Form Of Forest Management Research Articles

Forestry Insights of Some Asian and European Countries: National Forest Harvesting Strategies and New Approaches

As forestry approaches have been formed according to the demands and aspirations of the society, the forest sector implies different concerns such as social, economic, and environmental. Harvesting and extraction of wood at low cost, protection of stands against degradation and changes in land use, proper implementation of afforestation and forest extension, conservation of endemic species, preservation of soil, providing jobs, and supporting national and domestic development have a different priority for foresters, depending on the time and area conditions. Of course, all of these have always been discussed by the shareholders in the forest sector with the main attention to forest sustainability. However, the question is: Are forestry approaches compatible with the changes in the world today? With increasing environmental concerns, as discussed at the Glasgow 2021 Conference, the importance of forests and their protection has doubled, and it seems that forestry practices in the world need a new approach. In addition to climate change, increasing human population and regional and global economic changes affect the use of forests and the form of forest management and utilization. This paper aims to take an analytical look at this issue and examine the current situation in five countries (Iran, Germany, Croatia, Turkiye and Italy). It was also targeted with the help of the DPSIR Framework to elaborate on the social consequences of the situation, and an analysis was presented about what to do or not. This paper emphasizes that forest managers and policymakers need to modify and adapt the plans and methods in a way that is appropriate to the progress of time and its changes, while protecting forests and ensuring their sustainability, limiting non-professionals from involving directly in the decision-making process.

Cork oak (Quercus suber) in the dynamism of a forest landscape shaped by fire on Monte Pisano (Tuscany N-W, Italy)

The plant landscape of Monte Pisano is characterized by a predominant forest component, with Pinus pinaster and Castanea sativa, of clear anthropic imprint. Another important component is constituted by dynamically advanced scrubs and woods of evergreen sclerophylls of natural origin, although often differently altered by the anthropic action and/or by fires, and dominated by Quercus ilex. Quercus suber is often found within holm oak woods, and – with lower frequency – inside the pine forests. Cork oak, in some cases, becomes dominant going to constitute the northernmost cork forests in Tuscany. The frequency of fires in Monte Pisano in the last decades seems to have led to an increase in Q. suber surface due to its known resilience to wildfires. The aim of this research is: a) to define the distribution of Q. suber in the area also in relation to repeated fire events in the past; b) to provide an updated characterization of these stands using a phytosociological approach; c) to identify stands and groups of trees that can be used as "seed forests" for post-fire forest restoration purpose, in relation to their marginal population characteristic. The study suggests a relationship between the spread of cork oak and the historical pattern of fires. This wide spread should be protected by forms of forest management unfortunately absent in this territory.

Coppice reintroduction in the Czech Republic: extent, motivation and obstacles

Coppicing is a form of forest management in European broadleaved forests. While it is still practised in south-eastern Europe, in central and western Europe it was almost completely replaced by high forest management. Currently, there are increasing efforts to reintroduce coppice management into former coppice woods. However, little comprehensive knowledge is available about the extent and management of coppice reintroduction and the processes governing it. In this paper, we present an overview of localities in the Czech Republic where coppice reintroduction was taking place in 2020. We identified 8 localities and conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with experts involved in their management in order to understand what motivated them to restart coppicing and what obstacles they have had to face. The main motivation of site managers is nature conservation, while the most important obstacles are operational issues, such as bureaucracy, complicated land ownership and legal responsibilities or lack of workforce. Other motivating factors identified in other European countries (production of a renewable energy source and potential for rural employment) have so far played a minor role in the Czech Republic. We conclude that a major challenge for future forest policies will be to utilise the economic experiences of regions with active coppicing to foster the spread of coppice woods in order to combine renewable energy production with biodiversity conservation.

ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКАЯ ОЦЕНКА АЛЬТЕРНАТИВ ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ЛЕСНЫХ РЕСУРСОВ

The article considers traditional and alternative (ecosystem) forms of use of forest resources on the lands of the forest fund. A variety of soil and climatic conditions, land categories and forest protection create prerequisites for various forms of forest management and the implementation of ecosystem projects in the country's forest fund. The necessity of a comprehensive economic assessment of forest resources in order to stimulate the development of new types of business and territories has been proved. Ecosystem services of the forest are proposed to be considered as the first priority in matters of economic evaluation of forest resources and payments for forest use. To organize the multifunctional use of forests, quantitative assessments of the potential of climate-oriented activities (forest climate projects) in regional forestry systems are required. In the context of federal districts, there is a significant differentiation in terms of the level of investment attractiveness of forest lands suitable for the implementation of forest climate projects for the creation of carbon sequestering plantations. Within the framework of such projects, it becomes possible not only to expand the reproduction of forest resources, including improving the condition and species composition of forests, but also to generate investment income in the form of carbon units produced on carbon markets. The southern and southeastern regions of the country have the greatest potential for the implementation of climate projects related to afforestation and reforestation.

Optimizing the processing of large amounts of spatial data related to the ecosystem water service provided by forest territories

Abstract Nowadays, an increased interest towards the integration of the concept of ecosystem services has been observed, both in regards to processes related to forest and water resources management, as well as in the context of sustainable development of the economy on a local, regional and national level. In the most common case, what is referred to as forest ecosystem services are possible benefits, which man can reap directly or indirectly from ecosystem functions of forest territories. Therefore, it is of great importance to analyse and assess the interactions between the human factor with the conditions and processes through which forest ecosystems create and sustain ecosystem services. The water ecosystem service provided by forest territory could cause the need to process large amounts of spatial data in the form of forest management and hydrological information, as well as information about sanitary protection zones around water sources, in the context of the administrative territorial division of the country at different levels, creates considerable challenges. The difficulties are due to both the various electronic formats in which the necessary information is maintained, and the need to perform different operations on the input data for the purpose of analysis and decision making. The present paper investigates the possibilities of automating the processing of large volumes of spatial data in the context of the ecosystem water service, provided by forest territories by developing a set of tools operating into the environment of open source GIS. The main purpose is to develop a unified approach based on the use of GIS and suitable for the creation and implementation of methods for analysis and management of processes related to the ecosystem water service provided by forest territories. The approach can be applied in different sectors of the economy, public relations and the environment.

Law Enforcement and Community Participation in Combating Illegal Logging and Deforestation in Indonesia

Purpose: This study attempts to analyze the reconstruction of law enforcement on illegal logging based on community participation and the values embodied in Pancasila as a national philosophy in Indonesia. Methodologies: This study was conducted using a normative empirical method, by employing data-driven approaches. Principal results: The results revealed that combating deforestation and illegal logging can be achieved by participatory measures with the implementation in the grassroots through community participation being taken as an important consideration to instill the principles of sustainable forest management. To obtain optimal and equitable benefits of forest resources, local community empowerment is carried out, through capacity building and providing access in order to improve their welfare. Major conclusions: The prevention and eradication of deforestation should pay attention to the principles of sustainable forest management by the government and regulatory agencies with involving grassroot level to obtain sustainable and optimal benefits of forest management. Contribution to the field: This study contributes to the intertwined relationship between law enforcement in developing forest management and social participation through a series of mechanisms and practices based on local wisdom. Important aspect of the study: The findings highlight social forestry as a sustainable forest management practice in balancing natural sustainability and social justice as law enforcement priorities. Research limitations/implications: The theoretical scope is specific to the idea of natural sustainability in the context of social justice. This has theoretical implications for further studies to provide empirical and practical justification for the implementation of social forestry in Indonesia. Practical implications: The findings practically underline the need for social forestry activities through efforts to provide legal access to local communities in the forms of forest management, business permits, plantation, partnerships, recognition and protection and customary law for community welfare and forest resource conservation. Social implications: The principles and practices of community involvement in social forestry are required to reduce poverty, unemployment and inequality in the management/utilization of forest areas.

Pathways of REDD+ Piloting in Enhancing Sustainable Forest Management: The Case of Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem, Western Tanzania.

