Quantifying the direct social and governmental costs of illegal logging in the Bolivian,Brazilian, and Peruvian Amazon

Illegal logging is a major threat to the long-term sustainability of the forest resources of much of the Amazon Basin. This threat affects the ability of companies to manage viable forest production and distorts the way in which governments are able to implement forest management regulations at all levels. However, quantitative information about the direct impacts of illegal logging is scarce. We evaluate some of the most relevant impacts of illegal logging to government and society in the Bolivian, Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon. The impacts evaluated are loss of government royalties, missed appropriation of revenues, inefficiency in logging operations, loss of productivity and unemployment. The direct costs of illegal logging in the three countries are estimated at between US$558 to 639 million per year. Unemployment due to Illegal logging, defined as the difference between the employment required for legal and illegal logging, is estimated at 1.2 million person-days per year. The magnitude of these impacts justifies additional investment in control and monitoring mechanisms. Costs of illegal logging would be considerably higher if other impacts and illegal forest activities were quantified.     

Valuing forest recreation on the national level in a transition economy: The case of Poland

Recreation benefits constitute a substantial part of the total economic value of forests, and are important for the choice of multi-functional forest policies. The application of methods valuing such benefits is in its infancy in transition economies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), so value estimates for policy use are sometimes transferred from Western Europe proportionally scaled down by GDP. However, little is known about how recreation values vary with income, and one risks underestimating benefits in CEE. This paper reports the findings of the first comprehensive, national-level study in any CEE country estimating annual and per trip forest recreation values in Poland using the Travel Cost (TC) and Contingent Valuation (CV) methods. Two in-person interview surveys of forest recreation behaviour were carried out. The first was administered on-site in ten representative forest areas, and the other in the homes of a national sample of adult Poles. Results show that forest recreation is highly valued in Poland, at Euros 0.64–6.93 per trip per person, depending on the valuation method. Both trip frequency and per trip values are higher than the average in Western Europe, despite a lower income level. Thus, a simple GDP-adjusted transfer from Western Europe would substantially undervalue forest recreation in Poland. Further, a comparison of TC consumer surplus estimates and GDP/capita in Europe shows no clear relationship, indicating that a range of cultural, institutional and other factors may be important.     

张家界国家森林公园游憩效益经济评价的研究

森林游憩效益是森林多种公益效能的一个重要部分。本文系统地分析了国际上主要的评价方法,通过一年的游客抽样调查,根据距离的不同,按游林率不小于2的原则,将张家界游客来源划分为22个出发区,建立了游林率与出发区人口、游客月均总收入、旅行费用、旅行时间的多因子回归模型,分析了各因子的影响程度,并根据消费者剩余理论和马克思关于劳动时间的积累等于自由时间增加的观点,求得该公园1988年游憩效益值。此外,还计算了公园5条游览线的游憩观赏价值。     

武陵源森林生态系统服务功能及其效益评估

根据森林生态系统服务功能的内涵和森林生态系统特征,采用物质量和价值量相结合的评价方法,使用市场价值法、影子工程法、生产成本法、机会成本法定量评价了武陵源自然保护区森林生态系统服务功能经济价值。结果表明:在武陵源自然保护区森林生态系统服务功能价值平均每年达1.975×105万元,其中涵养水源的间接经济价值为1.058×104万元,固定CO2的间接经济价值为5.968×103万元,释放O2的间接经济价值为2.2×103万元,土壤肥力保持的间接经济价值为3.44×103万元。净化服务的间接经济价值为1.52×102万元,旅游服务价值为1.75×104万元(2002年)。     

Revenue loss from legal timber in Indonesia

The link between forest revenue administration and under performance of revenues from legal timber has received little attention in the literature. This article analyzes revenues from the timber royalty and reforestation fund fee, two important forest non-tax revenues in Indonesia whose tropical forest has been under threat of extensive deforestation particularly from commercial timber logging. It shows that revenue realization does not reflect potential with two key findings: first, timber royalty revenues represent only 52% of their potential, and second, revenues from reforestation fund fee suggest a counter-intuitive pattern – revenue realization is 34% above its potential. We provide plausible explanations from the perspective related to features of revenue collection. We further consider policy relevance in terms of forest revenue administration.     

