Qunyue Liu , Kunneng Jiang , Ziming Wang , Yumeng Wang , Huiting Zhang , Qingju Wang , Hangqing Chen , Donghuang Lin , Ulrika K. Stigsdotter , Yuxiang Lan
{"title":"Restorative effects of highway roadside urban forests: A simulated approach","authors":"Qunyue Liu , Kunneng Jiang , Ziming Wang , Yumeng Wang , Huiting Zhang , Qingju Wang , Hangqing Chen , Donghuang Lin , Ulrika K. Stigsdotter , Yuxiang Lan","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103473","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103473","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The health benefits of urban forests have been extensively explored with participants walking or viewing them, while this topic has rarely been investigated with participants driving. Additionally, research in this area has rarely explored the specific context of highway roadside urban forest. Simulated driving was employed to study the impact of six highway roadside landscapes on drivers' perceived restorativeness and physiological responses. These landscapes included one barren landscape (as a comparative baseline) and five urban forest types, namely shrub-sides, shrub-regular, shrub-random, tree-regular, and tree-random settings, each characterized by varying greenness and complexity. A sample of 38 participants took part in six 10-min simulated driving tasks in random order. Perceived restorative potential and driving fatigue restoration were measured using a questionnaire. Physiological indicators, including heart rate variability and skin conductance level, were measured using Wireless Photo Plethysmograph and Electrodermal Activity Sensors. The results indicated significant differences in drivers' perceived restorativeness and physiological reactions to the six types of landscapes. The tree-random condition was associated with a relatively more favorable perceived restorativeness and physiological state, while the barren condition resulted in the least desirable outcomes. Moreover, higher greenness was associated with better perceived restorativeness and physiological status for drivers. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in perceived restorativeness and physiological status between landscapes with high greenness and high complexity, and those with high greenness and moderate complexity. The study highlights the perceived restorative and physiological benefits of highway roadside urban forest landscape and provides valuable guidance for their design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103473"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143600511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Md. Abul Bashar Polas , Ronju Ahammad , Emmeline Topp , Tobias Plieninger
{"title":"Participatory mapping of degradation and restoration processes in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem","authors":"Md. Abul Bashar Polas , Ronju Ahammad , Emmeline Topp , Tobias Plieninger","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103460","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103460","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mangrove degradation is common in many (sub)tropical coastal areas, driven by anthropogenic activities such as overharvesting of natural resources. Additional pressures, such as increasing population, and sea level rise associated with climate change, are affecting the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem in Bangladesh. The protection and restoration of the Sundarbans is important to maintain social-ecological benefits for millions of people living in this critically vulnerable coastal forest region. Ecosystem degradation and restoration strategies have so far rarely been assessed through the perspectives of local communities. Our study aimed to explore degradation processes and opportunities for social-ecological restoration among local people in the Sundarbans. We combined the DPSIR framework with a Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) approach, involving 251 local individuals among four livelihood groups (tertiary sector, forest-dependent, aquaculture, and agriculture), to capture their spatial understanding of mangrove degradation and restoration dynamics. A total of 1297 geolocations for degradation and restoration response measures were mapped. Respondents mapped drivers of degradation across the national reserve forest, while restoration responses were perceived to be clustered in the western region. Overharvesting of resources was considered as an important degradation driver, and mangrove loss and water pollution as dominant pressures. People with forest-dependent livelihoods placed greater importance on drivers, pressures and impacts of mangrove degradation than those in the agriculture, aquaculture and tertiary sectors. Future research should focus on integrated approaches that enable forest managers to spatially assess degradation and promote socially acceptable and locally-led ecosystem restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103460"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143600510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Omid Veisi , Mohammad Amin Moradi , Beheshteh Gharaei , Farid Jabbari Maleki , Morteza Rahbar
