Supply Of Forest Products Research Articles

Causes of Deforestation: Evidence from Top Deforested Countries

This study investigates the causes of deforestation using panel data for top deforested countries from 1995 to 2022. We apply Panel Corrected Standard Error (PCSE) technique. The findings affirm that urbanization and water stress has negative and significant effect on deforestation and unemployment and agricultural exports have positive and significant effect on deforestation. The results of this study serve as the basis for the recommendations presented in the present research strategy such as labour opportunity cost might be increased to reduce agricultural rent. Stabilization and regeneration of the forest cover should be prompted by a greater demand for and a restricted supply of forest products. Labour opportunity cost should be increased to reduce agricultural rent. Stabilization and regeneration of the forest cover should be prompted by a greater demand for and a restricted supply of forest products.

The Assessment of Green Poverty Reduction Strategies in Ecologically Fragile Areas: A Case Study of Southern Xinjiang in China

Green poverty reduction is a strategic choice for China to bring ecological benefits as well as economic and social benefits. This study examines three typical models of green poverty reduction strategies in Southern Xinjiang, which is an ecologically fragile region. The data for calculating the comprehensive benefits of the three models were derived from satellite remote sensing data, regional forestry bureau statistics, and survey data from 2021. The economic benefits are calculated to measure the net profit of a certain type of cover such as the supply of timber, forest products, and crops. The ecological benefits are calculated to measure the improvement in water resource regulation, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, windbreak and sand fixation, biodiversity conservation, and landscape recreation. The social benefits include providing employment opportunities and government subsidy. The comprehensive benefits are a weighted average over individual benefit categories. We found that the comprehensive benefits of the composite forest model, the drought-resistant crop model, and the industrial transformation model are CNY 288 million, CNY 50 million, and CNY 545 million, respectively. The composite forest model and the industrial transformation model have greater ecological benefits, while the drought-resistant crop model has greater economic benefits.

Impact of community forestry on women's workload and the use of chemical fertilizer

A case study of Gaukhureshwor Community Forest User Group (FUG) of Kavrepalanchwok district shows that community-managed forests over the past several years has increased the supply of forest products particularly leaf litter. An increased supply of forest products has significantly reduced the workload of women in the area. In addition farmers have significantly reduced the use of chemical fertilizer in their farmland. These two positive effects of community forestry can have a favorable impact on the sustainable rural livelihoods.

An Accuracy Assessment of Field and Airborne Laser Scanning–Derived Individual Tree Inventories using Felled Tree Measurements and Log Scaling Data in a Mixed Conifer Forest

Abstract On-the-ground sample-based forest inventory methods have been the standard practice for more than a century, however, remote sensing technologies such as airborne laser scanning (ALS) are providing wall-to-wall inventories based on individual tree measurements. In this study, we assess the accuracy of individual tree height, diameter, and volume derived from field-cruising measurements and three ALS data-derived methods in a 1.1 ha stand using direct measurements acquired on felled trees and log-scale volume measurements. Results show that although height derived from indirect conventional field measurements and ALS were statistically equivalent to felled tree height measurements, ALS measured heights had lower root mean square error (RMSE) and bias. Individual tree diameters modeled using a height-to-diameter-at-breast-height model derived from local forest inventory data and the software ForestView had moderate RMSE (8.3–8.5 cm) and bias (-3.0 – -0.3 cm). The ALS-based methods underdetected trees but accounted for 78%–91% of the field reference harvested merchantable volume and 71%–99% of the merchantable volume scaled at the mill. The results also illustrate challenges of using mill-scaled volume estimates as validation data and highlight the need for more research in this area. Overall, the results provide key insights to forest managers on accuracies associated with conventional field-derived and ALS-derived individual tree inventories. Study Implications: Forest inventory data provide critical information for operational decisions and forest product supply chain planning. Traditionally, forest inventories have used field sampling of stand conditions, which is time-intensive and cost-prohibitive to conduct at large spatial scales. Remote sensing technologies such as airborne laser scanning (ALS) provide wall-to-wall inventories based on individual tree measurements. This study advances our understanding of the accuracy of conventional field-derived and ALS-derived individual tree inventories by evaluating these inventories with felled tree and log scaling data. The results provide key insights to forest managers on errors associated with conventional field and ALS-derived individual tree measurements.