喀纳斯景区旅游资源游憩价值评价

运用旅行费用法对喀纳斯景区旅游资源的游憩价值进行了评价。在计算了喀纳斯景区万人旅游率、旅游成本等数据资料的基础上,建立了万人旅游率与其影响因素之间的回归模型,并据此构建了喀纳斯景区旅游人数与追加旅行费用之间的回归模型,从而得到旅游消费曲线。通过计算,喀纳斯景区游客的消费者剩余为5.817175亿元,2008年,喀纳斯景区旅游资源游憩价值为14.476亿元,远远高于其5.6亿元的旅游收入,反映出喀纳斯旅游资源巨大的价值潜力。     

Costs of harvesting, transportation and milling in the Brazilian Amazon: Estimation and policy implications

We estimate economic cost functions for timber harvesting, transportation and milling in the Brazilian Amazon using a 2003 sample of 527 firms in both new and older frontier locations. We find that labor wage, distance from the forest to the processing location, type of equipment, and the type of the frontier all factor significantly in the total and marginal cost of each activity, and that predicted processing costs are not significantly different on new frontiers implying a lack of technology adoption as industry expansion into the Amazon has occurred. We also show that capturing economies of scale in logging by increasing average annual logging volumes by 50% and reducing the number of firms to about 1400 could lead to an industry wide cost savings of approximately US$90 million per year. Similar economies of scale are also present in log transport but not in processing. Further, if improved logging techniques allow harvest for an additional 1 month per year, for example through better planning, the industry could reduce logging costs by almost US$30 million. This points towards generating forest policies and economic conditions that encourage firm size growth, as opposed to those policies encouraging massive entry of small, unregulated and inefficient firms, and the adoption of management practices that allow for additional time in the forest.     

Long-term effects of eliminating illegal logging on the world forest industries, trade, and inventory

We assessed the impact on the world forest sector of a progressive elimination of illegal logging. The analysis compared predictions from 2007 to 2020, with and without a gradual reduction of illegally logged industrial roundwood from 2007 to 2011. A large part of the curtailment of timber supply due to the stoppage of illegal logging would be compensated by increased legal production incited by higher prices. As a result, without illegal logging the world annual production of industrial roundwood would decrease by no more than 1%, even though it would decrease by up to 8% in developing countries. World prices would rise by 1.5 to 3.5% for industrial roundwood and by 0.5 to 2% for processed products, depending on the assumption on illegal logging rates. World consumer expenditures for wood products and producer revenues would rise by 1 to 2% without illegal logging. World value added in forest industries would remain the same. However, the changes in consumer expenditures would be more than double the changes in producer revenues in countries dependent on illegally logged timber of domestic or foreign origin such as Indonesia and China. Symmetrically, changes in producer revenues would be almost twice the changes in consumer expenditures in countries with little illegal logging and efficient industries, such as Canada, Germany and the United States. Value added in forest industries would decrease most in countries with heavy illegal logging (12% in Indonesia and up to 9% in Brazil), and it would increase most in Germany, Canada (4%), and the United States (2%). Without illegal logging, the world forest inventory would increase slightly, as the increase in developing countries would more than compensate the decrease in developed countries.     

森林游憩价值评价之CVM、TCM比较

综述了森林游憩价值评价中有代表性的条件价值法(CVM)和旅行费用法(TCM)的原理、评价过程。通过对比,分析二者的异同点,同时提出整合应用建议。     

Simulating logging scenarios in secondary forest embedded in a fragmented neotropical landscape

