The economics of timber supply: Does it pay to reduce harvest levels?

Sustained yield policies designed to ensure an even annual flow of timber harvests remain the most common approach to forest management on public lands in Canada. Such policies have been criticized on the environmental grounds that timber production is emphasized at the expense of other values, and on the economic grounds that policy-makers try to maximize the harvests level without regard for economic optimality (measured by whether or not revenues cover variable costs of production). In a case study from Northern Ontario, we used a spatially explicit harvest scheduling model to evaluate financial outputs for various scenarios, introducing different timber flow constraints, as well as varying utilization policies. We show that current policies do contribute to firms harvesting at uneconomic levels. More specifically, our results show that reducing harvest levels could increase firm profitability (measured in an increase in net revenues associated with harvesting operations). We estimate that to meet the annual allowable cut (AAC) of approximately 375,000 cubic metres (m³), the firm loses $500,000 annually (measured by the amount by which total harvesting costs exceed log values delivered at the mill). Reducing the target AAC to just under 300,000 m³ leads to a reversed situation, harvesting revenues now exceeding costs by $1.2 million annually. Dropping the even flow constraint leads to even higher annual profitability of $3.5 million, with the drawback that harvesting levels show significant variation over the 100-year planning period. Our results also show that the largest factor influencing the level of profitability is attributed to access costs (principally roading costs). In this case, other harvesting policies, such as utilization standards, may not be significant factors affecting costs in this region of Northern Ontario.     

The legacy of timber harvest: Do patterns of species dominance suggest recovery of lepidopteran communities in managed hardwood stands?

Patterns of local and regional dominance within species assemblages can be used to infer the legacy of disturbance in managed systems. Specifically, highly disturbed communities are expected to share the same dominant species across environmental gradients, while recovery from disturbance should be correlated with a differentiation among the dominant suite of species among sites. We tested this hypothesis using moth communities sampled from 20 forest stands within three watersheds managed for complete timber harvest 60 years prior. Specifically, we (1) compared the species-abundance distributions for all moths sampled from the forests, (2) used ordination and indicator species analysis to assess whether the same taxa were most dominant within each forest stand, and (3) tested whether dominant taxa were disproportionately niche generalists compared to all species sampled from the larger species pools within each watershed. With only a single significant exception, moth communities within the forest stands shared the log-normal species-abundance distribution. Ordination suggested some evidence of divergence in species dominance among individual forest stands, but differences were not based on watershed identity or spatial proximity. Few dominant species appeared to display a high level of fidelity to any particular stand or watershed in the region. Finally, dominant taxa were not disproportionately niche generalists, but this result was largely driven by the absence of niche specialists from the entire forested landscape. Thus, we suggest that the moth communities from this managed forest system still bear a clear legacy of timber management more than 60 years post-harvest. Shifts in dominant moth taxa among forest stands may be largely idiosyncratic in nature.     

Managing city forests for or in spite of recreation? Perspectives of forest managers

This paper provides insights into foresters’ perceptions of forest recreation and its management. It is based on qualitative interviews with foresters in Berlin and the region of Stuttgart, Germany (N = 16). The results highlight the lack of strategic planning concerned with recreation management at both locations. Moreover, recreation management seems to depend mostly on the local forester in charge. Foresters’ perceptions of recreation, in turn, appear to be closely linked with how they perceive their work. Three narratives of the foresters’ self-perception are constructed that address three key items: perception of foresters’ skills and tasks, perception of the societal and political context of the foresters’ work and of their own scope of action in this context, and visions for future recreation management. The first narrative emphasises classical forestry and silvicultural aspects; the second understands foresters as multifunctional service providers for communal clients; and the last criticises the classical orientation of forestry and highlights new challenges for foresters in urban areas. These three views of recreation management in urban forests relate to classical forestry culture in different ways: either embodying this culture; differentiating from it; or adopting a new view which challenges this culture. Further research needs are discussed. The paper lastly argues for increased awareness of the importance of the social dimensions of forest management as one of the crucial future challenges for the forestry profession.     

A giant tree stand in the West Carpathians—An exception or a relic of formerly widespread mountain European forests?