{"title":"Sustainable forestry logistics: Using modified A-star algorithm for efficient timber transportation route optimization","authors":"Omid Veisi , Mohammad Amin Moradi , Beheshteh Gharaei , Farid Jabbari Maleki , Morteza Rahbar","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of brown, recyclable wood resources has significant importance in a country like Canada, given their abundant availability. Nevertheless, the conveyance of these timber resources to wood recycling facilities offers many economic and environmental benefits to pertinent entities. One potential drawback is that the forest ecosystem could endure substantial harm and ultimately disappear if every road were utilized as access points for timber-transporting vehicles. The main aim of this project is to collect the maximum amount of recycled wood using a minimum forest road network to achieve smart logistics systems. An additional objective of this research is to ascertain the optimal search radius and blocks of area for conducting woodland searches at each station, taking into consideration the quantity of collected wood. The methodology employed in this study involves the application of geometric networking integration techniques in Geographic Information Systems to generate integrated maps using the forest route data, and a modified A-Star algorithm is utilized to efficiently determine the optimal wood recycling forest road. The study's results suggest that using the Modified A-Star algorithm enables a recycling rate between 50 % and 70 % for the collection of all wood items while utilizing just 10 % of the road network. This approach and technique might be used in future research conducted in countries with similar forest coverage levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103456"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143609264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unsiloed agroforestry research and policy: Livelihood and multifunction as chestnut (Castanea sativa) management priorities for Türkiye","authors":"Jeffrey Wall , Taner Okan , Coşkun Köse , Nesibe Köse , Elif Basak Aksoy","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we investigate variation in the priorities for the chestnut tree held by stakeholders across Türkiye in order to highlight the importance of unsiloed research and policy in the study area and beyond. We designed our study to evaluate the operating hypothesis of state agencies who manage the tree in sharp regional contrast, with the western provinces managed overwhelmingly for horticulture, and the northern provinces for silviculture. We utilized ethnobiological methodologies of plant trait preference cataloguing and freelisting to engage and analyze the priorities for chestnut trees for 96 stakeholder households across Türkiye ‘s chestnut suitable territory. We found that no household utilized the tree for one purpose only, that every household used the tree for both its fruits and its timber, and that the vast majority utilized the tree for nuts, timber and one other category of use. We explored the resulting data using saliency analysis, multiple correspondence analysis and geospatial visualization through inverse distance weighting. We found no significant effect of western or northern location on priorities. Our findings substantiate conservation and livelihood development theories which advocate for unsiloed, interdisciplinary research informed by stakeholders, and also showcase an application of agroforestry as a framework for directly amplifying the priorities of livelihood practitioners in the formulation of land use policy. Insights generated by this study support recommendations for Türkiye and beyond, including more thoroughly interdisciplinary research to perpetuate multifunctional use of trees as well as more regional and unified governmental strategies for conservation and rural livelihood viability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103474"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143576913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Forest efficiency assessment and prediction using dynamic DEA and machine learning","authors":"Sebastián Lozano , Ester Gutiérrez , Andrés Susaeta","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103461","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103461","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper proposes a novel Dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach to assess the efficiency of forests in providing three key ecosystem services: timber production, water yield, and carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is modeled as a carryover (along with plot age), while timber production and water yield are considered as outputs. Given that the inputs considered (e.g. annual precipitation and average temperature, tree density, etc) are considered non-discretionary, an output orientation is used. Using a weighted additive normalized-slacks DEA model, efficiency scores are computed for each plot over the entire time horizon and for individual periods. Additionally, efficiency scores for each ecosystem service, along with corresponding slacks (e.g., carbon sequestration shortfall per hectare), are estimated. Aggregate efficiency scores for the full sample are also derived. In a second stage, regression trees (RT) and random forest (RF) models are applied to identify plot characteristics that affect ecosystem service efficiency. A case study of of 84 forest plots in Florida reveals that overall carbon sequestration efficiency exceeds timber production efficiency, with both positively correlated. Private ownership and the implementation of management practices enhance efficiency across all three ecosystem services, particularly for timber production and carbon sequestration. However, the impact of disturbances on efficiency is less clear and appears significant only within certain elevation ranges. In terms of predictive performance, RF outperforms RT in accuracy but offers lower explainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103461"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143561763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Craig Johnston , Jinggang Guo , Jeffrey P. Prestemon