In publications on tropical forest fragmentation, regrowing secondary forests (SF) on abandoned agricultural land are often overlooked. These forests represent highly fragmented components in the landscape matrix which are generally less than 100 ha in size. SF are found on privately owned land where they are contributing to on-farm income through logging and/or use of non-timber products. Hence, defining pure conservation goals for this forest type seems to be unrealistic. In this paper, we used the process-based model F 3-Q to simulate successional processes and logging scenarios in SF exposed to different degrees of fragmentation (either facing non-forest land on only one side or totally surrounded by agricultural land) in the subtropical eastern part of Paraguay. We compared results with primary forest embedded in a similar matrix. Under light fragmentation, bole volume of SF approached primary forest values after about 50 years of succession. Species composition, however, was clearly distinct from primary forest over the first 200 years of succession. The development of bole volume and species composition in severely fragmented SF was similar to the less fragmented SF over the initial 50 years. However, limited seed input, largely confined to on-site seed sources in the severely fragmented SF, led to a decline in bole volume by about one-third compared to the reference value over the simulation period of 400 years. By applying a minimum felling diameter (MFD) of 35 cm in the lightly fragmented SF, first logging was only possible after 30 years, resulting in a mere 3.7 m³ ha⁻¹ harvest. Highest timber yields were obtained with 10 yr cutting cycles and a maximum removal of 20 stems ha⁻¹, though sustainable yields only resulted from lowering the MFD to 30 cm. Logging in severely fragmented SF accelerated the decline of bole volume. Overall, results suggest that timber production in SF without silvicultural treatments is low and hence does not constitute a viable option to diversify farm income. Only managed SF may serve this function. Research focusing on the elaboration of management options for SF, integrating as much as possible of the original vegetation, is needed.     

Effect of the season and forest management on the visual quality of the nature-based tourism environment: a case from Finnish Lapland

The growth of nature-based tourism has raised the need to better understand tourists’ expectations towards outdoor recreation environments. There is little knowledge, however, of international tourists’ attitudes towards forest management practises or of their effect during winter. This study investigated how commercial forests correspond to the environmental expectations of international nature-based tourists and how the season affects tourists’ landscape preferences. Altogether 750 foreign visitors to Finnish Lapland responded to a survey and evaluated photographs presenting various types of forest landscapes in summer and winter. Beautiful scenery was the most important motive for the choice of travel destination and for participating in outdoor recreation. The results highlight the strong impact of seasons on the perceived quality of the landscape in commercial forests. Seasonal differences are largest in regeneration areas as snow cover mitigates the effects of forestry operations. Even-aged, middle-aged and mature forest stands were considered to be suitable for tourism in both summer and winter. There is a demand for adapted management regimes in commercial forests targeting year-round nature-based tourism. In conclusion, forestry and tourism can coexist in the same area with good planning and with management actions that take visual quality and recreational values of the environment into account.     

Taxation and investment implications of non-industrial private forestry within a Boreal Swedish municipality

The Swedish tax system affects distribution of forest revenue between national, municipal and individual interests. The study reported here takes a Boreal municipality perspective, with the objective of investigating the tax and investment implications of non-industrial private forestry (NIPF) in a case-study municipality at these three interest levels. Sales revenue, operating costs, investment, disposable income and direct tax revenue generated in NIPF within the boreal municipality are quantified, drawing on income tax return data. The question addressed is, does NIPF contribute to the local economy and thereby to development and maintenance of infrastructure in a typical boreal municipality, given the present NIPF ownership structure and tax system? Results support two different views. On one hand, tax revenues generated from NIPF to the resource municipality amounted to only 17% of the direct tax revenues or less then 1% of the tax revenues in the municipality budget. On the other hand, NIPF owners returned as much as 72% of sales revenue back into their firms in form of operating costs, and 20% in from of investments.     

玉溪市森林生态系统服务功能价值评估

对玉溪市森林生态系统服务功能价值进行估算,结果全市森林生态系统服务功能总价值为348.35亿元,其中,调节功能价值为294.15亿元/a,占森林服务功能总价值的84.44%;以生物多样性为代表反映的支持功能价值为46.33亿元/a,占总价值的13.30%;以森林游憩反映的文化功能价值为0.26亿元/a,占0.07%;提供直接产品价值7.61亿元/a,占2.19%.评估结果表明,玉溪市森林生态系统服务功能价值巨大,但林业产值不高,森林的生态服务功能价值为其直接利用价值的44.73倍.在产品提供价值中,直接采伐利用的价值占产品提供价值的20.06%,仅占整个森林服务功能价值的0.44%.直接采伐利用森林的木材资源仅仅是森林为人类所提供的各种服务功能价值中比重很小的部分.     

