Forest Management Policies Research Articles

A Study on the Growth Model of Natural Forests in Southern China Under Climate Change: Application of Transition Matrix Model

This study establishes a climate-sensitive transition matrix growth model and predicts forest growth under different carbon emission scenarios (representative concentration pathways RCP2.6, RCP4.5, and RCP8.5) over the next 40 years. Data from the Eighth (2013) and Ninth (2019) National Forest Resource Inventories in Chongqing and climate data from Climate AP are utilized. The model is used to predict forest growth and compare the number of trees, basal area, and stock volume under different climate scenarios. The results show that the climate-sensitive transition matrix growth model has high accuracy. The relationships between the variables and forest growth, mortality, and recruitment correspond to natural succession and growth. Although the number of trees, basal area, and stock volume do not differ significantly for different climate scenarios, the forest has sufficient seedling regeneration and large-diameter trees. The growth process aligns with succession, with pioneer species being replaced by climax species. The proposed climate-sensitive transition matrix growth model fills the gap in growth models for natural secondary forests in Chongqing and is an accurate method for predicting forest growth. The model can be used for long-term prediction of forest stands to understand future forest growth trends and provide reliable references for forest management. Forest growth can be predicted for different harvesting intensities to determine the optimal intensity to guide natural forest management in Chongqing City. The results of this study can help formulate targeted forest management policies to deal more effectively with climate change and promote sustainable forest health.

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.

Mapping and assessment of ecological vulnerability to wildfires in Europe

BackgroundWildfires play a significant and complex role in ecosystems, influencing various aspects of their functioning and structure. These natural disturbances can positively and negatively impact ecosystems, shaping landscapes, nutrient cycles, biodiversity, and ecological processes. This study focuses on assessing and integrating the different factors that affect the ecological vulnerability to wildfires at the European scale. Our methodology follows three steps. Firstly, ecological values based on biological distinctiveness and conservation status were estimated to understand pre-fire conditions better. Secondly, we obtain vegetation’s coping capacity (or resistance) to the impacts of fire, considering the functional traits of plants and fire characteristics through a fire extreme scenario. Finally, post-fire recovery time was calculated by considering the species-specific recovery time, recovery starting time, growth recovery rate, and the environmental constraints affecting the optimal vegetation response. These three variables were combined using a dynamic model that assumed the change of value due to wildfires integrated throughout the recovery time.ResultsOur results indicate that the tundra biome emerges as the most ecologically vulnerable to fire, primarily due to its high ecological values and long recovery time, which outweigh its moderate coping capacity. Following closely, the temperate conifer forests also exhibit high vulnerability driven by their high recovery time, despite moderate ecological and coping capacity values. The boreal forests rank next, with moderate vulnerability due to their long recovery time and moderate coping capacity. The Mediterranean region, although having moderate ecological values and recovery time, shows a notable vulnerability influenced by lower coping capacity. The temperate broadleaf and mixed forests demonstrate relatively lower vulnerability owing to their balanced ecological values, moderate recovery time, and substantial coping capacity. Lastly, the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands are the least vulnerable, benefiting from lower ecological values and the fastest recovery time, alongside moderate coping capacity, which collectively reduce their overall fire vulnerability.Furthermore, we found that coping capacity is the factor that most influenced ecological vulnerability to wildfires.ConclusionsThe study identifies key zones for European or national policies on fire prevention and post-wildfire regeneration. It offers insights into effective forest management and conservation policies, applicable to current conditions. Additionally, the methods can predict future ecological vulnerability to wildfires based on climatic and socio-economic trends.

