| 1. |
- Bakx, Tristan R.M., et al.
(författare)
-
Riparian buffer zones in production forests create unequal costs among forest owners
- 2024
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Forest Research. - 1612-4669. ; 143:3, s. 1035-1046
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Riparian buffer zones (RBZs) are an important instrument for environmental policies for water and biodiversity protection in managed forests. We investigate the variation of the cost of implementing RBZs within different property size classes across the size range of non-industrial forest owner properties in Southern Sweden. Using the Heureka PlanWise decision support system, we quantified the cost of setting aside RBZs or applying alternative management in them, as the relative loss of harvest volume and of net present value per property. We did this for multiple simulated as well as real-world property distributions. The variation of cost distribution among small properties was 4.2–6.9 times higher than among large properties. The interproperty cost inequality decreased non-linearly with increasing property size and levelled off from around 200 ha. We conclude that RBZs, due to the irregular distribution of streams, cause highly unequal financial consequences for owners, with some small property owners bearing a disproportionally high cost. This adds to previous studies showing how environmental considerations differentially affect property owners. We recommend decision makers to stimulate the uptake of RBZs by alleviating these inequalities between forest owners by including appropriate cost sharing or compensation mechanisms in their design.
|
|
| 2. |
- Bakx, Tristan R.M., et al.
(författare)
-
The effect of spatial and temporal planning scale on the trade-off between the financial value and carbon storage in production forests
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Land Use Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0264-8377 .- 1873-5754. ; 127
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Increasing carbon stock in standing forests is one of the proposed ways to mitigate climate change. However, in production forests, this typically would lead to reduced harvesting possibilities and thus reduced financial gain for the forest owners. The size of this reduction should depend on the chosen target level of the carbon stock as well as the required speed of accumulation. Furthermore, due to landscape heterogeneity, the size of the loss can be expected to vary the planning scale, often related to forest property size. Aim: This study aimed to quantify the effects of spatial and temporal planning scales on the severity of the trade-off between Net Present Value (NPV) of future timber sales and carbon storage in production forests in Southern Sweden. Methods: We used the Heureka PlanWise forest decision support system with built-in Linear Programming functionality. We created six Production Possibility Frontiers (PPF) that quantified the trade-off for the combinations of two scenarios for timing of carbon accumulation (either by 2100 or by 2100 with an intermediate target by 2045) and three spatial management scales (∼3300 ha, ∼300 ha, and ∼60 ha; 1068 stands). Results: There was a strong effect of temporal scale, with consistently lower NPV, with the same carbon stock in 2100, when the intermediate target for 2045 was applied. The effect of the spatial scale was only apparent between the smallest (50 ha) scale and the larger scales (300 and 3300 ha), with consistently lower NPV with the same carbon stock at the smallest scale. Conclusion: We conclude that both the effects of spatial management scale and temporal scale on the cost of carbon storage should be considered in relation to potential climate policies.
|
|
| 3. |
- Brukas, Vilis, et al.
(författare)
-
Decision Support Tools and Strategies to Simulate Forest Landscape Evolutions Integrating Forest Owner Behaviour: A Review from the Case Studies of the European Project, INTEGRAL
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Sustainability. - : MDPI AG. - 2071-1050. ; 9
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- For forest sustainability and vulnerability assessment, the landscape scale is considered to be more and more relevant as the stand level approaches its known limitations. This review, which describes the main forest landscape simulation tools used in the 20 European case studies of the European project "Future-oriented integrated management of European forest landscapes" (INTEGRAL), gives an update on existing decision support tools to run landscape simulation from Mediterranean to boreal ecosystems. The main growth models and software available in Europe are described, and the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches are discussed. Trades-offs between input efforts and output are illustrated. Recommendations for the selection of a forest landscape simulator are given. The paper concludes by describing the need to have tools that are able to cope with climate change and the need to build more robust indicators for assessment of forest landscape sustainability and vulnerability.
|
|
| 4. |
- Brukas, Vilis, et al.
(författare)
-
How Sensitive Are Ecosystem Services in European Forest Landscapes to Silvicultural Treatment?
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Forests. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4907. ; 6, s. 1666-1695
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- While sustainable forestry in Europe is characterized by the provision of a multitude of forest ecosystem services, there exists no comprehensive study that scrutinizes their sensitivity to forest management on a pan-European scale, so far. We compile scenario runs from regionally tailored forest growth models and Decision Support Systems (DSS) from 20 case studies throughout Europe and analyze whether the ecosystem service provision depends on management intensity and other co-variables, comprising regional affiliation, social environment, and tree species composition. The simulation runs provide information about the case-specifically most important ecosystem services in terms of appropriate indicators. We found a strong positive correlation between management intensity and wood production, but only weak correlation with protective and socioeconomic forest functions. Interestingly, depending on the forest region, we found that biodiversity can react in both ways, positively and negatively, to increased management intensity. Thus, it may be in tradeoff or in synergy with wood production and forest resource maintenance. The covariables species composition and social environment are of punctual interest only, while the affiliation to a certain region often makes an important difference in terms of an ecosystem service's treatment sensitivity.
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
- Eriksson, Ola, et al.
