated, supporting decision-makers in assessing route homologation potential. In our study area (Catalonia, Spain), findings show that only 14% of the FSMSO overlap with official trails. Among those not overlapping, 75% are connected with official trails via the road network, while 25% are inaccessible. Of the accessible stands from official trails, 54% are more than 20 min away on foot, while 22% are within 20 min. Most created connectors (62%) have moderate viability, with 13% showing high viability for official homologation. Regarding forest types, riparian forests are the most common in FSMSO (15%) and the most connected to official trails (17%). Our methodology supports integrated forest planning and trail design, enhancing socio-recreational opportunities, while emphasising the need for regulations addressing risks and challenges linked to promoting the public use of forests.

Determining changes in forest resources and land cover/land use is crucial for sustainable forest planning. This study aims to determine changes in land cover classes, including forest areas, agricultural areas, settlement areas, other non-forest areas, and water bodies in the study area located in Cyprus between 1990 and 2014. The study utilized digital management plans, a high-resolution base map, and Landsat satellite images for the relevant years. Necessary preprocessing steps were applied to prepare the satellite data for classification. Initially, unsupervised classification was conducted on the images to determine the number of distinguishable sub-information classes. Subsequently, supervised classification was performed using the maximum likelihood algorithm with the provision of training areas. The sub classes generated based on the supervised classification were consolidated into five main classes. After the classification process, the accuracy of the classification for each image was determined. Accordingly, the overall classification accuracy of the map from the 1990 Landsat 5 TM satellite image was 92%, with 0.90 Kappa Statistics. The overall classification accuracy of the map from 2014 Landsat 8 OLI satellite image was 89.20%, with 0.87 Kappa statistics. Then, land cover change analysis was conducted to compare a twenty-four-year period within the study area.

Trees in U.S. cities are unevenly and inequitably distributed. To address this challenge, planners increasingly use digital tools to prioritize areas and communities for tree projects. The goal is to achieve tree equity wherein all populations have access to the benefits of urban trees. Here we identify limitations and opportunities in the operationalization of the tree equity concept via digital platforms. We call on planners using digital tools in urban forest planning to (1) incorporate data that capture the heterogeneity of spaces in which urban trees grow, (2) include and support marginalized communities in urban forest planning, and (3) couple digital tools with local community engagement across the life-span of tree-related projects.