Forest Policy and Economics最新文献

{"title":"Framing forest dieback since 2018 and relating forest restoration: An analysis of the direct communication of forest policy actors in Germany","authors":"Josephine Köhler,&nbsp;Sandra Liebal,&nbsp;Norbert Weber","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103524","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103524","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Numerous studies have examined the preferred approaches of various actors in Germany regarding the management of degraded forests and forestry under climate change. These studies often portray forestry and nature conservation as opposing perspectives. This paper analyzes the positions of actors from both groups on current forest dieback in Germany by evaluating information on their websites. Using framing theory, the study investigates the perspectives of 27 actors, focusing on diagnostic (e.g., ‘causers’, ‘victims’) and prognostic (e.g., ‘helpers’, ‘instruments’) framing.</div><div>The results indicate that different actors frame the current forest dieback in varying ways. Consequently, this paper discusses various options for grouping actors based on their framing. We propose to categorize the actors according to their distinct framing of the identified causers of the current forest dieback and the practical instruments for addressing the damaged forest areas. Two groups can be identified. The first group comprises actors who mention both natural factors and human activities as causers in nearly equal proportions. In terms of instruments, they slightly favor passive approaches over active ones. The second group consists of actors who more frequently cite natural factors than human activities. Regarding instruments, they exclusively mention active approaches. In addition to this dichotomy, approaches involving multiple groups are also discussed. Although only a relatively small number of actors were included in the analysis, the results provide new insights into the complexity of the current discourse surrounding forest dieback.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 103524"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144168582","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":"Cocoa driven deforestation in Cameroon: Practices and policy","authors":"Verina Ingram ,&nbsp;Valerie Janssen ,&nbsp;Victorine Akenji Neh ,&nbsp;Arun Kumar Pratihast","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103533","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103533","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cocoa production has increased in Cameroon since the 2000s, supported by policies to enhance productivity, yields, farmer incomes and state revenues. Other policies incentivize zero-deforestation production and forest protection. However cocoa farming practices cause deforestation and degradation. Scientific evidence of practice-policy interactions is lacking. Given this context we identified perceptions, farming practices and their on-ground impacts, policies and initiatives addressing deforestation and cocoa. A practice-based conceptual approach guided 67 interviews, 8 focus group discussions and remote sensing analysis of land cover and ground validation in 557 locations around Ntui. Increasing, small-scale cocoa-driven deforestation, totalling 4599 ha over the past decade was found. Maps show 64 % of observed cocoa farms as forest. Farmers do not perceive themselves as responsible, attributing deforestation to poverty, low yields, land unavailability, migration, population growth, and high land and labour prices. Apart from sustainability certification, farmers were unaware of zero-deforestation initiatives and policies. Policies appear ineffective in halting cocoa-related deforestation or increasing yields, but modestly effective in expanding production. Opportunities to reduce deforestation include yield improvement, information, law enforcement, and land planning. However productivity increases could drive further deforestation. Paradoxically, farmers perceive no trade-offs between livelihoods and forest use, contrary to other value-chain stakeholders. These results lead to recommendations for coherent forest and agricultural policies, pragmatic forest and agroforestry definitions, accurate (agro)forest mapping, and evidence-based reframing of discourses on cocoa, agriculture and forests. Incongruent perceptions, practices and policies challenge implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103533"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144167120","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":"Wildfire risk information sources and the acceptability of fuels treatments near select WUI communities in the Western United States","authors":"Kelly Wallace ,&nbsp;Hannah Brenkert-Smith ,&nbsp;Patricia A. Champ ,&nbsp;James R. Meldrum ,&nbsp;Grant Webster ,&nbsp;Christine Taniguchi ,&nbsp;Julia B. Goolsby ,&nbsp;Colleen Donovan ,&nbsp;Carolyn Wagner ,&nbsp;Christopher M. Barth ,&nbsp;Josh Kuehn ,&nbsp;Suzanne Wittenbrink","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103537","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103537","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fuels treatments intended to reduce fuel loads and improve forest health on public lands offer one way to reduce wildfire hazards in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where the natural and built environments meet. However, for fuels treatment implementation to be successful, it must comply with regulatory and scientific standards and be supported by local communities, as lack of acceptance can lead to alterations, delays, or abandonment. To foster support, public land managers can engage directly with residents in communities near treatment areas through various communication channels or engage indirectly through trusted local partners. This research uses paired household survey and observed parcel-level wildfire risk assessment data to investigate wildfire risk information sources' role in the acceptability of fuels treatment approaches on public lands near select WUI communities in the Western United States. We find that information deemed useful from sources is often positively correlated with acceptability, while information deemed not useful is sometimes negatively correlated. Local sources of information tend to be widely received, perceived as useful, and have positive correlations with acceptability, while nonlocal sources vary in their receipt, perceived usefulness, and correlations with acceptability. Public land managers, particularly those from national organizations, may benefit from leveraging and aligning messaging with trusted local partners. Developing fuels treatment plans that consider existing local sentiments may facilitate public trust in managers and acceptability of treatments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"176 ","pages":"Article 103537"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144168581","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":"A