In Tanzania, the piloting phase for the Reduced Emission from Deforestation and forest Degradation lasted for almost 8 years, between 2008 and 2016. REDD+ pilot projects were implemented to document critical lessons that would inform the development of REDD policy in the country, including the development of REDD strategy and Action Plan that the government endorsed in March 2013. Major thematic areas for piloting were to understand the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, community engagement approaches, alternative livelihoods in the context of REDD+, measurement, reporting and verification of carbon issues in the context of REDD+ and financing questions. In western Tanzania, REDD+ was implemented in the same vein, with several activities employed with the involvement of state and non-state actors. This study evaluated the success and failure of the REDD+ mechanism in the Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem to draw lessons for future REDD+ implementation. This study employed a cross-sectional design that applied a mixed methods approach in collecting primary and secondary data, including 528 questionnaires, eight focus group discussions and data from direct observations. Before the REDD+ pilot, results indicate the existence of different forms of forest management, both traditional and modern, with traditional approaches being stricter than conventional and whose strength lost over time. The rise of conventional approaches was to alleviate deforestation that started in the aftermath that necessitated the development and implementation of conservation projects, whereby the REDD+ pilot is credited for stakeholder involvement and awareness creation programmes. However, it was challenging to balance conservation under REDD+ and community socio-economic development to achieve sustainable forest management targets, including alleviating shifting cultivation. The lack of completion of REDD+ activities such as the sale of carbon credits due to its short lifespan was an indication of REDD+ failure to achieve its milestones. Results illustrate further that transparency in planning for benefits distribution among actors, community empowerment, equity and equality and community responsiveness are necessary to foster community participation in SFM processes. Unless the transfer of tenure rights from the government (especially in JFM) to communities surrounding forests, it will be hard for local communities to effectively participate in future SFM activities. Findings highlight the need to clearly define how local communities surrounding forests can sustainably be engaged in management and conservation and benefit from their engagement in such processes.

The Judicial Fix for Forest Loss: The Godavarman Case and the Financialization of India’s Forests

In India, the setting up of large projects in forest areas can be undertaken only after government permission is obtained under the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA) of 1980. Today, this approval process includes the enumeration and valuation of forest loss, and the financing of compensatory afforestation schemes to offset the loss. These procedures were designed through the orders and judgements of the Supreme Court of India in a set of cases that started in 1995 and continue to this day. These procedures are purportedly aimed to protect and restore forest ecologies in India. In this article we analyse the Supreme Court’s processes and orders between 1996 and 2006 which transformed the political ecology of forests in India. The judicial and expert discourses treated forest regulation and conservation as a techno-managerial exercise, separating it from social-ecological concerns such as historical dispossession of Adivasis and other forest-dependent people, and violent state suppression of diverse forms of forest management. The judicial interventions are instructive to understand the policy processes of green neoliberalism and the implications of the financialization of forests on environmental governance in India.

UTILIZATION OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS (PINE RESIN AND RESIN) FOR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

Management of forest areas will not be separated from the involvement of the surrounding community. land rights and natural resources, including forests, can be managed communally so that the benefits are shared by the whole community as well as individually to meet the needs of each family. One form of forest management that involves the community is the utilization of non-timber forest products by the community around the forest. The purpose of this study is to analyze and describe the achievement or success of using non-timber forest products (pine resin and resin) after the issuance of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation Number P.43/Menlhk/Setjen/Kum.1/6/2017 and the Director's Regulation. General of the Directorate General of Conservation of Natural Resources Ecosystems Number P.6/KSDAE/Set/Kum.1/6/2018 in increasing awareness and participation of non-timber forest product users in conservation activities of the Mount Halimun Salak National Park Area. This study uses the CIPP (Context – input – process – product) method, which is an evaluation model on the Context, Input, Process and Product aspects. Data obtained from the results of document analysis, field observations and interviews. Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded that the use of non-timber forest products (Sap Pinus and Damar) for community empowerment in Mount Halimun Salak National Park is feasible to be applied as an effort to improve the living standards of communities around the area while maintaining the sustainability of Mount Halimun Salak National Park. The context aspect is categorized as good and can be the main basis for implementing the program, the input aspect is categorized as sufficient, it is necessary to increase the capacity of human resources (accompaniment officers and community groups), especially in terms of institutional strengthening and group economic business development as well as business development training and training in the field of Natural Resources Conservation. Ecosystem, the Process aspect is categorized as sufficient, it is necessary to consider the existence of coaching, mentoring, monitoring and evaluation activities involving the parties (village government, related agencies from the local Government and/or Non-Governmental Organizations), and the Product aspect is categorized as good, it is necessary to continue to improve assistance and fostering so that group independence continues to increase, both institutionally, economically, as well as awareness to participate in maintaining the sustainability of the Mount Halimun Salak National Park area.

