Forestry Areas Research Articles

Estimation for forest biomass and coverage using Satellite data in small scale area, Mongolia

The estimation of forest biomass using satellite data has received increasing attention for several reason in Mongolia. Since forest in Mongolia is decreasing and it is important to estimate forest resources using satellite data. This research aims to apply recently launched Sentinel-1B Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) C-band and optical Sentinel-2B satellite data for estimation forest biomass and coverage and develop model for the study area. The study area is small scale forestry area named by Khanbuyan community, Bulgan province is situated in the Northern part of Mongolia. Boreal and montane forest belts of larch is dominated in this area. Sentinel-1B was used for estimation forest biomass and multispectral bands of Sentinel-2B applied for forest classification map. We used regression analysis to develop the model using Sentinel-1B and Sentinel-2B VV and VH polarizations for Sentinel-1B and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for Sentinel-2B were applied in this research. Ground truth data was collected in July 2016 and September 2016 for forest coverage and biomass measurements. NDVI and backscatter coefficients for polarizations VV and VH of Sentinel-1B 2016 were related to ground truth biomass for modeling. Comparison of the model and ground truth measurements for above ground biomass have a good agreement.

The utilization of industrial by-products as soil conditioners and fertilizers in non-food potato production

Peatlands require soil improvement to be suitable for cultivation. Creating eco-friendly and cost-effective carbon sinks in peatlands originated from peat production has several benefits. For this purpose various valuable biomass can be used by utilizing industrial by-products also as soil conditioners and fertilizers. For example, the addition of such materials has potential to transform peat bogs, which otherwise would slowly release methane, into productive cultivated areas. The rehabilitation of peat bogs from unused land into various agricultural and forestry areas is also a viable business activity. The examined industrial by-products could have many agricultural applications in non-food potato production, wherein monoculture causes problems such as condensed soil, lost humus or soil organic matter, and reduced nutrient retention capacity, leading to increased leaching of nutrients and negative impacts on the environment. Five industrial by-products were examined in this study as soil conditioners and fertilizers: fiber sludge, biocarbon, hygienic biodigestate, paper mill sludge, and gypsum waste. Based on the results of a nutrient content analysis, hygienic biodigestate and fiber sludge were the most effective fertilizers.

Integration of InVEST-habitat quality model with landscape pattern indexes to assess mountain plant biodiversity change: A case study of Bailongjiang watershed in Gansu Province

Mountains in western China, hosted rich biodiversity and millions of people and inhabitant with vital ecosystem services, had experienced the most serious biodiversity loss with fragile ecological problems. Even though increasing attentions had been paid to this issue, we still lacked efficient methods to assess the change of plant biodiversity at medium/large scale due to the poor data and co-existing multiple habitat types. This study proposed an integrated method combining InVEST-habitat quality model, NPP and landscape pattern indexes to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of plant biodiversity and its spatiotemporal change on raster cell scale. The results indicated that plant biodiversity service was high in Bailongjiang watershed with obvious spatial pattern variations. The land area containing higher plant biodiversity were 3161 km2, which mainly distributed in the National Nature Reserve and forestry area. While the areas with lower plant biodiversity accounted for 37.67% and mainly distributed in the valleys between Zhouqu-Wudu-Wenxian County, the valley of Minjiang in Tanchang County and alpine mountain snow-covered regions. During 1990–2010, plant biodiversity level tended to increase and the higher plant biodiversity area increased from 14.13% to 17.15% due to ecological restoration and afforestation, while plant biodiversity decreased in the area with intensive human activities, such as cultivated land, urban and rural land. The results showed that combining InVEST-habitat quality model, NPP and landscape pattern indexes can effective reveal mountain plant biodiversity change. The study was useful for plant biodiversity conservation policy-making and human activity management for the disaster-impacted mountainous areas in China.

Analyses of Time Series InSAR Signatures for Land Cover Classification: Case Studies over Dense Forestry Areas with L-Band SAR Images.