Multitemporal Analysis of Land Cover Changes in Areas with Contrasted Forest Management and Conservation Policies in Northern Mexico

This study evaluates and contrasts changes in vegetation cover over three decades in two forest areas in the State of Chihuahua in northern Mexico with different management statuses: one with sustainable forest management and the other protected as a Flora and Fauna Protection Area. The hypothesis proposed that both areas would have maintained or increased their vegetation cover since 1995. Satellite images from the periods 1995–2008, 2008–2014, 2014–2022, and 1995–2022 were analyzed. The results showed that Ejido El Largo y Anexos significantly increased forest areas and reduced grasslands due to sustainable management practices, with a notable expansion of pine–oak and pine forests. In contrast, the Tutuaca Flora and Fauna Protection Area experienced a notable loss of oak and oak–pine forests, suggesting ineffectiveness in its conservation policies. However, there was less loss in Douglas Fir forests, indicating some effective protection efforts. The comparison reveals opposing dynamics: while Ejido El Largo y Anexos demonstrates success in sustainable management, the Tutuaca Flora and Fauna Protection Area faces conservation challenges. In conclusion, this study highlights the need for active management approaches to maintain ecosystem cover and functionality.

Review of the Current Status and Development Trend of Global Forest Carbon Storage Research Based on Bibliometrics

Forests are one of the largest terrestrial ecosystems on Earth, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and storing it as organic carbon, thereby mitigating global warming. Conducting bibliometric analysis of forest carbon storage can identify current research trends and hot issues in this field, providing data support for researchers and policy makers. This review article provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global forest carbon storage research, using databases from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace software (6.2.6 version) was employed to visualize and analyze the data, focusing on key researchers, institutions, and countries, as well as major research themes and emerging trends. The main findings are as follows: (1) Since the 21st century, the publication volume in this field has been increasing, with the United States and China being the top contributors. (2) There is active collaboration among key authors, institutions, and countries, with a notable close-knit network centered around French author Philippe Ciais. This group includes nearly half of the field’s authors and many of them are crucial for advancing research in this field. (3) Cluster and citation burst analyses suggest that future research will focus more on the impact of forest management policies on carbon stocks, with particular attention to the roles of northern temperate forests and mangroves in global carbon storage. These findings provide valuable insights into the current state and future directions of forest carbon storage research. This article is instrumental in elucidating the role of forest ecosystems within the global carbon cycle, evaluating the impacts of anthropogenic activities on forest carbon stocks, and informing the development of effective climate change mitigation strategies.

Comprehensive Analysis of Land Use Change and Carbon Sequestration in Nepal from 2000 to 2050 Using Markov Chain and InVEST Models

The escalating pace of migration and urbanization in Nepal has triggered profound alterations in land use practices. This event has resulted in a considerable diminution of ecological diversity and a substantial decline in the potential for carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services, thereby impeding climate change mitigation efforts. To address this, a comprehensive assessment of land use change and carbon storage was conducted from 2000 to 2019 and forecasted to 2050 in Nepal. Employing the Markov chain and InVEST models, this study evaluated the loss and gain of carbon, elucidating its economic value and spatial distribution. The findings revealed that carbon storage in 2000 and 2019 were 1.237 and 1.271 billion tons, respectively, with a projected increase to 1.347 million tons by 2050. Carbon sequestration between 2000 and 2019 amounted to 34.141 million tons, which is anticipated to surge to 76.07 million tons from 2019 to 2050, translating to economic valuations of 110.909 and 378.645 million USD, respectively. Forests emerged as pivotal in carbon storage, exhibiting higher carbon pooling than other land use types, expanding from 37% to 42% of the total land area from 2000 to the predicted year 2050. Notably, carbon distribution was concentrated in parts of the terai and mountain regions, alongside significant portions of the hilly terrain. The findings from this study offer valuable insights for governing Nepal and REDD+ in developing and implementing forest management policies. The results emphasize the importance of providing incentives to local communities judiciously to promote effective conservation measures.

Urban foresters’ perceptions about the role of soil and fungi in urban forest management and climate mitigation

The benefits of soil and mycorrhizal fungi in mitigating climate impacts through their vital role in carbon sequestration are well recognised in the academic literature but are not well incorporated in current urban forest planning and policies. We conducted a survey to examine urban foresters’ perceptions about the incorporation of current scientific understanding of the role of soil and fungi, and stakeholders’ engagement in urban forest management. Overall, urban foresters perceive that soil and fungi are important, however, little consideration is given to their incorporation in urban forest management practices and policies. Many stakeholders’ engagement is low in urban forest management. Urban foresters perceive that decision makers have little knowledge about the role of soil and fungi which may pose barriers to its integration in planning and policies. The key challenges revealed by the survey include the lack of funding, conflicting priorities, and the lack of mechanisms to transfer scientific knowledge to urban foresters and inter-departmentally. Municipalities should develop policies that enhance knowledge transfer and integration to enhance the efficacy of urban forest’s strategies that work to support municipal climate goals. Furthermore, collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups may enhance communication and subsequently increase support for urban forest initiatives.

