{"title":"Leveraging the value chain-landscape governance nexus for non-wood forest products and tropical forest restoration","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The use and trade of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) may simultaneously bring about positive outcomes for conservation and rural development. This assumption underlies national strategies on NWFPs and Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in São Tomé and Príncipe. However, there is a lack of understanding of how native tree products such as <em>Adansonia digitata</em> (baobab), <em>Dacryodes edulis</em> (African plum) and <em>Treculia africana</em> (African breadfruit) are harvested, traded, and used. Besides, there is little knowledge about how both the landscapes these products originate from and the activities from harvest to consumption are governed. Using a value chain-landscape nexus approach, a quantitative survey with chain actors, semi-structured expert interviews and participant observations at marketplaces on São Tomé Island, we explored the socio-economic relevance of NWFPs included in FLR initiatives and how governance arrangements impact these. Despite being seasonal and limited to the capital, the formal trade of these products was of significant economic importance to the country. Nevertheless, weak statutory governance and an absence of customary governance arrangements puts the sustainability of NWFP harvesting, and thereby the outcomes of FLR, in jeopardy. The value chain-landscape governance nexus approach helps to understand how the use of NWFPs as part of forest restoration endeavors needs to take into consideration not only socio-economic benefits but also how the chains are governed in order to ensure that trade is compatible with FLR goals. Future research could further test the robustness of this conceptualization both in São Tomé and beyond.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934124001941/pdfft?md5=931b510200329c9d8c84328617177642&pid=1-s2.0-S1389934124001941-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142238916","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":"Actors, discourses and relations in the Finnish newspapers' forest discussion: Enabling or constraining the sustainability transition?","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103331","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103331","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In many countries with plentiful forest resources, forests are at the core of the agendas to achieve sustainable societies. However, there is plenty of disagreement among societal actors about forest-related issues. This is also the case in Finland, where culture and income have traditionally relied on the forests. However, promoting the sustainability transition requires in-depth knowledge of the involved actors. The main goal of this article is to identify key actors, their discourses and relations in the Finnish newspaper discussion on forests and their utilization. The data consists of the leading national newspaper <em>Helsingin Sanomat</em> (HS) and <em>Maaseudun Tulevaisuus</em> (MT), which is addressed to rural actors. The sample consists of 283 articles from 2019 to 2021. Critical discourse analysis was chosen as the method of analysis. The key actors in HS were the researchers and politicians and in MT the forest-based companies, forest owners and their interest organizations. In MT hegemonic discourses originated from the needs of forest owners and businesses whereas in HS the forest per se was the origin of many discourses, with a focus on forest-related policies and environmental sustainability. In both newspapers, politicians were seen as the most powerful actors steering the forest-related transition. Otherwise, direct discussion of power relations was almost non-existent. Forest industries were criticized rarely, and large companies had a passive role in the debates. Market sector actors hold existing structures, creating structural power that hampers the change. However, there are signals that many actors are seeking platforms to create shared understandings.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934124001850/pdfft?md5=a2af887f2885cb3e4c42b08c658e5932&pid=1-s2.0-S1389934124001850-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142238915","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":"Forest fire causes and prevention strategies in Portugal: Insights from stakeholder focus groups","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103330","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103330","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Forest fires are a major socioeconomic and environmental threat across many countries. There is increasing recognition of the need to develop integrated fire management approaches that emphasise the roles and perspectives of all stakeholders. Stakeholders' perspectives on this complex issue can inform research and policy development. Furthermore, stakeholders have a right to be involved in issues that affect them, and this involvement, in turn, improves the social acceptance of policies. This study conducts a participatory integrated assessment through focus groups with three stakeholder groups in Portugal, namely members of the general public (including from areas with a history of forest fires), local residents, and decision makers. Two main topics were analysed, <em>i.e.</em> perceived causes of forest fires as well as prevention strategies. Causes identified were mostly associated with socioeconomic factors and a lack of knowledge and awareness of the risks involved in the use of fire. Prevention strategies proposed significantly relied on government intervention and a shift in awareness and responsibility by direct actors and the population in general. A participatory integrated assessment allowed us to propose a framework of causes and prevention strategies for fire prevention, which can be included in a more bottom-up policy design that reflects the views of stakeholders.