As demonstrated in prior studies, InSAR holds great potential for land cover classification, especially considering its wide coverage and transparency to climatic conditions. In addition to features such as backscattering coefficient and phase coherence, the temporal migration in InSAR signatures provides information that is capable of discriminating types of land cover in target area. The exploitation of InSAR signatures was expected to provide merits to trace land cover change in extensive areas; however, the extraction of suitable features from InSAR signatures was a challenging task. Combining time series amplitudes and phase coherences through linear and nonlinear compressions, we showed that the InSAR signatures could be extracted and transformed into reliable classification features for interpreting land cover types. The prototype was tested in mountainous areas that were covered with a dense vegetation canopy. It was demonstrated that InSAR time series signature analyses reliably identified land cover types and also recognized tracing of temporal land cover change. Based on the robustness of the developed scheme against the temporal noise components and the availability of advanced spatial and temporal resolution SAR data, classification of finer land cover types and identification of stable scatterers for InSAR time series techniques can be expected. The advanced spatial and temporal resolution of future SAR assets combining the scheme in this study can be applicable for various important applications including global land cover changes monitoring.

Wildfires impact on the economic susceptibility of recreation activities: Application in a Mediterranean protected area.

Development of many rural forestry areas depends strongly on tourism activities; therefore, it is critical to incorporate these activities in the decision-making process for the management and conservation efforts. Different from other market resources provided by forests, recreation activities provide benefits not only to forest owners but to all surrounding communities. Economic valuation of recreation activities requires using indirect valuation approaches like the travel cost method. Annual welfare estimates for the "Aracena y Picos de Aroche Natural Park" in southern Spain ranged from 25.30 € per recreationist for driving and travel time costs to 72.69 € per recreationist for these former costs plus associated incidental (food, lodging, etc.) costs. The annual value of this natural protected area was estimated at 3,656,609 € for the driving and travel time costs approach; and it was increased to 10,505,885.7 € for the total costs approach. Distributing the recreation welfare estimate proportionally is not reasonable as the visitation rate to different areas is different. Therefore, we use the individual recreational activities demand to distribute the estimated recreation value. Finally, we integrate the consumer surplus, the vegetation resilience and the potential fire behavior to estimate the fire recreation susceptibility. The fire susceptibility was increased by 58.25 million € from driving and travel time costs to total costs including incidental costs. Development of a socio-economic susceptibility framework using Geographic Information Systems provides an objective tool for budget allocation and prioritization of prevention activities and suppression actions during wildfires.

The Impact of Peatland Restoration on Local Climate: Restoration of a Cool Humid Island

AbstractLand use, land use change, and forestry (LULUCF) have been directly altering climate, and it has been proposed that such changes could mitigate anthropogenic climate warming brought about by increases in greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Changes due to LULUCF alter the Bowen ratio, surface roughness, and albedo and so directly change air temperatures. Previous studies have focused on changes in the area of forestry and have used space‐for‐time substitutions to assess the impact of LULUCF. This study considered 18 years of daytime land surface temperature over an area of actual land use change in comparison to its surrounding landscape and considered the restoration of a lowland peat bog: satellite land surface temperature data across 49, 1‐km2 grid squares with 20 on peatland and 29 on surrounding agricultural land on mineral soils from 2000 to 2017. The peatland squares were, until 2004, dug for horticultural peat and after 2004 were restored with revegetation of bare soil and restoration of natural water tables. Over the 18 years, the average annual daytime land surface temperature significantly decreased for six grid squares, five of which were on the restored peatland where land surface temperature decreased by 2 K. In 2000, before restoration, the peatland was 0.7 K warmer than the surrounding agricultural land on mineral soils but by 2016 was 0.5 K cooler. This study has shown that anthropogenic land use change could cool a landscape and that functioning peatlands could act as cool, humid islands within a landscape.

Different Stakeholder’s Perspectives on Cultural Ecosystem Services: A Case Study of the Anzali Wetland, Iran

The study investigates local level environmental conflict between two groups of stakeholders, by analysing their opinions about the importance and use of the cultural ecosystem services of the Anzali Wetland in northern Iran. Data were analysed statistically on the basis of semi-structured interviews with 193 respondents from (a) administrators within the areas of forestry, agriculture, environment, and harbour, and (b) non-administrators, i.e. local people such as fishermen, hunters, and visitors. The results showed that there was a difference between the two groups of stakeholders regarding use of, and attitudes towards cultural services in the wetland. The sense of belonging to the place, and the importance of the cultural heritage were cited as more important among the non-administrators. They also used the wetland more for activities such as sports, social activities, fishing and hunting, while the administrators appreciated the wetland more for the enjoyment of its beautiful natural scenery. The locals used the wetland practically, while the administrators saw the importance of the wetland in more abstract terms. The study highlights the importance of assessing viewpoints of a variety of stakeholders, and including also cultural values in decision-making about ecosystem services.