Managing ecosystem services in oleaginous forests for bioenergy provision and climate change mitigation

Oleaginous forests provide diverse ecosystem services, including timber, seed yield (a vital feedstock for biodiesel production), and substantial carbon savings. These carbon savings encompass carbon sequestration related to timber growth and carbon savings resulting from substituting fossil fuel with biodiesel. However, oleaginous forests are vulnerable to seed wasp attacks (disservice), which significantly threaten both seed yield and carbon savings. Using an integrated ecological-economic model that includes Faustmann's Land Expectation Value model and a pest damage control model, we aim to understand the intricate relationship among multiple ecosystem services and disservices of oleaginous forests. The results reveal four distinct phases contingent on varying pesticide application rates: the pesticide under-use phase, substitution phase, complementary phase, and over-use phase. Notably, a potential avenue to minimize pest damage is identified during the complementary phase by reducing the optimal rotation age at the expense of decreased carbon sequestration and bioenergy provision, posing a challenge to climate change mitigation. These findings have implications for formulating policies to manage conflicting ecosystem services of energy forests, offering valuable insights into the intersection of sustainable forest management and climate policy.

Study of Carbon Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems in DRC

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the study of carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems in DRC. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Research on carbon sequestration in DRC's forests underscores their crucial role as significant carbon sinks. These forests store substantial amounts of carbon in biomass and soils, contributing significantly to global climate regulation efforts. However, challenges like deforestation and illegal logging threaten this capacity, highlighting the importance of sustainable forest management and conservation. Enhancing carbon sequestration in DRC's forests is essential for mitigating climate change impacts and preserving biodiversity. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Ecological succession theory, resource allocation theory & social-ecological systems theory may be used to anchor future studies on the study of carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems in DRC. Encourage the adoption of sustainable forestry practices that enhance carbon sequestration while supporting biodiversity conservation and local livelihoods. Align forest management policies with national and international climate change mitigation goals, emphasizing the role of forests as natural carbon sinks.

Long-term assessment of historical disturbances in the dry land ecosystems of Mutis Timau Nature Reserve, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Long-term assessment using historical satellite imagery is critical for gaining meta-information and identifying trends in land cover change. Informed policymaking about this assessment ensures forest sustainability and mitigates climate change to consider the identified trends in land cover changes and historical disturbances. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the trend of land cover change and historical disturbances in Mutis Timau Nature Reserve (CA Mutis Timau), Indonesia using the LandTrendr platform. The land cover classification is based on SNI 7645-1:2014, with a 1:50,000 scale. The data was processed using Google Earth Engine’s LandTrendr platform, which covered the vegetation index, specifically the normalized burn ratio (NBR). The results showed that the trend of land cover change in CA Mutis Timau remained stable from 1986 to 2023. These disturbance locations have low slopes and are located near neighborhoods. In specifics, the Eucalyptus forest land cover experienced the largest land cover change between 1986 and 2023, losing 945.68 ha of vegetation, or 8% of the total area of CA Mutis Timau. Over a duration of 38 years, from 1986 to 2023, the Eucalyptus forest had a cover change that turned into marble stone, barren land, grassland, and shrubs. Forest management policies, such as establishing a nature reserve area on Mount Mutis areas, had an impact on the long-term sustainability of vegetation land cover.