Residents’ Willingness to Pay for Forest Ecosystem Services Based on Forest Ownership Classification in South Korea

South Korea is one of the countries with a significant proportion of its national territory covered by forests. However, it remains unclear what management strategies for providing forest ecosystem services are preferred by the residents. This study explores South Korean residents’ preferences for managing local forest ecosystem services, with a focus on how these preferences vary by forest ownership. Using the choice experiment method, this research identified residents’ willingness to pay for seven key local forest ecosystem services, along with a tax measure. The findings indicate a strong preference for biodiversity as the primary ecosystem service in both national/public and private forests, with residents willing to pay an average of KRW 28,370 (USD 21.80) per household per year and KRW 31,670 (USD 24.34) per household per year, respectively, for its enhancement. Preferences varied depending on forest ownership, with noticeable differences in perceptions of services like water supply, non-timber forest product supply, carbon storage, and recreation. Based on forest ownership, these variations in perceptions highlight the importance of managing ecosystem services in line with national/public forests and private forests, which significantly influences residents’ preferences. The study emphasizes the necessity of formulating ecosystem service management policies that account for the region’s unique natural resource characteristics, aiming to maximize ecological benefits for the local population.

Insights from communities’ awareness and participation in greening semi-arid lands for effective environmental conservation

Background and Research Aims Tree planting holds significant potential for environmental protection in the era of climate change and variability. It is particularly crucial in semi-arid areas where tree density is extremely low, necessitating the engagement of local communities. However, information about local people's awareness and their willingness to participate in greening practices is rarely considered. We assessed the levels of community awareness, the extent of participation, and the factors influencing their willingness to green the Dodoma semi-arid area between 2018 and 2022. Methods We collected data from 145 respondents using a household questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, while template analysis was applied to the qualitative data. Results We found the overwhelming majority of respondents (n= 136) are aware of the importance of tree planting, and 89.7% of respondents participated in greening practices. Income level, education level, environmental awareness, perceived benefits of tree planting, and social influence were significant predictors of communities' willingness to plant trees. Conclusion Despite the greater awareness and active participation of tree planting found among local actors in the study area, efforts must be directed towards suitable selection of adaptive, affordable and improved tree species for sustainable and feasible socio-ecological benefits of afforestation in semi-arid areas. Implications for conservation The study underscores the potential of community awareness and participation in tree planting for environmental conservation and the sustainable supply of forest products, which are vital for local livelihood development. We advocate for the consideration of socioeconomic and ecological factors when engaging local actors in greening urban semi-arid lands through technical and financial empowerment.

Variation of financial benefits from provisioning ecosystem services between nearby and distant users in Partnership Forest Management in Nepal

Partnership Forest Management (PFM) in Nepal was initiated to balance the supply of forest products between nearby and distant users' communities in the Terai region of Nepal. This study in Buddha Shanti Partnership forest analyzed the financial benefits of provisioning services and identified the socio-economic attributes influencing such benefits. A financial analysis of provisioning services was carried out using user prices outlined in the Operational Plan of the forest and on market-price-based approaches. This shows that timber provided more benefits to distant users, while nearby users have reaped more financial gains from fuelwood and fodder. Analysis revealed that home-to-forest distance, along with landholdings and livestock unit are the major factors impacting the overall financial benefits. This shows that the inclusion of distant users in PFM has provided financial benefits from provisioning services to those users.