Analysis of the influencing factors on China’s forestry economic growth based on grey correlation model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the influence of different factors on forestry production, with an aim to explore the degree of connection between forestry economic growth and influencing factors such as forestry investment, labor input, afforestation area, scientific and technologies progress, and the reform of property-rights regimes. Design/methodology/approach According to the data of China Forestry Statistical Yearbook from 1978 to 2017, this paper uses the grey correlation analysis to observe and analyze the factors influencing China’s forestry economics growth. Findings The results show that capital investment demonstrates the largest impact on the forestry output value, followed by property system, afforestation area, labor input and technologies progress. The correlation coefficients of the above factors are 0.874451654,0.85827468,0.835138412,0.832985604 and 0.825747493. This means that forestry capital investment plays a major role in contributing to forest economic growth; forest property system also plays a positive role in the growth of forestry economy. Originality/value This paper uses continuous data collected during 1978‒2017, which are quite extensive as compared to data used in the existing research, considering the influencing factors are comprehensive, especially the impact of property right system reform on forestry economic growth.

Research progress on monitoring and assessment of forestry area for improving forest management in China

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide the extensive review on dynamic monitoring of forestry area in China. Design/methodology/approach Countermeasure and suggestions were proposed for three aspects including the establishment of data sets with unified standards, top-level design of monitoring and assessment and analysis models, and establishment of the decision support platform with multiple scenario simulation. Findings Finally, the authors proposed key research area in this field, i.e., improving the systematic and optimal forest management through integrating and improving the data, models and simulation platforms and coupling the data integration system, assessment system and decision support system. Originality/value The authors explored the limitation of dynamic monitoring and state of the art research on data accumulation, professional model development and the analytical platform.

An assessment of soil respiration on two contrasting urban forestry areas using the SolvitaTM Gel System

ABSTRACTInadequate soil conditions can affect tree health and longevity but there are few tools available to urban foresters to carry out soil assessments. The SolvitaTM Gel System field test, developed for agricultural purposes, assesses biological activity in soil samples by measuring CO2 respiration rates. This test was used alongside other analytical tests using soil samples from two contrasting urban sites; a wooded area and a grassed area with semi-mature trees. The wooded site had 156% higher levels of NPK, 240% more soil organic matter and 252% more easily oxidisable soil organic carbon than the grassed site. In addition, the SolvitaTM Digital Colour Reader value and basal respiration was 196% higher for the wooded site. Soil bulk densities were recorded at 0.97 g cm-3 and 1.45 g cm-3 for the wooded and grassed sites respectively. There were significant correlations between basal respiration results and soil organic matter content. A calibrating laboratory experiment identified significant differences in SolvitaTM test values between five soil sample groups with increasing leaf mould content. We conclude that the SolvitaTM Gel System field test has the potential to be used as an urban forest soil assessment tool and its use warrants further research.

Soil and vegetation cover evaluation in the forestry area «Mekhzavodskoy» of the suburban Samara forestry enterprise area

The paper presents data on the state of soil and vegetation cover of oak forests of suburban forests near the village Mekhzavod. Being in the ring of large highways as well as located relatively close to Samara, they experience a complex impact of many adverse conditions. In the course of the study in these forest communities using the method of laying ecological profiles, we assessed a degree of recreational load impact on the vegetation cover of the green zone. The author estimated the percentage of road and path network development, described stages of recreational digression (for R.A. Karpisonova) and identified the main indicators of anthropogenic load, a vital status of major forest tree species and the factors contributing to its deterioration. The author also revealed a classification of soils with the help of laying soil profiles in different quarters and the subsequent chemical analysis of the selected samples. It is determined that the gray forest soils indicated for this area on the soil map of the Volga Region are not found. Taking into account the unsatisfactory state of the vegetation cover of the studied area, a number of recommendations for its rational use are proposed, which can further contribute to the preservation and improvement of these forests stability.