(författare)
-
The Use of Decision Support Systems in Forest Management: Analysis of FORSYS Country Reports
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Forests. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4907. ; 7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- From 2009 to 2013, a group of more than 100 researchers from 26 countries, under a COST-Action project named FORSYS, worked on a review of the use of forest management decision support systems (FMDSS). Guided by a template, local researchers conducted assessments of FMDSS use in their countries; their results were documented in Country Reports. In this study, we have used the Country Reports to construct a summary of FMDSS use. For the purposes of our analysis, we conducted a two-round categorisation of the main themes to describe the most relevant aspects of FMDSS use. The material produced was used to generate quantitative summaries of (i) the types of problem where FMDSS are used, (ii) models and methods used to solve these problems, (iii) knowledge management techniques, and (iv) participatory planning techniques. Beyond this, a qualitative analysis identified and summarised the local researchers' primary concerns, recorded in the conclusions to the Country Reports; we designated these "lessons learned". Results from the quantitative analysis suggested that most of the participant countries were making use of latest generation FMDSS. A few did not have practical problems that justified the use of such technology or they were still at the beginning of the process of building models to solve their own forest problems.
|
|
| 7. |
- Felton, Adam, et al.
(författare)
-
From mixtures to monocultures: Bird assemblage responses along a production forest conifer-broadleaf gradient
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Forest Ecology and Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1127 .- 1872-7042. ; 494
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Increasing the prevalence of broadleaf trees in conifer-dominated production forests is a recommended means of improving habitat availability for broadleaf and mixed-forest species. The implications for biodiversity are often measured by contrasting broadleaf-conifer mixtures with conifer-dominated stands. However, few studies include broadleaf-dominated stands in these assessments. Here we contrasted the bird assemblages of even-aged production forests along a mixture gradient from Norway spruce (Picea abies) dominated, to birch (Betula spp.) dominated stands in southern Sweden. We conducted point count surveys of bird individuals exhibiting breeding behaviour within 30 stands varying from <0.5% to over 98.5% broadleaf by basal area. A total of 355 birds were detected, comprising 36 bird species, seven of which are classified as near threatened by the Swedish Red-list. Our results indicate i) a distinct shift in bird community composition linked to the percentage of broadleaf trees at stand and landscape scales, ii) significantly higher bird species richness, evenness, and abundance in stands with a higher proportion of birch, iii) higher bird abundance in birch-dominated stands than in mixtures, and iv) shifts in bird species guilds as related to stand basal area, the amount of shrubs in the understory, and quantities of dead wood. All of these results have implications for the ways in which production forest management could be altered to enhance avian diversity, and we discuss these with respect to the use of broadleaf versus mixed-species stands.
|
|
| 8. |
- Gardumi, Francesco, et al.
(författare)
-
Carrying out a multi-model integrated assessment of European energy transition pathways : Challenges and benefits
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-5442 .- 1873-6785. ; 258, s. 124329-124329
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With the publication of the European Green Deal, the European Union has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. The envisaged reductions of direct greenhouse gases emissions are seen as technically feasible, but if a wrong path is pursued, significant unintended impacts across borders, sectors, societies and ecosystems may follow. Without the insights gained from an impact assessment framework reaching beyond the techno-economic perspective, the pursuit of direct emission reductions may lead to counterproductive outcomes in the long run. We discuss the opportunities and challenges related to the creation and use of an integrated assessment framework built to inform the European Commission on the path to decarbonisation. The framework is peculiar in that it goes beyond existing ones in its scope, depth and cross-scale coverage, by use of numerous specialised models and case studies. We find challenges of consistency that can be overcome by linking modelling tools iteratively in some cases, harmonising modelling assumptions in others, comparing model outputs in others. We find the highest added value of the framework in additional insights it provides on the technical feasibility of decarbonisation pathways, on vulnerability aspects and on unintended environmental and health impacts on national and sub-national scale.
|
|
| 9. |
- Jonsson, Ragnar, et al.
(författare)
-
Behavioral Modelling in a Decision Support System
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Forests. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4907. ; 6, s. 311-327
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Considering the variety of attitudes, objectives and behaviors characterizing forest owners is crucial for accurately assessing the impact of policy and market drivers on forest resources. A serious shortcoming of existing pan-European Decision Support Systems (DSS) is that they do not account for such heterogeneity, consequently disregarding the effects that this might have on timber supply and forest development. Linking a behavioral harvesting decision model-Expected Value Asymmetries (EVA)-to a forest resource dynamics model-European Forestry Dynamics Model (EFDM)-we provide an example of how forest owner specific characterization can be integrated in a DSS. The simulation results indicate that the approach holds promise as regards accounting for forest owner behavior in simulations of forest resources development. Hence, forest owner heterogeneity makes the distribution of forestland on owner types non-trivial, as it affects harvesting intensity and, subsequently, inter-temporal forest development.
|
|
| 10. |
- Lind, Torgny, et al.
(författare)
-
Harmonised projections of future forest resources in Europe
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Annals of Forest Science. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1286-4560 .- 1297-966X. ; 76
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- center dot Key message A dataset of forest resource projections in 23 European countries to 2040 has been prepared for forest-related policy analysis and decision-making. Due to applying harmonised definitions, while maintaining country-specific forestry practices, the projections should be usable from national to international levels. The dataset can be accessed at 10.5061/dryad.4t880qh. The associated metadata are available at https://metadata-afs.nancy.inra.fr/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/8f93e0d6-b524-43bd-bdb8-621ad5ae6fa9.
|
|
| 11. |
- Lindbladh, Matts, et al.