The Changing Forest Utilization and Management of Mlabri Tribe at Bokluea District, Nan Province, Thailand

This study investigates the changes in forest utilization and management of the Mlabri tribe in Phufa Village, Nan Province, Thailand. This research utilizes quantitative and qualitative methods, such as interviews, community meetings, focus groups and participant observation. The population in the Mlabri village is around 40. It was found that the Mlabri villagers utilized 13 groups to collect 92 different species of forest products to earn a total income of 490,000 baht per year. For resource management, the forest communities have two forms of forest management. These are: (a) a belief model that governs the supernatural mysteries; and (b) a modern community-based management system, which reflects modern rules and regulations from the local authorities. Since the Mlabri people share the same space with other communities, they need to follow the rules set by the owners of the area. Based on the type of forests, the Mlabri tribe utilizes forest management under the concepts of conservation and awareness-raising. The Mlabri people changed from using forest resources for subsistence and exchanged for items that they could not obtain, such as iron, salt and tobacco. At present, the people in the Mlabri tribe have become labourers and agricultural workers. Hunting and gathering forest products are just for earning some extra income and relaxation. Although hunting and gathering is no longer a primary activity among the Mlabri, it is an activity that improves the quality of their life. It also creates a new identity for the Mlabri tribe, which changes the context of the Mlabri society while making the story of the "people living with the forest" interesting. Keywords: Mlabri tribe, hunting and gathering society, utilization and forest management

Tree species diversity and structural composition of village common forest in Bandarban District, Bangladesh

Abstract. Jannat M, Kamruzzaman MD, Hossain MK. 2020. Tree species diversity and structural composition of village common forest in Bandarban District, Bangladesh. Asian J For 4: 76-83. Village common forests (VCF) are community-based forest management that has been practiced for a long time in Bangladesh. Currently, this form of forest management is threatened with various anthropogenic factors, urging for study regarding the state of its biodiversity. The study was conducted to explore indigenous tree species diversity of Babu Para village common forest (VCF) in Bandarban District, Bangladesh. Tree species diversity was assessed through stratified random sampling method using sample plots of 20 m × 20 m in size. Babu Para VCF with an area of 40 acres had more than 406 individuals of 74 tree species belonging to 30 families, including eight unidentified species. Euphorbiaceae and Moraceae were the most dominant families containing 7 species followed by Anacardiaceae (5 species), Mimosaceae (6 species), and Meliaceae (5 species). Both the number of tree species and number of individuals decreased regularly with the increase of total height except ? 30 m height range. Number of species and number of individuals was highest in the height range of (5-<10) m. Similar trend was found for dbh (cm) class distribution. Both the number of species and number of individuals were highest in the dbh range of (5-<15) cm. Babu Para VCF had diverse floristic resources that were reflected from the Shannon-Wiener’s diversity index (3.94), Simpson’s diversity index (0.025), Margalef’s richness index (12.15) and Species evenness index (0.92). The results depict the presence of rich indigenous tree species diversity in the studied VCF.