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934124001849/pdfft?md5=a0bc175ff0b0b19b5ec1cdb541f31052&pid=1-s2.0-S1389934124001849-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142238914","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":"The legally binding agreement on forests in Europe – Analyzing the unsuccessful attempts at regional regime creation","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103321","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103321","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The attempt at creating a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe has failed after two periods of negotiations. The first period (2011–2015) ended with an unresolved question about what organization should become the Convention's host. During the second negotiation period (2018–2021) the parties arrived at the conclusion to transfer secretarial duties to UNECE. However, eventually, the process was closed due to lack of consensus by the participating parties. Our analysis of the reasons that stood behind the failed agreement has confirmed two key conflicts typical for international forest agreements and occurring at both international and national levels – the tension between commodity and amenity-oriented goals and the question of national interest and relative power. Given the dynamics of the forest policy discussion, new opportunities for a legally binding agreement on forests in Europe may arise in future.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142232619","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":"Trends in forest livelihoods research – Taking stock in 2024","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103337","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103337","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Forests are increasingly prominent in global policy discussions. Conservation, sustainable management, and restoration of forests are widely understood as necessary to reach climate and biodiversity goals. This attention to forests is vital. However, it risks overshadowing or, worse, undermining the livelihoods and well-being of the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who live in or near forests, especially Indigenous Peoples and marginalized groups. New international commitments to plant trees and halt and reverse deforestation and degradation are intensifying demands on forests and other lands. What are the implications of these shifts for the rights, livelihoods, and wellbeing of those living in forest and tree-based landscapes? What new thinking and evidence exists to help advance knowledge and policy on this topic? And what do current dynamics suggest for future research? The articles in this Special Issue on “Trends in Forest Livelihoods Research” respond to these questions. This introduction contextualizes current research at the forest-livelihoods nexus and provides an overview of the 18 articles compiled in this volume. We identify three key themes and two cross-cutting social sustainability concerns that emerge from this collected work. We conclude by highlighting implications for forest-related policy that better supports local livelihoods and broader sustainable development goals, and by identifying pressing research needs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142232618","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":"Research trends in forest policy in Europe and beyond: Insights from the 4th International Forest Policy Meeting (IFPM4)","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103336","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142229016","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":"The effect of carbon taxes and subsidies on forest carbon sequestration in China","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103316","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103316","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Forests have a crucial role in mitigating climate change. The Chinese government is currently deliberating the utilization of carbon taxes and subsidies to incentivise the potential for forest carbon sequestration. The impact of the policies on China's forests, especially the quantitative information is unknown. To fill this gap, we follow the Faustmann-Hartman model to examine the relationship between the policies and forest carbon sequestration. We find that due to extending the rotation age, policies will increase China's forest carbon sequestration by 1.99 tCO<sub>2</sub>e/ha/yr, contributing 11.15%–17.31% to the 2060 carbon neutrality target, as the carbon price increases from 0 to 400 CNY/tCO<sub>2</sub>. China's forest carbon sequestration supply curve is inelastic, with an average elasticity of approximately 0.08. Policy implementation in the northwest region is more effective for the northwest region to improve carbon sequestration potential both per unit area and total amount, in contrast to certain provinces in the South Central and Southeast coastal regions. The average costs of the policy are generally higher in the southeast, averaging about 2.2 times higher than in the northwest. However, considering financial affordability, some southeast provinces in China are more economically feasible. These findings have important policy implications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142172644","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":"Can wild urban woodlands be integrated into urban green infrastructure? Insights from urbanites and new urbanites in Chongqing, China","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103329","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103329","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Wild urban woodlands (WUWs) are a novel category of urban forests and have been established as vital sources of diverse ecosystem services for local residents. Despite their potential to mitigate green gentrification, WUWs are often neglected in urban planning. Assessing whether different groups of residents accept WUWs as a part of urban green spaces and determining