(författare)
-
A landscape and policy perspective on forest conversion: Long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) and the allocation of deciduous forests in southern Sweden
- 2011
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Forest Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1612-4669 .- 1612-4677. ; 130, s. 861-869
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- As resources allocated specifically for conservation are limited, there is a need to ensure conservation policy initiatives lead to effective conservation outcomes. In this study, we investigated the potential conservation benefits from alternative spatial allocations of old deciduous stands to a landscape dominated by coniferous production forests owned primarily by non-industrial private forest owners. As a target species, we used the long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus), a species associated with deciduous forests and known to be sensitive to isolation. We used a previously published model based on empirical data on the occurrence of this species, to assess the probability of occurrence of the bird in a 4,000 km(2) area in southern Sweden for which we possess detailed spatial GIS data (kNN data) of tree species composition and age. We assessed alternative scenarios where old deciduous forest was allocated with or without respect to distance from existing old deciduous forests. Due to the long-tailed tit's habitat requirement increasing the amount of old deciduous forests close to existing habitats was the most effective strategy. However, the potential advantages of this strategy may in fact be overturned in favor of the other scenarios if ownership structures and probable uptake rates of policy initiatives are also considered. If a policy initiative is targeted toward owners with properties in close proximity to existing suitable habitat, when compared to if all forest owners are targeted, a higher proportion of owners is needed to participate in order to achieve the same degree of habitat creation for the species. Here, we discuss the potential benefits for effective conservation policy formulation from integrating spatially explicit datasets and detailed ecological knowledge with land-ownership structures and policy uptake scenarios.
|
|
| 12. |
- Lindbladh, Matts, et al.
(författare)
-
Consequences for bird diversity from a decrease in a foundation speciesreplacing Scots pine stands with Norway spruce in southern Sweden
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Regional Environmental Change. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1436-3798 .- 1436-378X. ; 19, s. 1429-1440
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forest ecosystems are often defined by their dominant foundation tree species, which dictate forest structure and ecosystem processes. In southern Sweden, concerns are being raised because production stands of a foundation tree species, Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), are being converted to Norway spruce (Picea abies) stands. Such conversions may lead to biodiversity loss, though the specific nature and extent of such losses remain unknown. Here, we assess the potential biodiversity impacts by contrasting the bird communities of 55- and 80-year-old Scots pine and Norway spruce production stands. We also determine the extent to which these production stands capture the available species pool by surveying conifer-dominated reserves. Our results indicate that Scots pine and Norway spruce production forests support overlapping but nevertheless distinct bird communities, though only few recordings were made of the species unique to either stand type. Among the production stands, the 80-year spruce stands had the highest average bird species richness, and largest total number of species recorded. We suggest that the higher diversity can be explained by a higher proportion of broadleaves and higher volumes of dead wood. Although the bird diversity found in the reserves was lower than expected, they benefit gamma diversity at landscape scales as they collectively supported a higher diversity of bird species than the production forests. In summary, the conversion of Scots pine to Norway spruce is likely to increase the homogeneity of the bird communities in this region.
|
|
| 13. |
- Lula, Mikolaj, et al.
(författare)
-
Modelling effects of regeneration method on the growth and profitability of Scots pine stands
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0282-7581 .- 1651-1891. ; 36, s. 263-274
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite numerous studies there are still uncertainties regarding regeneration strategies that are optimal for productivity and profitability. Thus the aim of this study was to establish effects of three regeneration methods (planting, direct seeding and natural regeneration) on the production and profitability of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands in southern Sweden. Long-term stand development was simulated, with the StandWise application of the Heureka decision support system, starting from short-term regeneration outcomes observed in several field experiments at sites with relatively high productivity (H100 site indices, i.e. heights of dominant pines at 100 years: 27-30 m). Financial and production results of each approach were assessed in terms of Land Expectation Value (LEV) and Mean Annual Increment (MAI), respectively, across a whole rotation. Planting on clear-cuts with 1600-3265 seedlings per hectare resulted in the highest profitability and production, whereas high-density planting (10,000 seedlings per hectare) resulted in negative LEV. However, sensitivity analysis showed that the results depended on the interest rate. Retention of seed-trees incurred additional costs relative to single-operation clear felling. In contrast, retention of shelter-trees had good financial results (at 0% and 2.5% interest rate), although they depended on the site index and average tree size.
|
|
| 14. |
- Mozgeris, Gintautas, et al.
(författare)
-
Future projection for forest management suggests a decrease in the availability of nesting habitats for a mature-forest-dwelling raptor
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Forest Ecology and Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1127 .- 1872-7042. ; 491
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The demand for timber, bioenergy feedstock and other forest products, leading to intensified forest harvesting, is expected to increase in the coming decades. A reduction in the delivery of forest ecosystem services and, specifically, biodiversity, including the provision of habitats for mature-forest-dwelling raptors, has been attributed to the intensification of forest exploitation. Therefore, in order to adopt adequate conservation measures to create a timely buffer against the consequences of increased harvesting, it is critically important to understand how the availability of nesting habitats for protected species will fluctuate in the future landscape. In this study, using the LandSim tool, we modelled the dynamics of the forests and nesting habitat availability for the forest-nesting raptor, the lesser spotted eagle Clanga pomarina, for the next 50 years in eastern Lithuania, Central Europe. Our findings indicate that the share of forests available for final harvesting is expected to increase rapidly in the coming decades due to a large amount of forest stands reaching a mature age, if current forest management practices, despite them being considered as relatively conservative, are continued. As a consequence, the availability of nesting habitats will constantly decrease in nesting territories, as well as elsewhere in the landscape, in the coming decades. We suggest that species conservation strategies should not only incorporate directly targeted measures to protect nest sites from destruction and disturbance, but also, at the very least, preserve a sufficient amount of nesting habitats in areas inhabited by eagle pairs and, at best, at the landscape scale.
|
|
| 15. |
- Mörtberg, Ulla, et al.