Plant distribution, ecological traits and diversity patterns of vegetation in subtropical managed forests as guidelines for forest management policy

Plant distribution, ecological traits and diversity patterns of vegetation in subtropical managed forests as guidelines for forest management policy

Multi-objective optimization of forest ecosystem services under uncertainty

Forest ecosystems deliver multiple services crucial for human wellbeing and welfare, with complex relationships among forest ecosystem services (FESs). Implementing sustainable forest management (SFM) policy requires insights into trade-offs, conflicts and synergies among key FESs, necessitating decision-support tools for multiple objectives. However, uncertainty in key parameters adds complexity. We formulated a tri-objective optimization problem concentrating on three vital ecosystem services in Nordic boreal forests: timber supply, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, future timber price uncertainty was integrated into the optimization model. Utilizing the TreeSim individual-tree growth and yield simulator, we simulated forest growth and yields, carbon stocks, and biodiversity values. Pareto-optimal solutions were found for four distinct management strategies using the epsilon-constrain method to solve the optimization problem. These management strategies differed in spatial restrictions on harvest location and timing, including considerations like harvest adjacency, green-up and maximum harvest opening area (MOA). The analysis revealed trade-offs among all three objectives, with variations influenced by management intensity. Furthermore, within the Pareto solutions for each strategy, a compromise solution was identified based on the knee-point method. The study demonstrated nuanced impacts of green-up constraints related to harvest practices, showing minor effects on harvesting, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity conservation when MOA was restricted to 35 hectares or less. However, more substantial impacts were observed with a MOA limited to 60 hectares or in a strategy without spatial restrictions. Our results underscore the importance of considering multiple objectives in forest management and policy under uncertain wood prices, preventing undesired effects from a singular or deterministic approach. This work provides insights into trade-offs and synergies, contributing to strategic planning and policy design.

Assessment of plant biodiversity in tropical dry forests of Sialkot, Pakistan; insight into environmental, anthropogenic influence and conservation strategies

The tropical dry forests (TDF) have an enormously rich flora and fauna that offer various ecological services to the surrounding human societies. Biodiversity assessment is mandatory for implementing any sustainable forest management policy, which is why it is one of the important criteria and indicators currently used. Threats to TDF biodiversity are the primary challenges arising from environmental concerns caused by anthropogenic activity leading to global warming issues. The study aimed to investigate the vegetation assessment and several environmental and anthropogenic variables influencing forest biodiversity from 5 threatened forest sites of District Sialkot (Ghalotian, Kishan Garh, Daburgi Chanda Singh, Pir Kot, and Ghulab Garh), Pakistan. We collected 170 distinct plant species, including 135 dicots, 27 monocots, seven pteridophytes, and one bryophyte, categorized into 138 genera and 62 families, divided into 114 herbs, 32 trees, and 24 shrubs. The phytosociological analysis described the quantitative characteristics, including % frequency, % density, % cover, and importance Value Index (IVI) of all forest areas. Gulab Garh forest has the richest biodiversity forest area, and herbs are the dominant species that have been documented. Environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, organic matter, soil pH, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+, Cl−, and electric conductivity (EC) strongly affect forest vegetation investigated by principal coordinate analysis. Shannon and Simpson’s diversity indexes reveal that all sites contain loamy and sandy soil and display a significant relationship between alpha diversity and richness. Increasing trends in temperature and decreasing trends in rainfall suggested that climate significantly affects the Sialkot region’s plant biodiversity. SWOT analysis highlighted that population growth leads to increasing anthropogenic activities such as constructing housing societies and roads, inadequate farming, and excessive grazing, impacting the forest vegetation and altering TDF ecosystem properties/services and functioning. Our findings reinforce the vegetational assessment and importance of local forest biodiversity and significant environmental drivers that influence the plant species diversity in TDF areas. Future conservation strategies are suggested to reduce unlawful resource consumption, restore plant biodiversity in designated protected areas, and conserve rare species locally.