Participation as an Effective Means of Enhancing Farmers’ Sense of Ownership Towards Forest Management: The Case of Jello Forest, West Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State

Alienating forest dependent communities from forest by depriving them of the right to use forest resource is what widely accepted over recent years as a major factor in conditioning local communities to develop feelings of hostility towards the forest; and push them to destroy the forest resource irresponsibly. This consideration was lied the foundation for new development in forest management known as participatory forest management (PFM).This form of forest management through local participation is a phenomenon that emerged over recent decades as a remedial measure to the old (top down) form of forest management. One of the core concepts in this Participatory forest management (PFM) is improving local community’s sense of ownership toward the forest by empowering them as both developer and beneficiaries of forest resources. Taking local participation as fundamental principle of PFM approach, this research was under taken on Jello forest with the objective of studying local communities’ participation, attitude towards the new approach (PFM) and improvements in their sense of ownership toward the forest. A total of 172 sampled respondents were randomly selected from both non-PFM and PFM member households. Data were collected from sampled households using Household survey questionnaire, key informant interview and focus group discussion. Qualitative data were analyzed using content and discourse analyses; whereas quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics using R-statistical software. Accordingly the result of household survey, focus group discussion and key informant interview were revealed that local communities participation in forest management have improved under the newly introduced forest management system (PFM). The study further revealed that local communities have positive attitude towards PFM and also their sense of ownership toward the forest has significantly improved. About 70% of non- PFM and 85% of PFM members were strongly agreed that the establishment of PFM has improved communities’ participation in forest management. Based on the findings of this study it could be concluded that PFM is effective in improving local community’s participation and sense of ownership towards the forest. Key w ords: Participatory Forest management, Sense of Ownership, participation, Sustainable development, Jello Forest. DOI : 10.7176/JAAS/59-01 Publication date: December 31 st 2019

Local Participation as An Effective Means of Enhancing Sense of Ownership in Forest Management: The Case of Jello Forest, West Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State

Alienating forest dependent communities from forest by depriving them of the right to use forest resource is what widely accepted over recent years as a major factor in conditioning local communities to develop feelings of hostility towards the forest; and push them to destroy the forest resource irresponsibly. This consideration was lied the foundation for new development in forest management known as participatory forest management (PFM).This form of forest management through local participation is a phenomenon that emerged over recent decades as a remedial measure to the old (top down) form of forest management. One of the core concepts in this Participatory forest management (PFM) is improving local community’s sense of ownership toward the forest by empowering them as both developer and beneficiaries of forest resources. Taking local participation as fundamental principle of PFM approach, this research was under taken on Jello forest with the objective of studying local communities’ participation, attitude towards the new approach (PFM) and improvements in their sense of ownership toward the forest. A total of 172 sampled respondents were randomly selected from both non-PFM and PFM member households. Data were collected from sampled households using Household survey questionnaire, key informant interview and focus group discussion. Qualitative data were analyzed using content and discourse analyses; whereas quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics using R-statistical software. Accordingly the result of household survey, focus group discussion and key informant interview were revealed that local communities participation in forest management have improved under the newly introduced forest management system (PFM). The study further revealed that local communities have positive attitude towards PFM and also their sense of ownership toward the forest has significantly improved. About 70% of non- PFM and 85% of PFM members were strongly agreed that the establishment of PFM has improved communities’ participation in forest management. Based on the findings of this study it could be concluded that PFM is effective in improving local community’s participation and sense of ownership towards the forest. Keywords: Participatory Forest management, Sense of Ownership, participation, Sustainable development, Jello Forest. DOI : 10.7176/JRDM/61-01 Publication date: November 30 th 2019

Finding forest management in prehistoric Amazonia

Abstract This paper addresses a topic highlighted in recent arguments by Amazonian scholars: the extent to which forms of forest management in prehistory influenced the past and present composition of terra firme and riverine forests. New information on palm phytolith characteristics enabled phytolith analysis on soils sampled from underneath forests in western and central Amazon. We evaluated whether three major economic palms, Oenocarpus bataua, O. bacaba, and Euterpe precatoria, thought to have been significantly enriched by human activities, demonstrated such enrichment. All three palms are hyperdominant species today. We also examined expanded modern phytolith reference collections in a possible context of human management of other arboreal species that involved changes in overall forest structure and diversity during the past several thousand years. Results indicate little to no enrichment of the palms and largely stable forest structure and diversity in terra firme forests through time. Although much research remains, results of this study indicate that prehistoric human modification of Amazonian forest and creation of species hyperdominance was less influential than currently proposed by some Amazonian scholars. Findings contribute toward resolving questions concerning the temporal and spatial scale and characteristics of pre-Columbian human impacts across Amazonia. They also suggest cross-disciplinary insights surrounding the proposed new geological epoch of the Anthropocene.