Delineation and Validation of Notified Strip Forest (Ambala Range): A Synthesis Approach of Remote Sensing and Field Data

The large pools of carbon in the atmosphere and outgrowing sources of emissions calls for a mandate from the Forest Department to increase potential carbon sinks maintaining environmental stability and ecological balance. Trees are major contributors to carbon absorption purifying the air. This establishes a need of the hour to increase their number for detoxifying the atmosphere and ecological restoration. Haryana being a predominantly agricultural state has its focus on identifying the areas of social forestry (extension forestry) and agro-forestry to increase its green cover. The study focuses on identification of strip forests in linear feature such as roads, railway lines, canals, distributaries, bunds etc. as notified by Haryana Forest Department. The study area Ambala Range falls into Ambala forest division of Haryana state and lies between 3003’56.497” to 30026’35.34” North longitudes to 76032’42.305” to 76057’0.902” East latitudes having an area of 57386 hectares. The present study attempts to demonstrate the utility of High-Resolution Satellite (HRS) data of Worldview- II ortho-rectified satellite data offering an immense scope to analyze the strip plantations in the study area. On-screen digitization of linear features and creation of buffer followed the provided length and width by Forest Department and was located between the GPS readings of start and end point. A variation of 55.92 km and 224.94 hectares has been found between provided and vector dimensions of length and area respectively. It was estimated that about 1957.38 ha area were found to be under the strip forest in the study area corresponding to a length of 1146.2 km against the 2182.31 ha area and 1210.5 km length notified by Haryana Forest Department (HFD) corresponding to a length. Further, validation of results was performed by conversion of shape files to .kml and overlaying on Google Earth. The study could help reduce the bias occurring between government and local bodies (encroachment) relying on the validity of results. It could also help identify additional areas which could be used for planting trees expanding the forest cover of state.

Integrated utilization of land and vegetation in secondary forest areas

Local community’s activities around Labanan forest area for specific purposes already make the area unsafe. Responding to this, land productivity optimization with agroforestry patterns might be applied in the area. Hopefully, through these systems, utilization and productivity of natural forests in Labanan forest area might be optimized in producing food, energy and water conservation, outside its regular function as forestry area. The purpose of this study was to determine the condition of the land under treeing forest; generate analytical data of vegetation in the research plots; and determine carbon stocks undergrowth. The research method was soil sampling, vegetation analyzes and sampling of undergrowth plant biomass. Based on laboratory analysis result, soil pH ranging between 5-7, N Total <0.3%, P Total <49 mg P 2 O 5 .100g -1 , K Total between 2-8 mg K 2 O.100g -1 , and the organic carbon content on soil <2.1%. The vegetations dominated by cunday ( Saraca declinata ) as many as 43 trees/ha with basal area 21.55 m 2 . ha -1 . The highest important value index (IVI) shown by the type of vegetation cunday ( Saraca declinata ) amounted to 51.43% and the lowest was shown by bintangur ( Callophyllum sp) amounted to 2.89%. Stock carbon undergrowth on research area ranged from 1.470 to 1.752ton C. ha -1 .

Un retrato de la Amazonia planetaria

Reducing illegal deforestation to zero by 2030 and restoring 12 million hectares of forest are two of the targets assumed by Brazil in the Paris Accord, ratified in 2016. This text analyses the lessons accumulated in the management of the Amazon Fund and in the system of tropical forestry monitoring. It first identifies the causes of deforestation, whose rhythm has begun to accelerate again in recent years. To confront these causes, as well as increasing consciousness of environmental risk, densifying the scientific capesabilities established in the Amazon region is recommended, alongside the development of new human capabilities. Capabilities which allow the articulation of long-lasting actions in the areas of forestry, energy, infrastructure and innovation. Actions that promote new poles of development, stimulate international cooperation and increase the supply of jobs to honour the commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 38% by 2035 and overcome the goals aimed for in the sphere of tropical forests.