(författare)
-
Sustainability assessment of forest bioenergy options - integrating biodiversity components
- 2019
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forest management tends to intensify in many countries due to climate change mitigation, which require more forest bioenergy as substitution for fossil fuel. However, the intensified forestry may be detrimental to biodiversity, especially for species dependent on old forest habitat. In order to simultaneously assess production of forest bioenergy feedstock and habitat potential for biodiversity, we developed the Landscape simulation and Ecological Assessment (LEcA) tool, linking simulation of forest growth and management (LandSim), a yield calculator, and a habitat assessment model. The aim was to integrate production of forest bioenergy feedstock, industrial wood, and biodiversity tied to mature and old forest, in a sustainability assessment of forest bioenergy options. The study area was the country of Lithuania where two forest management scenarios were applied, business-as-usual (BAU) and intensive-forestry (INT). The landscape simulation was run for a 100 years period with 5 year time steps. Forest biodiversity was represented by area of old forest as well as nesting habitat for two model species, Lesser Spotted Eagle (Clanga pomarina) preferring forest edges, and Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) preferring interior forest. The results showed that forest bioenergy yields may be higher in the INT scenario during the first decades of the simulation period, but in the long run will only be slightly higher compared to the BAU scenario. However, the impacts on the habitat of the forest birds would be considerable, where the habitat area would be 14% smaller for C. pomarina and 17% smaller for C. nigra, in the INT scenario compared to BAU. The landscape simulation showed that there may be conflicts between sustainability objectives related to climate change mitigation and biodiversity, and that intensive forestry may not necessarily be an effective mitigation measure. The model results has potential to inform policy and planning concerning several sustainability aspects.
|
|
| 16. |
- Mörtberg, Ulla, 1960-, et al.
(författare)
-
Sustainability assessment of intensified forestry - Forest bioenergy pathways versus forest biodiversity targeting forest birds
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Sustainability. - : MDPI AG. - 2071-1050. ; 13:5
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Intensified forestry can be seen as a solution to climate change mitigation and securing energy supply, increasing the production of forest bioenergy feedstock as a substitution for fossil fuels. However, it may come with detrimental impacts on forest biodiversity, especially related to older forests. The aim of this study was to assess the sustainability of intensified forestry from climate-energy and biodiversity perspectives, targeting forest bird species. For this purpose, we applied the Landscape simulation and Ecological Assessment (LEcA) tool to the study area of Lithuania, having high ambitions for renewables and high forest biodiversity. With LEcA, we simulated forest growth and management for 100 years with two forest management strategies: Business As Usual (BAU) and Intensive forestry (INT), the latter with the purpose to fulfil renewable energy goals. With both strategies, the biomass yields increased well above the yields of the reference year, while the biodiversity indicators related to forest bird habitat to different degrees show the opposite, with lower levels than for the reference year. Furthermore, Strategy INT resulted in small-to-no benefits in the long run concerning potential biomass harvesting, while substantially affecting the biodiversity indicators negatively. The model results have the potential to inform policy and forest management planning concerning several sustainability goals simultaneously.
|
|
| 17. |
- Pang, Xi, et al.
(författare)
-
Ecological network assessment of forest bioenergy options using the landscape simulator LandSim : a case study of Kronoberg, southern Sweden
-
Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The need to adapt to climate change as well as to secure the supply of energy has led to a shift in energy consumption from fossil fuel to renewables. In this context, forest biomass is a resource that is increasingly utilised for bioenergy purposes in Sweden, which along with the extraction of industrial wood may conflict with other sustainability goals such as those related to biodiversity conservation. In order to balance between main sustainability objectives, land zoning policies and related management regimes has been proposed, differentiating between the main management categories protected areas, multi-purpose forestry and intensive forestry. The aim of this project was to develop methods and tools for integrated sustainability assessment of forest biomass extraction, in particular from bioenergy and biodiversity perspectives.For this purpose, the landscape simulator LandSim was developed and applied in a case study in Kronoberg County in southern Sweden. Forest growth and management was simulated in 5-year time steps for the period 2010-2110. The management followed two land zoning scenarios, one applying even-aged forestry on all forest land except for protected areas (EAF-tot), and one was applying continuous cover forestry on parts of the forest land, combined with protected areas and a shorter rotation time on the other parts (CCF-int). The outcome of the simulations was raster data on tree species, volume and age for each time step and scenario. From the outcome, harvested volumes and bioenergy feedstock yields were derived. The same outcome was used for an ecological network assessment, using the indicator Equivalent Connected Area (ECA) for two model species tied to mature and old coniferous and southern broadleaved forest, respectively.The results showed that the EAF-tot scenario implied higher yields of biomass feedstock for bioenergy than the CCF-int scenario, while the CCF-int scenario displayed more even yields over the years. By contrast, the CCF-int scenario performed substantially better than the EAF-tot scenario when it came to the ECA indicators. However, the CCF-int scenario involved a range of assumptions mirroring major uncertainties on habitat suitability, which yielded separate results and thus will need further exploration. Moreover, in order to support the model species and related biodiversity components, the forest management would need to allow larger areas to become suitable habitat, as well as to plan for habitat amount and connectivity on landscape scale in order to not only increase habitat size but also ECAs. Conclusively, the modelling framework linking the landscape simulator with the ecological network model could be used for integrated sustainability assessment of bioenergy options, integrating main policy concerns when assessing renewable energy options.