The impact of COVID-19 on the global forestry sector – A bibliometric analysis-based literature review

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought profound changes in the world. Consequently, it has affected global forests, forest-dependent communities, and the forest industry. The current study examines academic research focusing on the Pandemic's effects on the overall forestry sector by conducting a bibliometric analysis followed by a literature review in light of themes identified from the bibliometric analysis itself. We identified relevant studies in the Web of Science database, and the metadata of the selected studies was analyzed using the R-based Biblioshiny application. We identified the studies' sources, focus areas, impacts, locations, and themes through the bibliometrics analysis. Then, the findings of the studies were reviewed and summarized based on the identified themes. One dominant theme was forest recreation, with urban forests increasingly serving as stress-relieving and social spaces for communities during the Pandemic. Conversely, reduced ecotourism and forest park visits adversely affected some communities and conservation efforts that depend on tourism income. Loss of livelihoods and diminished enforcement in some regions exacerbated pressures on forests, leading to heightened deforestation, poaching, land encroachments, and forest fires. Some authorities adapted to the challenge by integrating online technologies into forest management and conservation efforts. Some forest-dependent communities were disproportionately affected, raising concerns about indigenous rights. The forest industry faced challenges such as labor shortages and fluctuations in the supply, demand, and prices of forest products, as indicated in several studies. The study offers insights into the existing literature and identifies research gaps. It provides essential information for better preparedness in the face of future disruptive events and informs the development of policies to protect our forests.

Multifunctional Forest Restoration in Brazil: A Critical Analysis of the Trends and Knowledge Gaps in the Scientific Literature

The global demand for forest products will increase in the coming decades due to population growth and increasing environmental awareness. Therefore, the production of forest products through multifunctional forest restoration could be a meaningful opportunity for large-scale restoration while promoting sustainability and vegetation recovery. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to explore how forest restoration in Brazil can meet the growing global demand for forest products, thereby promoting the widespread adoption of restoration practices. The number of forest restoration publications addressing forest product supply has increased, but remains limited. Notably, only studies on payments for environmental services have increased significantly over the years, while studies on non-timber forest products and timber have not increased significantly. Similar patterns and trends were found in earlier studies. Many studies do not provide insights into the socioeconomic outcomes of multifunctional forest restoration, which is consistent with other research findings. The studies cited 108 native species of commercial value. According to the literature, these species can provide multiple forest products, making their management economically attractive. Multifunctional restoration in Brazil has the potential for meeting global demand for forest products and supporting large-scale restoration. However, advancing scientific and technological knowledge in this area is needed to make this feasible.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Strengthening the Legal Framework for Regulation of Wildlife and Forest Crimes in Nigeria

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications and machine learning models have extended beyond merely solving computer-related problems to tackle environmental sustainability issues. One such case is countermanding the demand and supply of illegal forest and wildlife products. In Nigeria, the challenges of improving its ability to combat the high rate of wildlife and forest crimes within its borders remain daunting. Despite existing laws, Nigeria remains both a source and a key intermediary for wildlife smuggling and crimes involving protected species. This paper analyses the potential of AI as a tool for strengthening the existing legal framework on wildlife crimes in Nigeria. The findings of this paper demonstrate that the current framework for preventing forest and wildlife crime is being breached due to a lack of resources available to enforcement authorities. Thus, leveraging AI’s potential presents innovative solutions to strengthen compliance with these laws.

An econometric model for non-timber forest products in the Brazilian Amazon

The objective of this study is to identify the determinants of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs’) supply and demand in the Amazon region. The method applied was an econometric model of supply and demand in a log-linear form. Based on consumer and firm theories as well as studies on the market for extractive products, we developed models of supply and demand for NTFPs. The models were estimated by Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) in the log-log functional form, allowing to obtain the elasticities of the variables that affect the NTFPs supply and demand. The results indicated that during the study period, the behavior of the NTFPs market was stable in terms of the price and the quantities produced. These products displayed low elasticity in relation to price, both on the supply and the demand sides. This indicates that the cultivation of NTFPs (producing species) is a better option than the expansion of extractive activity. We conclude that the modernization of extractive production, the development of the products, and government support for commercialization are essential for the development of sector and the local community