{"title":"The European union deforestation regulation: Implications for the global forest sector","authors":"Craig Johnston , Jinggang Guo , Jeffrey P. Prestemon","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103462","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103462","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to prevent deforestation-linked products from entering the EU market. This study assesses the potential impacts of the EUDR on global forest product markets using the FOrest Resource Outlook Model (FOROM), a partial equilibrium model of the global forest sector. We simulate two scenarios: the baseline EUDR, focused on commodity-driven deforestation and urbanization, and an extended EUDR+ scenario, which includes shifting agriculture. The results indicate that high-deforestation countries, such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia, are expected to face significant reductions in roundwood production and exports, with downstream effects on sawnwood and panel prices. In contrast, low-deforestation countries like Canada and the United States may experience slight increases in production to meet EU demand, but their impact is limited by moderate deforestation rates. The study also highlights the potential for market leakage, where deforestation-linked products may shift to non-EU markets, potentially undermining global environmental goals. Importantly, we find that declining deforestation rates could mitigate some of the impacts, reducing the overall effect of the EUDR on global timber harvests. However, the complexity of global supply chains and enforcement challenges in regions with weak governance could limit the regulation's effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103462"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143561762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Understanding actors' power through conflict dynamics: Insights from small-scale mining on cocoa farms","authors":"Eric Mensah Kumeh , Mark Hirons","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103458","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103458","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Artisanal and small-scale gold mining at the forest-farm nexus remains a contentious issue due to the diversity of actors and competing interests surrounding it. Using the actor-centered power (ACP) approach, it has been theorized that actors leverage power resources, combining coercion, (dis-)incentives, and dominant information, to influence less powerful actors to act against their preferred interests. How an actor’s power resources evolve during conflicts and its impacts on their preferred interests and goals over time are, however, open questions. Drawing on wave theory, this paper introduces a novel framework to analyze how actors employ power resources and interactions across conflict episodes. We apply the framework to examine how ARTGOLD, an ASM company, used power resources to establish mining operations on cocoa farms in Apesika, a forest-fringe farming community in Ghana, despite local opposition. Initially, ARTGOLD used false information and promises of incentives to gain the support of traditional rulers and state institutions. These alliances enabled it to beneefit from applying different forms of coercion, including police raids on protesters against its mining operations, and discharging mining effluents onto the farms of resistant cocoa farmers. Village level traditional rulers who opposed mining operations faced sanctions from higher-ranking chiefs, ultimately silencing local resistance and enabling ARTGOLD to expand mining on cocoa farms in the study localities. Our analysis reveals shifting power dynamics over time and underscores how actors' power resources evolves in response to the strategies of others. Our theoretical approach enables a better analysis of temporality within the ACP approach. This dynamic approach precipitates the need to pay attention to power resources that may improve the relative power of important but marginalized actors, especially if conflicts over mining on farmlands are to be managed in a manner that safeguards local norms and environmental sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103458"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143550837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bobby Thapa , Thomas O. Ochuodho , John M. Lhotka , William Thomas , Jacob Muller , Thomas J. Brandeis , Edward Olale , Mo Zhou , Jingjing Liang