|
|
| 18. |
- Pang, Xi, et al.
(författare)
-
Ecosystem services case study report
- 2018
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Forests are important for climate change mitigation by providing bioenergy feedstock to substitute fossil fuels, as well as for carbon storage, while they are also important for other ecosystem services. The REEEM project targets to gain a comprehensive understanding of the system-wide implications of energy strategies in support of transitions to a competitive low-carbon EU society. The current REEEM case study of Lithuania aims to i) analyse the forest biomass potential for Lithuania using the LEcA tool, assessing impacts on ecosystem services of alternative forest management strategies, and compare to energy pathways including forest bioenergy feedstock as a RES; and ii) develop and discuss linking between the energy assessment model that project the energy pathways, in this case the MESSAGE model, and the LEcA tool to enable iterations and information exchange.Two alternative pathways were run with the MESSAGE model of the use of forest bioenergy feedstock in the development of the Lithuanian energy sector, Biomass Low and Biomass High. This initiated the simulation of forest growth and management of Lithuania with the LEcA tool for 2015-2050 and beyond, applying a Business-As-Usual (BAU) forest management strategy. Based on these results, a second, more intensive (INT) forest management strategy was developed and applied in order to increase the yields. From the output of the simulations of both strategies, the development of five ecosystem services was assessed: forest bioenergy feedstock, industrial wood, carbon storage in the forest, recreation area and habitat supporting biodiversity. For bioenergy feedstock, environmental restrictions and transport distances for harvest residues were considered. In addition, different assumptions about the use of forest compartments for bioenergy purposes were tested.The estimations of bioenergy feedstock were comparable with the empirical data. However concerning logging residues, the transport distances affecting economy and climate impacts need more considerations, as those may become more pronounced in the future. It could also be concluded that the assumptions concerning the allocation of different forest compartments as bioenergy feedstock would highly influence the results. In the comparison with energy pathways, though, assumptions based on empirical data came much closer than assumptions following forestry manuals. When comparing results with the energy pathways, it was still difficult to estimate with any precision the bioenergy feedstock availability. Looking at the overall situation applying allocation assumptions based on empirical data, the results indicated that during the period up to around 2040 supply and demand may not be so far apart from each other with Strategy BAU, and the supply exceeded the demand with Strategy INT. However, closer to year 2050 when the energy pathways projected a much higher use of forest biomass, it may be more difficult to meet the demands with either of the forest management strategies.With Strategy INT, the overall yield was around 10% higher than with Strategy BAU, with the highest yields in the beginning of the period. However, the yields were not timing well with the energy pathways, since the major increase would be needed after around year 2040. Still, these results served to illustrate that when increasing the yields above a certain threshold, the resources may be exhausted in the long run. As well, comparing strategies BAU and INT, it could be shown that there are trade-offs to be expected between bioenergy feedstock and industrial wood on the one hand, and carbon storage, recreation and habitat supporting biodiversity on the other hand.The LEcA tool can simulate forest growth and management with modest data requirements, which allows for exploring forest management strategies across the whole landscape. The GIS-based approach to the bioenergy feedstock problem, using data that in this context has a high geographical resolution, gives more detailed and localised information than what would be possible in more lumped approaches. The possibilities to spatially allocate and as well aggregate spatially explicit information makes the LEcA tool suitable for flexible model linking. Not only impacts can be assessed, but for instance constraints can be formulated for the assessed ecosystem services, so that they should not go below a certain value in any time period, which could also be fed back to the energy model.For linking between the energy model and the LEcA tool, the first steps of information exchange were recognized and tested. The energy pathways created by the MESSAGE model initiated the forest management strategy BAU, from which the results concerning bioenergy feedstock yield was fed back and compared with the pathways. From this comparison, the second forest management strategy INT was developed, targeting higher yields. In future work these first steps will be further developed, preparing for full linkage between models. The results from the ecosystem service assessment will be fed back to the energy model for informed adjustments concerning a sustainable production of forest bioenergy feedstock. In this way, the links between energy assessment and ecosystem services could be strengthened in a more integrated assessment, targeting to inform energy policy and to increase the sustainability of forest bioenergy options.
|
|
| 19. |
- Pang, Xi, et al.