Silvicultural Systems in the Restoration of Normal Forest: A Review

This paper review show different silvicultural systems help to restore normal forests, their usefulness and limitations. It is based on a desk review of various secondary data. Nature of ownership, management objectives, and site quality determine the silvicultural system to be adopted. In regular (even-aged) forest, normality is carried out by the clear-felling system, uniform shelterwood system and coppice system while irregular (uneven-aged) normal forest is managed using the selection system. As perfect normality is unattainable, the role of the manager is to reach maximum attainable position. It regulates the supply of forest products on sustainable basis as well as restoring the health and vitality of the forest.

Drivers, trends and management of forest plantation fires in Tanzania

During the last two decades there has been an increase in investments in exotic woodlots and commercial forest plantations in Tanzania. However, fire has repeatedly been singled out as number one risk to forestry plantations investments and improved management is urgently needed to reverse the trend and ensure sustainable supply of forest products. Unfortunately, little has been documented on major drivers, trends and management of exotic woodlots and forest plantation fires in Tanzania. Lack of such information has slowed down and diminished efforts to reduce the negative impacts of these fires and upscaling of commercial forestry. This paper analyses few available published information and gray literature as well as satellite imagery for 2016–2020 to put together drivers, trends and management of forest plantation fires. To effectively control fires, it is important that forest policy is enforced, education and awareness on fires is enhanced, local communities support is promoted and fire prevention and suppression is strengthened in Tanzania.

Construction of Prediction Model of Ecological Forestry Economic Development Trend Based on Deep Belief Network.

With the rapid development of economy, environmental problems become more and more serious, and people begin to pay attention to ecological construction. Forestry is an important industry related to the long-term survival and development of mankind. It undertakes the important tasks of forest product supply and ecological construction. Therefore, the quality of its development has a direct impact on all aspects of ecological economic construction. It is related to China's ecological construction and sustainable development and plays an important role in social development. The corresponding evaluation index system and evaluation model were established to deeply analyze the economic development trend of ecological forestry system. It has certain guiding significance to provide theoretical guidance for the future development direction of ecological forestry.

Organellar microcapture to extract nuclear and plastid DNA from recalcitrant wood specimens and trace evidence

BackgroundIllegal logging is a global crisis with significant environmental, economic, and social consequences. Efforts to combat it call for forensic methods to determine species identity, provenance, and individual identification of wood specimens throughout the forest products supply chain. DNA-based methodologies are the only tools with the potential to answer all three questions and the only ones that can be calibrated “non-destructively” by using leaves or other plant tissue and take advantage of publicly available DNA sequence databases. Despite the potential that DNA-based methods represent for wood forensics, low DNA yield from wood remains a limiting factor because, when compared to other plant tissues, wood has few living DNA-containing cells at functional maturity, it often has PCR-inhibiting extractives, and industrial processing of wood degrades DNA. To overcome these limitations, we developed a technique—organellar microcapture—to mechanically isolate intact nuclei and plastids from wood for subsequent DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing.ResultsHere we demonstrate organellar microcapture wherein we remove individual nuclei from parenchyma cells in wood (fresh and aged) and leaves of Carya ovata and Tilia americana, amyloplasts from Carya wood, and chloroplasts from kale (Brassica sp.) leaf midribs. ITS (773 bp), ITS1 (350 bp), ITS2 (450 bp), and rbcL (620 bp) were amplified via polymerase chain reaction, sequenced, and heuristic searches against the NCBI database were used to confirm that recovered DNA corresponded to each taxon.ConclusionOrganellar microcapture, while too labor-intensive for routine extraction of many specimens, successfully recovered intact nuclei from wood samples collected more than sixty-five years ago, plastids from fresh sapwood and leaves, and presents great potential for DNA extraction from recalcitrant plant samples such as tissues rich in secondary metabolites, old specimens (archaeological, herbarium, and xylarium specimens), or trace evidence previously considered too small for analysis.