In Europe, remnants of formerly widespread natural mixed forests are rare. We analyzed an exceptionally tall tree stand with a very high wood volume in Hron?okovský grúň reserve, covering 55.2 ha in Slovenské Rudohorie Mountains in central Slovakia (48°43′N and 19°35′E) between 730 and 1050 m a.s.l. We compared our data to other natural stands to see if the growing stock and tree height were higher in Hron?okovský grúň.     

A comprehensive framework of forest stand property–density relationships: perspectives for plant population ecology and forest management

? Context

There are many stand property–density relationships in ecology which represent emergent properties of plant populations. Examples include self-thinning, competition–density effect, constant final yield, and age-related decline in stand growth. We suggest that these relationships are different aspects of a general framework of stand property–density relationships.

? Aims

We aim to illustrate the generalities and ecological implications of stand property–density relationships, and organize them in a comprehensive framework.

? Methods

We illustrate relationships between stand property and density (1) at one point in time, (2) over time, and (3) independent of time. We review the consequences of considering different variables to characterize stand property (mean tree size, mean tree growth, stand growth, stand yield, stand leaf area).

? Results

We provide a framework that integrates the broad categories of stand property–density relationships and individual expressions of these relationships. For example, we conclude that constant final yield is a special case of the growth–growing stock relationship for life forms were yield is a reasonable approximation of growth (non-woody plants).

? Conclusion

There is support in the literature for leaf area being broadly integrative with respect to various expressions of stand property–density relationships. We show how this is and suggest implications for plant population ecology and forest management.     

Forest as a place for recreation but also the source of allergenic plant pollen: to come or avoid?

For many years, we have observed a significant rise in urban population, the spatial development of cities, and an increase in urbanized areas. More and more people feel the need to have contact with nature. The interest in forest recreation is growing, though the forest is a serious source of allergenic plant pollen. The aim of the present study was to compare two forest types in the context of their recreational potential and the effect strength of aeroallergens. This study was conducted in SE Poland in a Nemoral Scots pine forest (RB) and in a Central European submountainous beech forest (TH). Their recreational potential was assessed. Samples of moss containing plant pollen were collected under the canopy, from forest clearings and forest edges as well as in an open area. Based on the number of pollen grains deposited in moss pollsters, the forest impact on humans was calculated. The recreational potential values for both sites studied are evidence of the high recreational suitability of these forests, but the recreational capacity of RB is lower compared to TH. Palynological analysis showed that the pollen deposition is higher in BR and that the plant pollen risk is lowest under the canopy, regardless of the forest type. The beech forest was found to be characterized by greater recreational potential and a weaker actual effect of pollen allergens than the pine forest. In assessing forest recreational potential, palynological data should form the basis for modification of the degree of recreational suitability. Such information would also be useful in controlling recreational traffic since, as we have proved, visiting appropriate places in a forest allows the exposure of allergen sensitive people to be reduced.     

Structural development of Pinus sylvestrís stands with varying initial density: A preliminary model for quality of sawn timber as affected by silvicultural measures

The effects of stand density, thinning and pruning on the quality of sawn timber of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were studied based on a computer model. Procedures for the tree growth and crown structure produce a tree, whose properties in terms of location, dimensions and quality (living, dead) of branches are known for any moment of the selected rotation. Consequently, the size, quality (living, dead) and location of knots in sawn timber are recognizable allowing the grading of sawn pieces. The model computations showed that the natural dynamics of the crown system in narrowly‐spaced stands could yield sawn timber nearly of the same quality as resulted from pruning in widely‐spaced stands. Thinning increased the branch growth and the branchiness of the wood yielding lower grade for sawn pieces, respectively.     

To insure or not to insure? Analysis of foresters' willingness-to-pay for fire and storm insurance

Natural catastrophes in forests have become more damaging in recent years and are expected to further increase according to climate change scenarios. Currently, governmental measures mostly focus on providing financial support, such as direct payments, to forest owners after disasters. However, in the light of more weather extremes, this could lead to a heavier financial burden for national budgets. Therefore, the current financial support system has to be reconsidered with regard to privatizing foresters' risks. Insurance could play a key role, but in many countries forests are rarely insured. In order to explain insurance coverage, we analyzed foresters' preferences regarding fire and storm insurance, which are expressed as their willingness-to-pay (WTP). Therefore, we measured the risk attitude and conducted a discrete choice experiment with 137 German foresters, using various policy and forest enterprise scenarios. Our results show that most foresters have a very low WTP for insurance, and individual risk attitude was not of significant influence. The WTP was higher for fire than for storm insurance, presumably due to liquidity preservation motives. Policy programs involving unconditional support after disaster reduced the WTP. Instead, subsidized insurance premiums increased the WTP and thus, should be considered to establish an efficient insurance market.     