(författare)
-
Forest bioenergy feedstock in Lithuania – renewable energy goals and the use of forest resources
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Energy Strategy Reviews. - : Elsevier BV. - 2211-467X .- 2211-4688. ; 24, s. 244-253
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Demands on forest bioenergy feedstock are expected to increase in many countries due to climate change mitigation. However, sustainable use of forest biomass resources can be ensured only if local and landscape conditions are taken into account, linking energy use to its resource base. The aim of this study was to analyse the forest biomass potential for Lithuania’s energy pathways, while comparing the projected demand of forest bioenergy feedstock with resource projections. This was performed using the Landscape simulation and Ecological Assessment (LEcA) tool and the energy model MESSAGE. Biomass demand can be met up to 2050, after which demands under a Biomass Low pathway can still be met by the domestic forest resource if other wood uses are reduced, while Biomass High leads to a biomass deficit regarding domestic forest resource. Information exchange between the energy model and the LEcA tool enables an integrated sustainability assessment, and may contribute to a sustainable and efficient use of forest as a bioenergy feedstock resource.
|
|
| 20. |
- Pang, Xi, et al.
(författare)
-
Habitat network assessment of forest bioenergy options using the landscape simulator LandSim : A case study of Kronoberg, southern Sweden
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Ecological Modelling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-3800 .- 1872-7026. ; 345, s. 99-112
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forest biomass is a renewable resource that is increasingly utilised for bioenergy purposes in Sweden, which along with the extraction of industrial wood may conflict with biodiversity conservation. The aim of this paper is to present a method for integrated sustainability assessment of forest biomass extraction, particularly from bioenergy and biodiversity perspectives. The landscape simulator LandSim was developed and linked with models for the assessment of biomass yields and habitat networks representing prioritised biodiversity components. It was applied in a case study in Kronoberg County in southern Sweden. Forest growth and management were simulated for the period 2010-2110, following two land zoning scenarios, one applying even-aged forest management on all forest land except for protected areas (EAF-tot), and one applying continuous cover forest management on parts of the forest land, combined with protected areas and an intensified even-aged management on the other parts (CCF-int). The EAF-tot scenario implied higher yields of biomass feedstock for bioenergy, the CCF-int scenario only giving 66% of that yield, while the CCF-int scenario performed substantially better when it came to the habitat network indicators, if habitat suitability was ensured. Conclusively, the case study confirmed that the modelling framework of the LEcA tool, linking the landscape simulator LandSim with the biomass yield assessment and the habitat network model can be used for integrating main policy concerns when assessing renewable energy options.
|
|
| 21. |
|
|
| 22. |
|
|
| 23. |
- Pang, Xi, et al.
(författare)
-
The Landscape simulation and Ecological Assessment (LEcA) tool : Renewable energy goals and the use forest resources
- 2018
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Demands on forest bioenergy feedstock are projected to increase in many countries due to climate change mitigation requiring renewable energy sources. However, national energy planning may need to be informed about local and landscape conditions in order to promote sustainable use of forest biomass resources as well as other ecosystem services. Therefore, integrated modelling of energy use and resource availability is called for.The aim of this study was to analyse the forest biomass potential for Lithuania for energy pathways, while comparing the projected use of forest bioenergy feedstock with available resources applying environmental restrictions. This was performed using the Landscape simulation and Ecological Assessment (LEcA) tool and the energy model MESSAGE, while discussing links between these in order to better connect energy planning on national and local levels.The results showed that under a Biomass-Low pathway and business-as-usual forest management, demands would be met up to 2050, while a Biomass-High pathway and more intensive forest management may lead to difficulties to meet the demands in the later end of the period. Linking the energy model with the LEcA tool enable iterations and information exchange for comparison between demand and supply, and may contribute to a sustainable and efficient use of forest as bioenergy feedstock resource.
|
|
| 24. |
|
|
| 25. |
|
|
| 26. |
- Pang, Xi, et al.
(författare)
-
Trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services under different forest management scenarios : The LEcA tool
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Ecosystem Services. - : Elsevier. - 2212-0416. ; 28, s. 67-79
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forests provide a multitude of ecosystem services. In Sweden, the goal to replace fossil fuels could induce substantial changes in the current management and use of forests. Therefore, methods and tools are needed to assess synergies and trade-offs between ecosystem services for policy and planning alternatives. The aim of this study was to develop methods for integrated sustainability assessment of forest management strategies for long-term provisioning of various ecosystem services. For this purpose, the Landscape simulation and Ecological Assessment (LEcA) tool was developed to analyse synergies and trade-offs among five ecosystem services: bioenergy feedstock and industrial wood production, forest carbon storage, recreation areas and habitat networks. Forest growth and management were simulated for two scenarios; the EAF-tot scenario dominated by even-aged forestry (EAF), and the CCF-int scenario with a combination of continuous-cover forestry (CCF) and intensified EAF. The results showed trade-offs between industrial wood and bioenergy production on one side and habitat, recreation and carbon storage on the other side. The LEcA tool showed great potential for evaluation of impacts of alternative policies for land zoning and forest management on forest ecosystem services. It can be used to assess the consequences of forest management strategies related to renewable energy and conservation policies.