Complementarity among dragonflies across a pondscape in a rural landscape mosaic

Abstract Networks of ponds (pondscapes) are becoming increasingly significant for resilient landscape planning in rural areas. Farmland and forestry ponds are habitat islands that support heterogeneous communities of aquatic organisms. Species richness, Dragonfly Biotic Index (DBI), Shannon's index, and species composition are used here to assess the complementary conservation value of adult dragonfly assemblages associated with forty ponds across a protected area‐sugarcane‐forestry mosaic. Despite differences in environmental variables among the various ponds, dragonfly species richness, DBI, Shannon index scores, as well as responses to particular environmental variables, did not differ between ponds in sugarcane, plantation forestry, and protected areas. Dragonfly composition differed in response to vegetation cover. Our results highlight the importance of catchment and regional management for all ponds within the pondscape, and show that ponds in the transformed areas (i.e. sugarcane and forestry areas) are important contributors to regional conservation. As the various ponds were complementary in their dragonfly assemblages, we recommend conservation focus at the level of the pondscape rather than on individual ponds.

Bioclimatic modeling in the Last Glacial Maximum, Mid-Holocene and facing future climatic changes in the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.).

Increasing forest wildfires in Portugal remain a growing concern since forests in the Mediterranean region are vulnerable to recent global warming and reduction of precipitation. Therefore, a long-term negative effect is expected on the vegetation, with increasing drought and areas burnt by fires. The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is particularly used in Portugal to produce a spirit by processing its fruits and is the main income for forestry owners. Other applications are possible due to the fruit and leaves’ anti-oxidant properties and bioactive compounds production, with a potential for clinical and food uses. It is a sclerophyllous plant, dry-adapted and fire resistant, enduring the Mediterranean climate, and recently considered as a possibility for afforestation, to intensify forest discontinuity where pines and eucalypts monoculture dominate the region. To improve our knowledge about the species’ spatial distribution we used 318 plots (the centroid of a 1 km2 square grid) measuring the species presence and nine environmental attributes. The seven bioclimatic variables most impacting on the species distribution and two topographic features, slope and altitude, were used. The past, current and future climate data were obtained through WorldClim. Finally, the vulnerability of the strawberry tree to the effects of global climate change was examined in the face of two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5), to predict distribution changes in the years 2050 and 2070, using a species distribution models (MaxEnt). The reduction of suitable habitat for this species is significant in the southern regions, considering the future scenarios of global warming. Central and northern mountainous regions are putative predicted refuges for this species. Forest policy and management should reflect the impact of climate change on the usable areas for forestry, particularly considering species adapted to the Mediterranean regions and wildfires, such as the strawberry tree. The distribution of the species in the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Mid-Holocene (MH) agrees with previous genetic and paleontological studies in the region, which support putative refuges for the species. Two in the southern and coastal-central regions, since the LGM, and one in the east-central mountainous region, considered as cryptic refugia.

Optimal Methodology for Detecting Land Cover Change in a Forestry, Lakeside Environment Using NAIP Imagery

Mapping land cover change is useful for various environmental and urban planning applications, e.g. land management, forest conservation, ecological assessment, transportation planning, and impervious surface control. As the optimal change detection approaches, algorithms, and parameters often depend on the phenomenon of interest and the remote sensing imagery used, the goal of this study is to find the optimal procedure for detecting urban growth in rural, forestry areas using one-meter, four-band NAIP images. Focusing on different types of impervious covers, the authors test the optimal segmentation parameters for object-based image analysis, and conclude that the random tree classifier, among the six classifiers compared, is most optimal for land use/cover change detection analysis with a satisfying overall accuracy of 87.7%. With continuous free coverage of NAIP images, the optimal change detection procedure concluded in this study is valuable for future analyses of urban growth change detection in rural, forestry environments.

Remote Sensing Methods for the Retrieval of Inventory and Bioproductivity Parameters of Forests Using High Resolution Satellite Images

A method for automated processing high spatial resolution satellite images is proposed to retrieve inventory and bioproductivity parameters of forest stands. The method includes effective learning classifiers, inverse modeling, and regression modeling of the estimated parameters. Spectral and texture features are used to classify forest species. The results of test experiments for the selected area of Savvatievskoe forestry (Russia, Tver region) are presented. Accuracy estimates obtained using ground-based measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of using the proposed techniques to automate the process of updating information for the State Forest Inventory program of Russia.

Market Responses of Forestry Areas where Demand for Local Logs is in Flux

Market Responses of Forestry Areas where Demand for Local Logs is in Flux

Study on the Asymmetry of Information on Timber Transactions in the Nishikawa Forestry Area

Study on the Asymmetry of Information on Timber Transactions in the Nishikawa Forestry Area