Regulation of research: is it a drug trial or a supplement trial?

Investigators and sponsors of dietary supplement research need to know the relevant regulatory requirements and how to comply with them. This brief review describes how research on dietary supplements is regulated by FDA. In general, whether an FDA sanctioned Investigational New Drug (IND) application is required for a human research project on dietary supplement depends on the intended use and clinical setting of the clinical study, and not on the supplement's physical or chemical properties. Even if the study product is already available on the market as a dietary supplement, an IND will be required for products that will be used as a drug to treat, mitigate or prevent a disease or its related conditions in the proposed clinical study. On the other hand, for studies on structure and function endpoints, and not on drug use, no IND will be required. The paper also discusses the principles FDA uses to determine whether an IND is needed for clinical studies of surrogate endpoints that do not lead to approvable drug claims. Useful FDA contact information is also provided.     

Comparing management schemes for forest certification and timber-legality verification: Complementary or competitive in indonesia?

Indonesian small-scale forest holders are facing a dilemma due to the implementation of a mandatory national timber-legality verification scheme and an internationally popular forest certification scheme. The problems arise from limited financial, technical, and administrative information concerning the most preferred scheme and the “imperfection of such a scheme” for long-term business needs. Using the Forest Certification Assessment Guide (FCAG) this paper identifies the characteristics of four third-party forest certification schemes currently working in Indonesia, namely FSC, PEFC, LEI, and SVLK. An online questionnaire was used to survey a wide range of respondents about the future development of contested schemes and those preferred by small-scale forest holders. Our findings show that although FSC scheme obtained the highest score and is considered the best scheme according to the FCAG, small-scale forest holders prefer SVLK scheme, which had the lowest FCAG score because of its mandatory nature and available subsidies. Statements by the four schemes’ proponents, which delegitimize other schemes, reveal they are in competition especially in winning market acceptance and local adaptability. Finally, we suggest proponents enhance aspects where their schemes are lacking and contrive a comparable certification scheme in order to induce willingness to be certified.     

Policy and Legal Frameworks Governing Trees: Incentives or Disincentives for Smallholder Tree Planting Decisions in Cameroon?

Agroforestry and planting trees on farmers’ fields have been reported as important elements in a strategy to meet the millennium development goals of poverty reduction and climate change improvement. However, their uptake seems to be constrained by factors both internal and external to the household and related to the policy and legislative environment. This paper examines the impact of these factors on farmers’ decisions to plant trees. Cameroon is used as a case to analyse whether existing policies and legislation governing trees support or discourage tree planting, using qualitative content analyses. Although their mission papers and statements suggest most national government policies in Cameroon address tree planting and agroforestry, actual legislation designed to follow up the policies mostly contradicts the poverty reduction goals. Often legislation and regulations are more conservation-oriented and do not provide a clear procedure to distinguish between products from trees found in the wild and those gathered from farmers’ fields.     

Determining Young’s modulus of timber on the basis of a strength database and stress wave propagation velocity I: an estimation method for Young’s modulus employing Monte Carlo simulation

In this article, we report on an estimation method for Young’s modulus that entails measuring only the stress wave propagation velocity of timber built into structures such as wooden buildings. Methods of estimating Young’s modulus that use the stress wave propagation velocity and characteristic frequency of timber in conjunction with timber density have long been used. In this article, we propose a method of easily and accurately estimating Young’s modulus from the stress wave propagation velocity without knowing the timber density. This method is based on a database of wood strength performance and density accumulated from a variety of research data and the method estimates Young’s modulus by a simulation method. We compared the Young’s moduli estimated by this method with those obtained by the bending test and by the measurement of the stress wave propagation velocity and density, and found similar results. This coincidence suggests that the method of estimating Young’s modulus presented in this article is valid. For example, the method is effective for convenient evaluation on site when determining whether a wooden building’s structural components should be reused or replaced when repairing or remodeling a building.     