|
|
| 27. |
|
|
| 28. |
- Persson, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
-
Precision thinning : a comparison of optimal stand-level and pixel-level thinning
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0282-7581 .- 1651-1891. ; 37:2, s. 99-108
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Precision forestry allows decision-making on tree level or pixel level, as compared to stand-level data. However, little is known about the importance of precision in thinning decisions and its long-term effects on within-stand variation, stand economy and growth. In this study, silviculture was optimized for Net Present Value (NPV) in 20 conifer-dominated forest stands in hemi-boreal southern Sweden. The precision-thinning approach, Precision Thinning (PT), is compared with a stand-level approach, Stand Level Thinning (SLT) that is optimized for the same criteria but based on stand-level data. The results suggest no substantial long-term benefit or drawback in implementing thinning decisions based on pixel-level data as compared to stand-level data when optimizing stand economy. The result variables NPV and Mean annual increment of living stem volume (MAI(net)) were not higher for PT than for SLT. The within-stand variation in basal area (m(2)/ha(-1)) was lower at the end of the rotation compared to the start of the simulation for both SLT and PT. At the end of the rotation, SLT had higher variation in basal area compared to PT. However, pixel-level information enables adapting the silviculture to the within-stand variation which may favour other forest management goals than strictly financial goals.
|
|
| 29. |
- Sallnäs, Ola, et al.
(författare)
-
An Area-Based Matrix Model for Uneven-Aged Forests
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Forests. - : MDPI AG. - 1999-4907. ; 6, s. 1500-1515
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this paper a new concept for modeling uneven-aged forests (UEAF) is presented. The term UEAF in this article encloses all forests that deviate from the even-aged structure. The matrix model is area-based, in that the forest under study is described by a distribution of areas over fixed state-spaces spanned by stem number and volume per hectare classes. Dynamics is introduced as transitions of areas inside the state-space during the simulation. Harvesting activities and the occurrence of calamities are explicitly handled. The model is designed to be suitable for large-scale analyses. The concept was tested in an application to Austrian National Forest Inventory (NFI) data. Results shown, including a comparison to older inventory data, indicate that it is worth further elaborating on the concept and the model. The work will be continued and in the next step the model concept will be applied in several other countries.
|
|
| 30. |
- Trubins, Renats, et al.
(författare)
-
Abandoning conversion from even-aged to uneven-aged forest stands - the effects on production and economic returns
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. - 0282-7581 .- 1651-1891. ; 39, s. 77-88
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is growing interest in continuous cover forestry in Sweden. The historical domination of even-aged forest management means there is a need to focus on methods for transforming even-aged to uneven-aged stands. Practical conversion management today is highly adaptive, and the possibility of failures, such as persistent lack of tree recruitment, must be allowed for. We used simulations to evaluate various scenarios in which conversion management is introduced at different development stages in even-aged stands and then abandoned in favour of clear-felling. A shift towards an inverse J-shaped diameter distribution at the end of the simulations was most evident in northern Sweden and with an early introduction of conversion forestry. The largest losses were incurred in a scenario where the conversion management started with removing larger trees at pre-commercial thinning: it reduced the volume of production by up to 25% and, if clear-felled, resulted in a lower land expectation value than conventional management. Earlier decision to abandon conversion management reduced the losses, but the effect of timing was minor. In summary, the results indicate that conversion management could be started and abandoned without any major economic loss during the timeframe of a normal rotation.
|
|
| 31. |
- Trubins, Renats, et al.
(författare)
-
Categorical mapping from estimates of continuous forest attributes - classification and accuracy
- 2014
-
Ingår i: Silva Fennica. - : Finnish Society of Forest Science. - 0037-5330 .- 2242-4075. ; 48
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spatially explicit data on forest attributes is demanded for various research with landscape perspective. Existing datasets with estimates of continuous forest variables are often used as the basis for producing categorical forest type maps. Normally, this type of maps are used without knowing their accuracy. This paper presents a Bayesian network model for estimating pixel level class membership probabilities of thus derived categorical maps. Class membership probabilities can be used as a post-classification measure of map accuracy and in the process of map classification affecting the assignments of class labels. The method is applied in mapping deciduous dominated forests on the basis of the k-NN Sweden 2005 dataset in a study area in southern Sweden. The results indicate rather low accuracy for deciduous class regardless of the map classification method: 0.48 versus 0.50 in the maps classified without and with the use of the class membership probabilities given equal deciduous area. When probability-based classification is applied, the level of accuracy varies with the assumed map class proportions. Thus, when deciduous class area corresponding to the National Forest Inventory estimate was used, the accuracy of only 0.35 was obtained for the deciduous map class.
|
|
| 32. |
- Trubins, Renats, et al.
(författare)
-
Explicating behavioral assumptions in forest scenario modelling - the behavioral matrix approach
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Forest Policy and Economics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1389-9341 .- 1872-7050. ; 103, s. 70-78
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forest landscapes are too complex systems for the actors involved in policy making, including experts, to predict the consequences of different management options and policy measures without the aid of modelling tools. Forest sector models and forest management Decision Support Systems (DSS) are two major types of modelling tools that can be used for providing model-based support to forest policy development. Regardless of the modelling tool, policy makers and other concerned actors need to be aware of the behavioral assumptions, or implications, of a scenario in order to proceed to an assessment of what it takes to achieve, alternatively avoid it. A unified method or even a unified understanding of this problem is as yet lacking among forest scenario analysts. This paper presents an approach to facilitate the definition and communication of behavioral assumptions, primarily in DSS-based forest scenario modelling. At the core of the approach is the Behavioral Matrix (BM), a way of structuring forest management specifications. A case study in southern Sweden is presented as an example.
|
|
| 33. |
- Trubins, Renats, et al.