Bird Diversity as a Support Decision Tool for Sustainable Management in Temperate Forested Floodplain Landscapes

Sustainably managed forests provide multiple ecosystem services in cultural landscapes, including maintaining biodiversity. Better understanding of the benefits regarding the biodiversity of different silvicultural practices is important for sustainable landscape management. Conservation targets in forested landscapes should be determined by land managers and policy-makers, based on serious ecological research. This study deals with response of bird diversity to three different habitat types of temperate hardwood floodplain forests, which reflect specific forms of forest management. Research was based on long-term field bird census in the years 1998 to 2002 applying the point count method. Data was analysed using regression analysis with dummy variables. The results of the study indicate that hardwood floodplain forest heterogeneity, supported by different types of forest management (old-growth forest protection, group-selection harvesting and forest edge protection), provides large-scale habitat mosaic conditions suitable for many breeding bird species with different ecological niches. This result suggests that comparison of bird diversity response to different forest management types can be used as a decision support tool for sustainable landscape management strategy and local management practices in forested cultural lowland landscapes. Improvements in both regional and local ecological knowledge are generally needed in order to control floodplain land use decisions, which are typically made on the scale of landscape management.

Local Communities’ Attitude Toward Community Based Forest Management: The Case of Jello Forest, West Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Managing forest through local participation is a phenomenon that emerged over recent decades as a remedial measure to the old (top down) form of forest management. One of the core concepts in this Participatory forest management (PFM) is improving sense of ownership by empowering forest dependent communities as both developer and beneficiaries of forest resources. Accordingly this research was under taken on Jello forest in Western Hararghe zone, Oromia regional state, with the objective of studying local communities’ attitude towards PFM approach and improvements in the forest dependent communities sense of ownership toward the forest. A total of 172 sampled respondents were randomly selected from both non-PFM and PFM member households. Data were collected from sampled households using Household survey questionnaire, key informant interview and focus group discussion. Qualitative data were analyzed using content and discourse analyses; whereas quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics using R-statistical software. Accordingly the result of household survey, focus group discussion and key informant interview were revealed that local communities have positive attitude towards PFM and after the PFM was introduced local communities’ sense of ownership toward the forest has significantly improved. About 70% of non- PFM and 85% of PFM members were strongly agreed that the establishment of PFM has improved local communities’ sense of ownership towards the forest. Based on the findings of this study it could be concluded that PFM is effective in improving local communities sense of ownership towards the forest an effectively compensate the short comings of centralized forest management system.

Konservasi Hutan Berbasis Kearifan Lokal di Desa Tigawasa, Kecamatan Banjar, Kabupaten Buleleng

This research aims to examine the environmental conservation system based on local wisdom in Tigawasa Village, Banjar District, Buleleng Regency which is one of the villages belonging to the Bali Aga or Bali Kuna Village in Bali. The problems in this study focused on local forms of wisdom related to forest conservation and their implications for ecological and economic aspects. The theory used in this research is the interpretive theory by Connie Geertz and the etnoecological approach by Conklin and Frake. The concept used in this research is conservation, forest and local wisdom. The research method used is qualitative method, with complete data of observation, interview, literature study and document examination. The results of the research revealed that the conservation activities of customary forests conducted by the people of Tigawasa Village are based on the local wisdoms of the ancestors that are still maintained. These local wisdoms include community conceptions of the existence of forest areas, the myths that develop in the community, forest-related ritual practices and written and non-written regulations on customary forests. Tigawasa Village community considers that the customary forest in the village is a sacred area that should not be entered or utilized other than for the purposes of traditional ceremonies, so that the forest ecosystem is maintained. The implications of forest conservation based on local wisdom are the preservation of the environment of the local forest and the development of economic opportunities in the form of forest management as an ecotourism attraction.