Old Pinus massoniana forests benefit more from recent rapid warming in humid subtropical areas of central-southern China

Trees progress through various growth stages, each marked by specific responses and adaptation strategies to environmental conditions. Despite the importance of age-related growth responses on overall forest health and management policies, limited knowledge exists regarding age-related effects on dendroclimatic relationships in key subtropical tree species. In this study, we employed a dendrochronological method to examine the impact of rapid warming on growth dynamics and climatic sensitivity of young (40–60 years) and old (100–180 years) Pinus massoniana forests across six sites in central-southern China. The normalized log basal area increment of trees in both age groups increased significantly following rapid warming in 1984. Trees in young forests further showed a distinct growth decline during a prolonged severe drought (2004–2013), whereas those in old forests maintained growth increases. Tree growth was more strongly influenced by temperature than by moisture, particularly in old forests. Spring temperatures strongly and positively impacted the growth of old trees but had a weaker effect on young ones. Old forests had a significantly lower resistance to extreme drought but faster recovery compared to young forests. The “divergence problem” was more pronounced in younger forests due to their heightened sensitivity to warming-induced drought and heat stress. With ongoing warming, young forests also may initially experience a growth decline due to their heightened sensitivity to winter drought. Our findings underscore the importance of considering age-dependent changes in forest/tree growth response to warming in subtropical forest management, particularly in the context of achieving “Carbon Peak & Carbon Neutrality” goals in China.

Wildfire risk management in the era of climate change.

The August 8, 2023R Lahaina fire refocused attention on wildfires, public alerts, and emergency management. Wildfire risk is on the rise, precipitated through a combination of climate change, increased development in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), decades of unmitigated biomass accumulation in forests, and a long history of emphasis on fire suppression over hazard mitigation. Stemming the tide of wildfire death and destruction will involve bringing together diverse scientific disciplines into policy. Renewed emphasis is needed on emergency alerts and community evacuations. Land management strategies need to account for the impact of climate change and hazard mitigation on forest ecosystems. Here, we propose a long-term strategy consisting of integrating wildfire risk management in wider-scope forest land management policies and strategies, and we discuss new technologies and possible scientific breakthroughs.

ASSESSMENT OF FOREST DISTURBANCES USING REMOTE SENSING: CASE OF KALIWA RIVER FOREST RESERVE (KRFR), PHILIPPINES

Abstract. The Kaliwa River Forest Reserve (KRFR) is located in the southwestern part of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range, Philippines. KRFR is one of the most important forest reserves in the country that is adjacent to urban areas and is very much affected by various forest disturbances. Forest disturbances can be caused by either anthropogenic or natural phenomena (e.g., typhoons, drought, and pathogen outbreaks) and may have negative effects on the forest structure and function. The study used the Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI) in detecting forest disturbances for the period of 2010, 2015, and 2020. Results showed that the deforestation rate has significantly decreased from 6.22% in 2010 to 3.40% in 2020. The National Greening Program (NGP) and intensified forest protection activities of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) may have contributed to the observed decreasing trend in deforestation rate. However, forest disturbance in the closed and open forest areas of KRFR gradually increased from 0.11% to 0.40%. Based on the accuracy assessment, the NDMI performed well in determining forest disturbances with mean values of 0.91 and 0.93 for completeness and correctness, respectively. The main contributor to forest disturbances in KRFR was mainly anthropogenic factors such as kaingin, illegal logging, urban sprawl, and upland farming. Outputs of this study can aid in the formulation of policies for better forest resource management, rehabilitation, and protection in the protected area.

Patterns of forest community diversity, regeneration potential and carbon storages along an altitudinal gradient in Eastern Himalaya, India