Forest benefits and willingness to pay for sustainable forest management

The Desa'a forest in Tigray is a national forest priority area managed by the government. Government authorities grant access to local communities as the forest is the source of income for many households. To allow the forest provide such economic needs and ecological functions, its sustainability needs to be ensured. We studied the effect of a demand-relevant economic attribute and two policy–relevant ecological attributes to examine preference for alternative forest management mechanisms. We find positive preference for the supply of forest products and soil and water conservation. Marginal WTP is higher for the most sustainable levels, indicating households' preference to forest management mechanisms that ensure supply of forest products for longer periods and significantly reduce soil erosion and water loss. On the other hand, observed heterogeneity implies differences in preferences and tradeoffs between economic benefits (forest products) and ecological improvements (soil and water conservation). Overall, the positive preference for these important attributes emanates both from realizations of economic benefits and ecological services from the forest, suggesting the importance of incorporating such competing preferences (interests and needs) in forest management plans.

The Implication of Covid-19 on Forest in Malawi

The rate of deforestation and degradation of forests in Malawi has been remarkably high as a result of high dependency on forests for cooking fuel, expansion of agriculture and population growth. Similarly, forests in Malawi are a source of livelihood, as well as safety nets for rural communities in times of unanticipated scarcity of food or as gap fillers during regular seasonal shortfalls of food supply. The forest sector also supports agriculture which is the backbone of the economy in various ways such as in soil erosion management, soil fertility improvement, and water flow regulation. These have made the forest sector key in economic growth and poverty alleviation in Malawi, which is among the world’s poorest countries. Hence, the forest sector in Malawi is of great importance to sustainable livelihood and development. However, the high dependence on forests particularly among rural households is prone to exacerbate deforestation and degradation of forests in the COVID-19 pandemic era. This is so because Malawi, just like in other parts of the world has experienced a decline in household income and loss of jobs as a result of the pandemic, leading to increased pressure on forests, especially among forest-dependent households. This study looked at the implication of COVID-19 on the forest sector in three ways; the demand and supply of forest products as well as forest management, by reviewing relevant literature. The review showed that the COVID-19 precautionary measures such as restriction of movement and closure of border disrupted the supply chain of forest resources, which resulted in a demand shortage. Also, the ‘work from home” measure, which keeps forest guard away from forests increasing the exploitation of forest and forest conservation training programmes as well as impedes tourism to forest reserves. Therefore, the knowledge of the implication of COVID-19 on Malawi’s forest is core in building a resilient and sustainable post-COVID-19 economy.

Accuracy of a LiDAR-Based Individual Tree Detection and Attribute Measurement Algorithm Developed to Inform Forest Products Supply Chain and Resource Management

Individual Tree Detection (ITD) algorithms that use Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data can provide accurate tree locations and measurements of tree-level attributes that are required for stand-to-landscape scale forest inventory and supply chain management. While numerous ITD algorithms exist, few have been assessed for accuracy in stands with complex forest structure and composition, limiting their utility for operational application. In this study, we conduct a preliminary assessment of the ability of the ForestView® algorithm created by Northwest Management Incorporated to detect individual trees, classify tree species, live/dead status, canopy position, and estimate height and diameter at breast height (DBH) in a mixed coniferous forest with an average tree density of 543 (s.d. ±387) trees/hectare. ITD accuracy was high in stands with lower canopy cover (recall: 0.67, precision: 0.8) and lower in stands with higher canopy cover (recall: 0.36, precision: 0.67), mainly owing to omission of suppressed trees that were not detected under the dominant tree canopy. Tree species that were well-represented within the study area had high classification accuracies (producer’s/user’s accuracies > ~60%). The similarity between the ALS estimated and observed tree attributes was high, with no statistical difference in the ALS estimated height and DBH distributions and the field observed height and DBH distributions. RMSEs for tree-level height and DBH were 0.69 m and 7.2 cm, respectively. Overall, this algorithm appears comparable to other ITD and measurement algorithms, but quantitative analyses using benchmark datasets in other forest types and cross-comparisons with other ITD algorithms are needed.