Comparing the provision of ecosystem services in plantation forests under alternative climate change adaptation management options in Wales

To compare the provision of ecosystem services in plantation forests under alternative climate change adaptation management trajectories, we interpolated climatic variables from the UK 11-member regional climate models to use at high resolution in forest management situations. We used expert opinion to derive the links between coarse-scaled UK National Ecosystem Assessment scenarios and forest management alternatives (FMA) in a simulation of forest planning and management under climate change uncertainty. Nine indicators were used to compare the provision of forest ecosystem services from four alternative management trajectories based on FMA types under a changing climate. These show that by 2080 a ‘business as usual’ form of forest management at both Clocaenog and Gwydyr forests will become unsuitable under the two warmest and driest climate variants, marginal under four variants, and borderline suitable under the remaining five variants. This implies that if future forest policy requires the continued delivery of a wide range of ecosystem services, including, home grown timber, biodiversity, and the carbon mitigation benefit from woodlands, then there is 20–50 % chance of failing to deliver on some of these services, unless some adaptation measures to climatic impacts occurs, such as transformation to more diverse species forests managed using low-impact silviculture systems. We show that the benefits of achieving this will be to minimise most of the impacts that climate change would otherwise have on the delivery of ecosystem services from forests.

Swidden Farming as an Agent of Environmental Change: Ecological Myth and Historical Reality in Indonesia

Abstract Swidden farming, once condemned as a major cause of deforestation, has increasingly come to be seen as a form of forest management and even conservation. Under traditional conditions, it is now assumed, swiddening was a sustainable practice and cultivation cycles were long enough to allow forest to regenerate during the fallow interval. This article tests these assumptions against historical evidence from Sulawesi (Indonesia) in the period 1820-1950. The data show that intensive bush-fallow swidden systems, with fallow periods of just five to six years, were already the norm in the early nineteenth century, when average population densities were still low and production for commerce limited. In most cases these traditional short-fallow systems were sustainable, in the sense of not entailing progressive deforestation beyond an established swidden-fallow complex. But within that complex the natural forest was permanently replaced by a much less rich and diverse anthropogenic vegetation. In some areas, moreover, swidden farming took an unsustainable, itinerant form involving the creation of fire-climax grassland. This too appears to have been a traditional pattern; there is no evidence that it resulted from population growth, or from external influences such as migration or commerce. The view of traditional swidden farming as an environmentally benign practice is an idealised one, and should not be allowed to obscure the fundamental incompatibility of agriculture with nature conservation.

The Influence of Forest Stand and Site Characteristics on the Composition of Exotic Dominated Ambrosia Beetle Communities (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

Economic and biological consequences are associated with exotic ambrosia beetles and their fungal associates. Despite this, knowledge of ambrosia beetles and their ecological interactions remain poorly understood, especially in the oak-hickory forest region. We examined how forest stand and site characteristics influenced ambrosia beetle habitat use as evaluated by species richness and abundance of ambrosia beetles, both the native component and individual exotic species. We documented the species composition of the ambrosia beetle community, flight activity, and habitat use over a 2-yr period by placing flight traps in regenerating clearcuts and older oak-hickory forest stands differing in topographic aspect. The ambrosia beetle community consisted of 20 species with exotic ambrosia beetle species dominating the community. Similar percentages of exotic ambrosia beetles occurred among the four forest habitats despite differences in stand age and aspect. Stand characteristics, such as stand age and forest structure, influenced ambrosia beetle richness and the abundances of a few exotic ambrosia beetle species and the native ambrosia beetle component. Topographic aspect had little influence on ambrosia beetle abundance or species richness. Older forests typically have more host material than younger forests and our results may be related to the amount of dead wood present. Different forms of forest management may not alter the percent contribution of exotic ambrosia beetles to the ambrosia beetle community.