{"title":"Economic impacts of maple syrup production potential in Kentucky: Input-output analysis","authors":"Bobby Thapa , Thomas O. Ochuodho , John M. Lhotka , William Thomas , Jacob Muller , Thomas J. Brandeis , Edward Olale , Mo Zhou , Jingjing Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103459","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103459","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Maple syrup has been produced in the United States for centuries. This production has been predominantly in the northeast states. Recent studies indicate promising maple syrup potential beyond the traditional boundaries. This study assesses the economic impacts of potential maple syrup production in Kentucky. Using the input-output analytical framework, likely producer price is considered at three maple syrup production potential levels. At a producer price of $9.48 per liter, the potential total impacts range from 336 jobs and $6.2 million in output at the lower production level to 1356 jobs and $25.05 million in output at the high production level. The potential tax impact of the maple industry ranged from $0.39 million at the lower production level to $1.6 million at the high production level. These results demonstrate the potential of maple syrup production to provide economic benefits to the state through job creation and revenue generation. These results could be used as a basis for favorable policies to support and expand maple syrup production as a viable income source for woodland owners in Kentucky and similar maple producing regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103459"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143550836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vittorio Leone , Mario Elia , Raffaella Lovreglio , Julian Lovreglio , Fernando Correia , Fantina Tedim
{"title":"Rethinking wildfire management policy: Suggestions from firefighters who experienced the 2017 extreme wildfires in Portugal","authors":"Vittorio Leone , Mario Elia , Raffaella Lovreglio , Julian Lovreglio , Fernando Correia , Fantina Tedim","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This report analyzes the perspectives of professional and volunteer firefighters who were directly involved in combating extreme wildfire events during Portugal's 2017 fire season. The data were collected through two open-ended questions in a web-based survey, focusing on: i) lessons learned and ii) proposals for improving wildfire suppression management. Responses were qualitatively examined, with categories defined using NVIVO software. Findings reveal that participants exhibit an incomplete understanding of extreme wildfires. Their responses primarily emphasize: i) enhancing the current organizational structure and strengthening technical and human resources within the suppression model (question 1), and ii) increasing human and material resources, establishing a unified command structure, ensuring operational independence from Civil Protection, and valuing experience as key factors for improving Civil Protection (question 2). Minimal attention is directed toward prevention measures and the concept of control capacity. Overall, responses to both questions reflect limited knowledge of the unique challenges posed by extreme wildfires. The prevailing recommendation strengthens the existing suppression model, which is largely viewed as the optimal solution. However, this perspective overlooks the role of the suppression paradigm in contributing to fuel load accumulation and increased fire intensity, as well as its inherent operational limitations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 103453"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143550835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eleanor Durrant , Pete Howson , Susannah M. Sallu , Deo D. Shirima , Margherita Lala , Sergio G. Milheiras , Francis Lyimo , Petro P. Nyiti , Lilian Mwanga , Esther Kioko , Marion Pfeifer
{"title":"Understanding farmers' attitudes and aspirations for tree-cover restoration in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania","authors":"Eleanor Durrant , Pete Howson , Susannah M. Sallu , Deo D. Shirima , Margherita Lala , Sergio G. Milheiras , Francis Lyimo , Petro P. Nyiti , Lilian Mwanga , Esther Kioko , Marion Pfeifer","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Restoring tree cover to meet international commitments requires context-sensitive approaches, such as agroforestry in rural landscapes, that address local concerns and motivations. This study investigates farmers' attitudes and aspirations for tree-cover restoration in the Kilombero Valley, Tanzania, using a novel combination of participatory future farm scenarios and sentiment analysis. Unlike traditional applications of sentiment analysis on large online datasets, we demonstrate its utility in understanding attitudes in rural contexts, complementing participatory engagement efforts. We explore variables influencing smallholders' aspirations for their future farms, with a focus on agroforestry systems, and examine the impact of gender and wellbeing on perceptions and attitudes towards agroforestry and existing natural forests in the landscape. Our findings indicate positive attitudes towards agroforestry, particularly when it provides direct, tangible benefits. However, forests were viewed negatively due to concerns about resource access and human-wildlife interactions. Men associated tree planting with income opportunities, while women favoured scattered trees for subsistence needs. These results underscore the need for inclusive, gender-sensitive restoration practices that align with local preferences. By tailoring restoration strategies to specific local aspirations, concerns and motivations, we can enhance the effectiveness, equity, and acceptance of tree-cover restoration initiatives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"172 ","pages":"Article 103452"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143508560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}