(författare)
-
Forest Landscape Development Scenarios (FoLDS)-A framework for integrating forest models, owners' behaviour and socio-economic developments
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Forest Policy and Economics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1389-9341 .- 1872-7050. ; 85, s. 245-255
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The FoLDS framework presented in this paper is set up to develop scenarios for forested landscapes with a transparent connection between the broad-scale developments in socio-economic factors and the ecosystem services provided. The forests that provide these ecosystem services are managed by a multitude of forest owners. Different forest owners have their own objectives and will thus adjust their forest management differently to socioeconomic developments. The FoLDS framework breaks down the connection from socio-economic developments to the landscape level in three steps. In the first step, a structure is provided for deciding on scenarios combining the socio-economic factors that have most influence on forest owners. In the second step, the scenarios are translated to the distribution of forest management approaches in the landscape by invoking a behavioural matrix of forest owner types and forest management decisions. The third step involves the implementation of these forest management approaches in a forest modelling tool that is tailored to the specific landscape at hand. The results of these calculations are then translated to a set of indicators for the ecosystem services of interest A survey among researchers experienced with the FoLDS framework indicates that there is an added value in systematically including both qualitative and quantitative scenario methods for forested landscapes. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
|
|
| 34. |
- Trubins, Renats
(författare)
-
Land-use change in southern Sweden: Before and after decoupling
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Land Use Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0264-8377 .- 1873-5754. ; 33, s. 161-169
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rural land-use in the European Union (EU) is strongly influenced by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) because it directly affects the relative profitability of different land-use options. Since 2000, the CAP has been heavily reformed. In particular, in Sweden, the 2003 CAP reform was followed by substantial shifts in agricultural land allocation. However, this land-use change has barely been studied empirically beyond the net changes of land-use categories. In order to better understand the transformation of the land-use system, all transitions between land-use categories and changes within existing categories need to be considered. This article presents an analysis of agricultural land-use change between 2002 and 2010 in a landscape in southern Sweden. The inter-category land transitions were identified and quantified by using a spatially explicit field-level resolution dataset. The intra-category change of utilization intensity was assessed for grasslands by using standard yields and forage consumption estimates. Substantial shifts in chains of connected inter-category land transitions were found between cereals, temporary grasses, permanent pastures and fallow lands. The grassland utilization analysis showed a growing gap between grassland area and forage consumption. These results indicate concentration of agricultural production to better quality land and a growing number of land-idling farms in the region. The CAP single farm payment scheme is discussed in the light of these findings.
|
|
| 35. |
- Trubins, Renats
(författare)
-
Non-industrial private land use and forest management : landscape and policy perspectives
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Demand for raw materials and food has long been rewarding intensive production oriented land uses, which has led to various environmental and social issues. Policies attempting to reconcile the interests and claims of different groups in society emerge from political process. Scientific research can support policy making by providing factual information and by generating and analyzing policy options. This thesis is an investigation of the prerequisites and a further development of methodologies and tools for scientific policy support concerning Non-industrial Private (NIP) land use and forest management in Sweden. Three characteristics of NIP (or small-scale, family) landownership are at the focus of the thesis: (i) spatial constraints (estate size) (Paper I), (ii) landowner behavior (Papers I, II and IV), and (iii) spatially explicit information on forest attributes and land use (Papers II and III). Paper I assesses hypothetical scenarios of spatially targeted deciduous forest allocation strategies in the context of small scale forest ownership in southern Sweden. The study demonstrates that in order to avoid a priori unattainable policy goals, theoretical gains from spatial targeting need to be considered against the background of required landowners’ participation. Paper II analyses agricultural land-use change in Kronoberg County during 2000’s. The study shows that a significant portion of the originally reported pastures’ area has been replaced by land previously reported in other categories. Furthermore, the study indicates an overall extensification of grassland utilization in the county. Paper III presents a method for improved classification and accuracy assessment of ad-hoc categorical maps based on continuous-scale remote sensing estimates of forest variables. The method is applied in mapping deciduous dominated forests from an existing spatial dataset. Paper IV deals with a mixed, qualitative-quantitative approach to forest policy scenario construction. The paper proposes facilitating inferences of forest management configurations from assumed external factors by using a structured representation of forest management "behavioral matrix". An application example from a regional case study is provided.
|
|
| 36. |
- Trubins, Renats
(författare)
-
Trade-Offs in Ecosystem Services: Clarifying Concepts and Measuring Severity within the Production Possibility Frontier Framework
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Sustainability. - 2071-1050. ; 15
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Production possibility frontier (PPF) in economics denotes the set of all efficient combinations of the amounts of two or more goods that can be produced from the given resources and within the given technology. In the ecosystem services context, it corresponds to all efficient combinations of the amounts of two or more ecosystem services that can be obtained from the given land area within the given management framework. PPF thus captures the conflict, or trade-off, between the production of different goods or services. However, there is a lack of an agreed understanding of what precisely in a PPF expresses the degree of that conflict. This lack of clarity may greatly confound the discussions on trade-offs. This paper tries to answer the two following questions: (1) what exactly is trade-off in the PPF context? (2) how to effectively measure and compare trade-offs across PPFs? In response to the second question, a quantitative generic measure of trade-off severity is proposed.
|
|