Pitfall or priority drift? Participatory tree domestication programs: The case of agroforestry in the Peruvian Amazon

ABSTRACT

The Agroforestry Tree Domestication Program was globally launched in the 1990s by the World Agroforestry Center to increase farmers’ living standards and slow deforestation. After 20 yr of operation, we screen the impacts on farmers’ livelihoods and prospects in one of the implementation sites: the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon. We contrast the viewpoints of two sets of stakeholders: (a) “outsiders”—scientists, technicians, and development workers; and (2) “insiders”—local farmers organized and not organized. Group and semistructured interviews were used for data collection, and system analyses were conducted for their integration and interpretation. Results diverge by subset. “Outsiders” praised the program lastingness but questioned its dependence on external parties for management; they considered land property and product marketing keys to persist and succeed. In contrast, “insiders” considered the program financially not viable as well as third-party and locally dependent. As an alternative they had initiated activities, both forestry related and otherwise, to profit from their acquired technical and managerial skills. Based on these findings, broadening stakeholders’ diversity and set conveniently roles and decision power during the rationale and implementation phases of similar initiatives could prevent such divergences.     

Characterization of mechanically perturbed young stems: can it be used for wood quality screening?

• Introduction   

Genetic testing is the slowest part of a breeding cycle. There is a growing interest in early wood quality screening methodologies. We hypothesized that subjecting 8-month-old radiata pine trees to mechanical perturbance induces reaction wood that permits isolating their likely corewood features.     

Die-back of kiaat (Pterocarpus angolensis) in southern Africa: a cause for concern?

Pterocarpus angolensis (kiaat) is a well-known southern African tree species of commercial importance that occurs in several vegetation types in the Zambezian regional centre of endemism. The most prominent of these vegetation types are the Zambezian miombo woodland and undifferentiated woodland. A diverse range of ecosystems within these vegetation types necessitate adaptation by tree species to survive extremes of drought, temperature, altitude, soil nutrition and tolerate fire in order to compete with other plant species. There are several reports of a die-back disease of P. angolensis in Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, but very little is known regarding the cause or significance of this problem. In this review, we provide details regarding the history of the disease and consider its possible causal agents. A pathology study conducted at three locations in South Africa on diseased and dying trees resulted in the collection of 199 fungal isolates; comprising saprophytic species such as Candida, Penicillium and Humicola, and potentially pathogenic species such as Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Cytospora spp. and Fusarium spp. Drought, during several years preceding disease, along with a lack of fire management may have contributed to both the present and past reports of tree die-back and death. Finally, an analysis is made of the importance of the problem and actions that might be taken to alleviate it.     

Production potential,biodiversity and soil properties of forest reclamations: Opportunities or risk of introduced coniferous tree species under climate change?

European Journal of Forest Research - In the time of ongoing climate change and the increasing area of post-mining landscape, the successful afforestation of reclamation sites by suitable adaptive...     

Low rates of pollen contamination in a Scots pine seed orchard in Sweden: the exception or the norm?

We investigated mating structure and gene flow in a clonal seed orchard of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) over three consecutive pollination seasons (2010–2012) with nine nuclear microsatellite markers. The paternity of 1991 offspring from four maternal parents was assigned to 28 candidate fathers using an exclusion procedure and a likelihood-based method implemented in the program CERVUS. Relative reproductive success was highly variable among pollen parents but consistent across years and ranged from 0.1% to 18.3%. Consequently, the seed crops’ effective number of fathers was reduced to 52.9%, 48.8%, and 45.7% of the census in the three seasons, respectively. Self-fertilization fluctuated around the orchard's expected value of 5.1%, reaching 4.05%, 7.71%, and 6.61%, respectively. Pollen contamination was estimated to be 5.64%, 7.29%, and 4.89%, respectively, after correction for cryptic gene flow. CERVUS provided similar results as the exclusion method, but estimates greatly varied depending on the input parameters, mainly the proportion of fathers sampled. These results indicate the studied seed orchard is a well-functioning production population with only minor negative effects of self-fertilization and pollen contamination on the quality of seed crops. Genotyping issues associated with microsatellites as a potential source of false paternity assignment and exclusion are discussed.