their preferred WUW type are critical for cities lacking green space supply. Therefore, a collection of photographs of 15 WUW patches was employed in this study to explore the preferences and attitudes of urbanites (<em>n</em> = 200) and new urbanites (i.e., individuals who have undergone a transition from rural to urban residency due to urban expansion; <em>n</em> = 206) toward five prevalent WUW categories and examine their perspectives on the future transformation of these WUWs. Accordingly, the following study results were obtained. (1) New urbanites exhibited greater support for integrating WUWs into urban green infrastructure compared to urbanites, primarily due to the limited supply of green spaces in their residential surroundings. (2) The one-way ANOVA shows significant differences in WUW preference scores between new urbanites and urbanites. Urbanites strongly preferred WUWs situated within stream corridors and the least for WUWs in urban villages. Conversely, new urbanites preferred WUWs on agricultural lands and found WUWs on industrial lands the least appealing. (3) Most participants expressed a desire to witness the planned transformation of WUWs. New urbanites preferred additional spaces for leisure activities, whereas urbanites hoped to witness visual improvements in the WUWs. (4) Multifactor ANOVA shows rural background significantly affects preferences scores. Spearman correlation indicates terrain ruggedness and surrounding construction intensity relate to preference. These findings underscore the substantial potential of WUWs in the urban greening in China. They contribute to urban managers' understanding of the diverse needs of the two urban resident groups regarding WUWs, thereby fostering equity in green space planning.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142168414","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":"Towards open data sharing initiatives in the forestry sector: The example of the Italian National Forestry Information System (SINFor)","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103320","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103320","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The positive and transversal value of the forestry sector within the various international, European and national policies related to sustainable development and mitigation and adaptation to climate change is now widely recognised.</p><p>This contribution is linked to the biological and evolutionary times of forest ecosystems and therefore cannot be separated from far-sighted strategic and programmatic political choices that guarantee the protection and conservation of the natural heritage and the rational use of resources. To be effective, this action needs to be able to count on information and knowledge that are not only constant and detailed but also reliable and verifiable and in large quantities. The availability of statistical and cartographic data concerning the forest heritage and the related production sectors is therefore essential for planning and management purposes.</p><p>For these reasons, Italy has decided to launch an important process of reorganization and harmonization of statistical and cartographic knowledge on forests and the national forest-based sector, in line with the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on a European Forest Resilience Monitoring Framework (COM/2023/728 final).</p><p>This communication aims to present the participative process and the main contents of the new National Forest Information System (SINFor) and the identification of the minimum knowledge that needs to be collected.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142150950","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":"Increasing climate-related resilience in the forest-based value chains? A policy perspective","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103314","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2024.103314","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The forestry sector is currently facing several parallel challenges in coping with climate change-related disturbances, biodiversity loss, increasing wood use for substituting fossil materials, and other ecosystem functions like recreational use. On the one hand, the number of climate- and land use- related policy regulations is constantly increasing. On the other hand, the forest-based value chain includes different segments ranging from carbon storage and mitigation in forests to timber production and bioenergy. This article aims to draw a comprehensive picture for grasping these complexities across Europe. It analyses the policy efforts that want to increase climate-related resilience along these value chain sections. The research addresses firstly the conceptual question of “what ought to become resilient” from a policy perspective in order to secondly ask “how do the current policies relate climate-goals with resilience in the forestry sector?” Conceptually, we disentangle resilience into analytical criteria for identification in policy documents. In addition, we discuss interpretations of resilience-relevance with policy experts from Europe using two focus groups and a number of targeted interviews. The results show a divided picture. Whilst for all these experts, tackling climate-change is a priority, our results show that the notion of resilience is used differently in the related policy strategies. In particular, we reveal some deviating strategic targets across climate-related resilience and other societal demands. We subsume those under “environmental demands” and “productivity demands” along the forest-based value chain. In recommendation to policies, this entails intensified communication between the different departments dealing with resilience for Biodiversity and resilience in a Bioeconomy.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934124001680/pdfft?md5=705f27df1514af655af5481de251706a&pid=1-s2.0-S1389934124001680-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142137128","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}