Silvicultural Management System Applied to Logged Forests in the Brazilian Amazon: A Case Study of Adaptation of Techniques to Increase the Yield and Diversity of Species Forestry

The existence of degraded forests is common in the Eastern Amazon. The maintenance of these forests standing and the recovery of their productivity play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity, storage and carbon sequestration. However, the management techniques currently employed are designed for natural forests in the first harvest cycle or lightly explored and do not apply adequately to forests that have gone through several harvest cycles. Therefore, adaptations and the establishment of new management criteria that take into account other characteristics of these types of forests are necessary to ensure their sustainability. The objective of this study was to propose a silvicultural management system that has the potential to recover and perpetuate the productivity of an intensively logged tropical forest. A forest census was carried out on 535.6 ha for trees with dbh ≥ 25 cm. With these data, the following two treatments were designed: (1) criteria: the BDq method was applied from B = 9.8 m2 ha−1, D = 100 cm and q = 2. The criteria for standing wood commercialization were, in this order, first, Health; second, Tree Stem; third, Tree Density and fourth, dbh ≥ 105 cm. (2) Control: the planning was in accordance with Brazilian regulations. For the cost–benefit and sensitivity analysis, the Net Present Value (NPV) was used and a projection of ±20% was made in the commercial price of standing wood. In the criteria treatment, a higher number of trees and species destined for the commercialization of standing wood was verified in relation to the control treatment, showing a greater diversity of species. In the criteria treatment, NPV was positive and superior to the control treatment in all scenarios. The proposed silvicultural management system with an object of an explored and enriched forest, with criteria for harvesting trees with a minimum cut diameter of 25 cm, proved to be viable to generate economic returns and with conservationist potential for the continuous supply of forest products and maintaining biodiversity.

Drought Stress Described by Transcriptional Responses of Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. under Pathogen Heterobasidion parviporum Attack

The major threats to the sustainable supply of forest tree products are adverse climate, pests and diseases. Climate change, exemplified by increased drought, poses a unique threat to global forest health. This is attributed to the unpredictable behavior of forest pathosystems, which can favor fungal pathogens over the host under persistent drought stress conditions in the future. Currently, the effects of drought on tree resistance against pathogens are hypothetical, thus research is needed to identify these correlations. Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) is one of the most economically important tree species in Europe and is considered highly vulnerable to changes in climate. Dedicated experiments to investigate how disturbances will affect the Norway spruce—Heterobasidion sp. pathosystem are important, in order to develop different strategies to limit the spread of H. annosum s.l. under the predicted climate change. Here, we report a transcriptional study to compare Norway spruce gene expressions to evaluate the effects of water availability and the infection of Heterobasidion parviporum. We performed inoculation studies of three-year-old saplings in a greenhouse (purchased from a nursery). Norway spruce saplings were treated in either high (+) or low (−) water groups: high water group received double the water amount than the low water group. RNA was extracted and sequenced. Similarly, we quantified gene expression levels of candidate genes in biotic stress and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways using qRT-PCR, through which we discovered a unique preferential defense response of H. parviporum-infected Norway spruce under drought stress at the molecular level. Disturbances related to water availability, especially low water conditions can have negative effects on the tree host and benefit the infection ability of the pathogens in the host. From our RNA-seq analysis, 114 differentially expressed gene regions were identified between high (+) and low (−) water groups under pathogen attack. None of these gene pathways were identified to be differentially expressed from both non-treated and mock-control treatments between high (+) and low (−) water groups. Finally, only four genes were found to be associated with drought in all treatments.