This study showed changing patterns in the plant species composition, diversity, and carbon storage potential of different forests along altitudinal gradients (i.e. 100 – 1900 m) in Eastern Himalayan India. Different tree, shrub and herb species were sampled along the altitudinal gradients ranging from tropical to temperate forests through Nested Plot design. In each forest, vegetation sampling was made by establishing a permanent plot of 250 m × 250 m as per ISRO-GBP/NCP-VCP protocol. Individuals of trees ≥10 cm girth at breast height (GBH), shrubs and herbs were recorded in 4, 8 and 16 subplots of 31.62 m × 31.62 m, 5 m × 5 m and 1 m × 1 m, respectively. Community attributes such as species richness, density, basal area, diversity indices and biomass and carbon storages were computed for each study site. A total of 5 forest communities (2 each from tropical and subtropical and one from temperate forest) were identified. The woody species diversity was highest in the subtropical forest followed by tropical and temperate forest. Altitude played an important role in the Eastern Himalayan Mountains in the establishment and distribution of forest community. Forest community composition changes with elevation, for instance, the dominant communities like Dipterocarpus retusus–Phoebe goalparensis–Schima wallichii (D-P-S), Gmelina arborea–Schima wallichii-Duabanga grandiflora (G-S-D), Schima wallichii–Duabanga grandiflora–Alstonia scholaris (S-D-A), Alstonia scholaris–Terminalia myriocarpa–Bischofia javanica (A-T-B) and Acer thomsonii–Rhodendron arboreum–Quercus lamellose (A-R-Q) were present at elevational ranges of 100–300 m, 300–700 m, 700–1100 m, 1100–1500 m and 1500–1900 m, respectively. The study showed that about 41–57% of the tree species exhibited good regeneration followed by 23–30% as fair, 6–16% as poor, and 6–21% species did not show regeneration along the altitudinal gradient. The total biomass carbon (Mg C ha−1) varied from 84.74 to 163.56 in tropical, 103.12 – 156.41 in subtropical and 133.05 in temperate forest. In conclusion, community composition, regeneration pattern and biomass carbon storage changes along altitude because of altered biophysical characteristics. However, despite variations in elevation, factors for forest disturbance at different altitudes significantly contributed to the community attributes and overall accumulation of biomass carbon. Hence, the traditional management practices carried out by local communities also play a crucial role in shaping the structure, composition, and carbon dynamics of forest ecosystems. Understanding the impacts of these practices is essential for promoting sustainable forest management by conserving forests and preserving carbon stocks for mitigating climate change in future. This study emphasizes the importance of long-term forest monitoring to promote biodiversity conservation and formulate conservation strategies that support sustainable forest management policies to which ensure continuous provision of ecosystem services in the region.

Spatiotemporal variation and response of gross primary productivity to climate factors in forests in Qiannan state from 2000 to 2020

Accurate estimation of terrestrial gross primary productivity (GPP) is essential for quantifying the carbon exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere. Light use efficiency (LUE) models are widely used to estimate GPP at different spatial scales. However, difficulties in properly determining the maximum LUE (LUEmax) and downregulation of LUEmax into actual LUE result in uncertainties in the LUE-estimated GPP. The recently developed P model, a new LUE model, captures the adaptability of vegetation to the environment and simplifies parameterization. Site-level studies have proven the superior performance of the P model over LUE models. As a representative karst region with significant changes in forest cover in Southwest China, Qiannan is useful for exploring the spatiotemporal variation in forest GPP and its response to climate change for formulating forest management policies to address climate changes, e.g., global warming. Based on remote sensing and meteorological data, this study estimated the forest ecosystem GPP in Qiannan from 2000–2020 via the P model. This study explored the spatiotemporal changes in GPP in the study region over the past 20 years, used the Hurst index to predict future development trends from a time series perspective, and used partial correlation analysis to analyse the spatiotemporal GPP changes over the past 20 years in response to three factors: temperature, precipitation, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). Our results showed that (1) the total amount of GPP and average GPP in Qiannan over the past 21 years (2000–2020) were 1.9 × 104 ± 2.0 × 103 MgC ha−1 year−1 and 1238.9 ± 107.9 gC m−2 year−1, respectively. The forest GPP generally increased at a rate of 6.1 gC m−2 year−1 from 2000 to 2020 in Qiannan, and this increase mainly occurred in the nongrowing season. (2) From 2000 to 2020, the forest GPP in Qiannan was higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest, indicating significant spatial heterogeneity. In the future, more than 70% of regional forest GPP will experience a weak increase in nonsustainability. (3) In Qiannan, forest GPP was positively correlated with both temperature and precipitation, with partial correlation coefficients of 0.10 and 0.11, respectively. However, the positive response of GPP to precipitation was approximately 70.47%, while that to temperature was 64.05%. Precipitation had a stronger restrictive effect on GPP than did temperature in this region, and GPP exhibited a negative correlation with VPD. The results showed that an increase in VPD inhibits GPP to some extent. Under rapid global change, the P model GPP provides new GPP data for global ecology studies, and the comparison of various stress factors allows for improvement of the GPP model in the future. The results of this study will aid in understanding the dynamic processes of terrestrial carbon. These findings are helpful for estimating and predicting the carbon budget of forest ecosystems in karst regions, clarifying the regional carbon absorption capacity, clarifying the main factors limiting vegetation growth in these regions, promoting sustainable regional forestry development and serving the “dual carbon goal.” This work has important guiding significance for policy formulation to mitigate climate change.