Tree Recruitment from On-site Versus Off-site Propagule Sources During Tropical Forest Succession

The management of successional forests has become an increasingly important tool for tropical forest restoration on disturbed lands. Successful management depends on understanding factors governing tree recruitment during succession. Recruits can be on-site propagules surviving disturbance (e.g. saplings) or seeds arriving after disturbance. Among disturbed sites, the importance of seed arrival from off-site should increase as availability of on-site propagules declines. This study examines how seed arrival from off-site seemed to influence natural forest regrowth on logged plantations in Uganda. Specifically, the effect of seed arrival from mammals (determined directly) and birds (determined inferentially) was estimated in two plantations with high and three plantations with low quantities of saplings surviving logging. In both plantation types, first-year recruitment seemed to originate from on-site (seed bank and sprouts from damaged trees) and off-site sources (seed-dispersing birds). Recruitment declined 2–3 years after logging in all plantations despite high densities of seed-dispersing birds. Recruitment was generally greater in plantations with low initial quantities of on-site propagules, and by 4–6 years forest structure was similar between plantation types. Recruitment was dominated by bird-dispersed species, rather than mammal- or wind-dispersed species. Taken together, these results illustrate that disturbed areas with low initial on-site propagule availability have much potential for forest regrowth.     

Access to Microloans for Households with Forest Property Collateral in China

About 100 million rural households in China have obtained forest property certification, which could serve as collateral to help households obtain microloans intended for forest management and investment. However, it is still difficult for households to receive these loans using forests as collateral. The strong demand for loans from the Rural Credit Cooperative cannot be met. This paper attempts to understand microloan access behavior using 241 respondents in three typical Chinese counties. It argues that the loan is determined by both the demand from the household as well as the supply from banks. Logistic regression models are used to investigate what might affect accessibility to households’ microloans. Household characteristics like age, education, income, forest characteristics as well as the regional variation of loans are used as explanatory variables. Age, education and income as well as the perception of the bank services are found statistically significant. Other findings include that only half of the respondents who received loans supposed for forest management but use for other purposes. Most importantly, it is found that joint-loan arrangement is more suitable for small-scale households and direct-loan and guaranteed-loans are better match larger property size. A simplified loan-process and discount points would lower transaction costs and improve rural households’ accessibility to microloan using of forest property collateral.     

大中山自然保护区森林生态系统服务功能价值评估

从生态系统服务功能的概念入手,根据观测和研究资料,采用替代工程法、市场价值法等方法,从直接和间接价值两个方面评价了大中山自然保护区森林生态系统服务功能的价值。结果表明,大中山自然保护区森林生态系统的生态服务功能总价值每年为5.62×10^8元,其中涵养水源价值为3.29×10^8元,净化水质价值为5.69×10^7元,保持水土价值为5.64×10^7元,固碳制氧价值为6.11×10^7元,净化环境价值为4.13×10^7元,林、粟及副产品等直接经济价值为1.75×10^7元。     

Valuation of tropical forest services and mechanisms to finance their conservation and sustainable use: A case study of Tapantí National Park,Costa Rica

The Tapanti National Park in Costa Rica comprises a precious but vulnerable tropical rain forest area. The monetary values of ecosystem services that are provided by this park are estimated in order to assess the mechanisms to finance the park's conservation and sustainable use. The main ecosystem services provided by the park are water supply (for drinking and electricity generation), maintenance of biodiversity and opportunities for recreation and tourism. Based on interviews with over 300 stakeholders, the study identified the main beneficiaries of these ecosystem services. The monetary benefits of the three services combined were estimated at approx. US$2.5 million/year, equivalent to an average of US$43/year for the total park area (58.323 ha). Compared to other, similar areas, the recreation values are relatively low (approx. 0.6 million US$/year) while the water-supply service is very high: approx. 1.7 million US$/year for hydro-electricity and approx. 0.2 million US$/year for drinking water. Both the low recreation and high water supply values can be correlated with the high rainfall of over 6500 mm/year.To develop payment-mechanisms for the conservation and sustainable use of Tapantí National Park, the main stakeholders were asked about their willingness to pay for the maintenance of the services they benefited from. Different financing mechanisms have been explored, such as taxes, user fees, individual and corporate donations, friends' schemes, and voluntary contractual arrangements. In general, most of the stakeholders were willing to pay for the ecosystem services they received. These potential payments amounted to at least 400,000 US$/year, which excludes the hydro-electricity beneficiary. Even without payments from the hydro-electricity company, this amount suffices to cover the current (245,000 US$) and urgently needed additional budget (100,000 US$) for the National Park management.     

Observance–Influence Analysis: A Case Study in a Forest Recreation Area

Importance–performance (I-P) analysis is a common evaluative measure in forest recreation management. However, concerns with I-P analysis have been raised. In this study, the observance–influence (O-I) analysis technique modified from I-P analysis was adapted for analysing the observance of various use and resource impacts by on-site visitors, and the influence that these impact conditions have on forest recreation area visitor experiences. During the summer and autumn of 2000, 476 Worak-san Forest National Park visitors in Korea were surveyed. The O-I grid generated from the survey data indicated that managers are doing a good job. The grid revealed most impacts clustering in the low priority concern and no concern quadrants. Impacts shown to be of most concern related to utility poles and power lines, poor maintenance of buildings, dead and dying trees, and discourteous behaviour. The O-I grid analysis model has considerable utility for park managers in analysing visitors’ perceptions of park impacts.     

Examining the Optimal Method to Extract Logging Residues from Small-Scale Forestry in the Nasunogahara Area,Tochigi Prefecture,Japan

This study examines the optimal method to extract logging residues from small, fragmented and scattered forests separately from the mechanized operational systems used on aggregated forestry operation sites. First, small-scale logging systems operated by a private logging contractor and an individual forest owner were investigated. Regression equations for estimating felling and processing cycle times were established as a function of stem and log volumes, respectively. Equations to estimate the forwarding and transporting cycle times were established as a function of the forwarding and transporting distances using the forwarding and transporting velocities, respectively. Then, equations to estimate productivities and costs were established with the cycle times, volumes and hourly operational expenses consisting of labour and machinery expenses. Finally, costs of the small-scale systems—mini-forwarder and 4 t truck operated by a private logging contractor, and manual logging and light truck operated by an individual forest owner—were estimated and compared with the mechanized operation system operated by the Forest Owners’ Association. The mechanized operation system was found to have the highest cost and could not compete for small forestry operational sites and small stem volumes. The small-scale systems could be effective for harvesting small areas. This was especially true when conducting extracting operations without machines, as done by the individual forest owner, and transporting operations by a private logging contractor, in which the hourly income of the individual forest owner was higher than the hourly labour expenses.     

Costs for thinning and final felling operations in Sweden, 2000–2017

ABSTRACT

Wood supply is one of the most significant cost items for most forest industries, and costs of forest operations and sale prices of wood is vital information for forest owners. Cost trends between 2000 and 2017 in Swedish forestry is analysed, separately for final felling and thinning, and subdivided into ordinary and salvage operations. Data on costs for operations totalling 821 million m³ harvested roundwood were analysed, both as actual costs and after adjustment for the consumer price index. Adjusted costs for ordinary harvesting operations declined between 2000 and 2007, increased during 2008 and 2009 and have since been relatively constant. Costs of salvage logging operations performed as thinning were 21% higher than ordinary thinning, and when performed as final felling costs were 64% higher than in ordinary final felling. The relative logging cost trends in Sweden and Finland were similar during the period, and there are similarities with the US. However, while logging costs in Sweden and Finland increased in 2008 and 2009, they declined in the US and did not reach the same relative level as in Sweden until 2013. Results can be used for benchmarking logging costs between regions or larger buyers of logging services.