Factors Influencing Forest Dependency on the Gola Rainforest Reserve in Sierra Leone

Purpose: Forests are under intense human pressure due to a high level of dependency. Understanding socioeconomic and demographic incentives surrounding forest dependence is critical to mitigating the adverse impacts of forest degradation in Africa. Therefore, this study examines the factors promoting household forest dependence in Sierra Leone's Gola Rainforest Reserve through four research questions: (1) What is the contribution of forest income relative to total household income? (2) What are the key sources of relative forest income? (3) How do gender, age, and education influence forest dependency? (4) What factors drive dependence on forest resources?
 Methodology: The study's target population was rural households living near the Gola Rainforest Reserve in Gaura and Tunkia Chiefdoms in the Kenema district. The study used convenience sampling. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used for data collection. It drew from 101 survey responses analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, binary logistic regression on S.P.S.S., and then —seven expert interviews and three focus group discussions explored with thematic analysis on Google Docs. The study used tables and figures for data presentation.
 Findings: The study's results showed four key findings. First, forest income accounts for 46% of monthly household income in the sampled community. Second, the top five sources of forest income are cocoa (74%), moringa tea (9%), timber wood (4%), forest spices (4%), and forest fruit and vegetables (3%). Third, age, education, and gender influence forest dependence. Fourth, livelihood and direct consumption are the key factors driving dependence on forest resources. Therefore, the study recommended that decision-makers and conservationists consider socioeconomic factors like gender, age, education, and livelihood when designing forest management projects, strategies, or policies. 
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice, and Policy: The study’s outcome contributes to the growing literature on forest dependency. It provides key insights into the significant contribution of forest resources to household income. Analyzing the influence of socio-demographic factors, like gender, age, and education, on forest resources enhances the understanding of resource-use patterns. This study allows forest conservationists, government decision-makers, and academics to develop projects, policies, and strategies from an informed perspective, considering socio-economic realities, to promote sustainable forest management practices in Sierra Leone and other developing countries to mitigate deforestation.

Assessing Forest-Change-Induced Carbon Storage Dynamics by Integrating GF-1 Image and Localized Allometric Growth Equations in Jiangning District, Nanjing, Eastern China (2017–2020)

Forest and its dynamics are of great significance for accurately estimating regional carbon sequestration, emissions and carbon sink capacity. In this work, an efficient framework that integrates remote sensing, deep learning and statistical modeling was proposed to extract forest change information and then derive forest carbon storage dynamics during the period 2017 to 2020 in Jiangning District, Nanjing, Eastern China. Firstly, the panchromatic band and multi-spectral bands of GF-1 images were fused by using four different methods; Secondly, an improved Mask-RCNN integrated with Swin Transformer was devised to extract forest distribution information in 2020. Finally, by using the substitution strategy of space for time in the 2017 Forest Management and Planning Inventory (FMPI) data, local carbon density allometric growth equations were fitted by coniferous forest and broad-leaved forest types and compared, and the optimal fitting was accordingly determined, followed by the measurements of forest-change-induced carbon storage dynamics. The results indicated that the improved Mask-RCNN synergizing with the Swin Transformer gained an overall accuracy of 93.9% when mapping the local forest types. The carbon storage of forest standing woods was calculated at 1,449,400 tons in 2020, increased by 14.59% relative to that of 2017. This analysis provides a technical reference for monitoring forest change and lays a data foundation for local agencies to formulate forest management policies in the process of achieving dual-carbon goals.