Buffered Area Restriction Model (BARM) for optimisation of spatially constrained forest harvest scheduling","authors":"Sandro Sacchelli ,&nbsp;Arturo Annunziata ,&nbsp;Matteo Lapucci","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103536","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103536","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The paper presents a modified version of Path Formulation for an Area Restriction Model (ARM). The operational research tool automatically constructs suitable buffers among forest unit boundaries to optimise harvesting scheduling in case of management constraints (i.e. maximum adjacent harvested area, green-up age, minimum level of net present value – NPV – to be obtained in different periods etc.). The objective function of the Buffered Area Restriction Model (BARM) is the maximisation of NPV. Economic analysis is developed through an open-source Geographic Information System Decision Support, <span>r.green.biomassfor</span>. The model is tested in a hypothetical forest with scenarios from 30 to 150 forest units. Outputs demonstrate improved optimisation with respect to basic formulation of ARM as well as other models presented in literature. Results show that – in the case study – NPV can reach an improvement of almost 25 % (30 % in a Toy scenario) compared to the base ARM formulation. Highly acceptable errors and resolution times are provided by BARM also in the perspectives of both scientific integration and practical applications. Strengths, weaknesses and potential future improvements of the model are presented.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103536"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144167122","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 forest restitution process in Serbia: The role of the Serbian Orthodox Church in shaping an adapted forest governance framework","authors":"Ivana Živojinović ,&nbsp;Jelena Nedeljković ,&nbsp;Nenad Petrović ,&nbsp;Dragan Nonić ,&nbsp;Gerhard Weiss ,&nbsp;Liviu Nichiforel","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103538","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103538","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest restitution involves returning forest land to its rightful owners or their heirs, often following nationalisation or expropriation. While previous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of policies and governance mechanisms related to forest restitution in Southeastern Europe, there is limited research on how changes in ownership affect the governance and management of such returned properties. This study explores forest restitution to the Serbian Orthodox Church at both the national and local level in Serbia, with a specific focus on the Eparchy of Braničevo. In-depth expert interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, representatives from the Eparchy of Braničevo and the private company responsible for managing these church-owned forests. The results indicate that the restitution process was largely driven by the Church's significant interest in getting its forest back and its formal and informal influence, as well as the requirements associated with Serbia's EU accession process, which necessitated the initiation of this process. The restitution of forests in Serbia has prompted a shift from a centralised to an adaptive governance system and re-established the Church as the largest private forest owner in the country. This shift has impacted the forestry sector by fostering entrepreneurial growth through the emergence of private companies specialising in forest management. This was a key driver in undertaking this study as understanding these dynamics is essential for the development of forest and land-use policies that integrate the socio-economic, legal and environmental aspects of forest restitution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103538"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144167121","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":"What does the climate crisis mean for forest work science? Urgent call for reviewing of research priorities","authors":"Siegfried Lewark ,&nbsp;Marion Karmann","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103528","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103528","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inclement weather conditions are threatening human health and life in many parts of the world. In particular heat and cold are dangerous working conditions for outdoor work and thus objects of forest work science. Corresponding research has been done, but to a limited extent. An exacerbation of the weather-related threats has been observed, as part of the climate crisis. What does this mean for activities of forest work science? Forest work science has an obligation of support of forestry practice and help improve adequate interventions. A forest work scientist has to deal with this question, like a scientist in any other field of science, and to act accordingly. This touches his or her self-understanding. A survey of related publications shows that there is general knowledge. But there is not much research directed to the impact of climate crisis on working conditions in forest work, while studies are published for work outside forestry. There is a need for applied research that must also consider implementation of available knowledge, e.g. by certification. Integrating the findings of surrounding fields of science, from occupational medicine to rural sociology, is called for. In general, research priorities of forest work science must be reviewed and adapted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103528"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144146747","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":"Finnish forest owners' willingness to participate in result-based carbon offset schemes.","authors":"Domna Tzemi ,&nbsp;Jussi Leppänen ,&nbsp;Hilja Autto ,&nbsp;Emmi Haltia","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forests are vital carbon sinks, playing a key role in combating climate change by absorbing nearly one-third of global annual greenhouse gas emissions. In Finland, forests cover 75 % of the country's land area. However, there is currently no policy in place to encourage increased carbon sequestration on privately-owned forestland. This study aims to explore forest owners' preferences for results-based carbon offset schemes and their attributes, contributing to the debate on whether to compensate forest owners based on carbon sequestration. To achieve this, data on forest owners' preferences for alternative carbon offset schemes were collected through an online survey, and a choice experiment was conducted. The results revealed significant diversity among Finnish forest owners in their attitudes towards carbon offset schemes. However, compensatory carbon payments appeared to be the only attribute that would motivate respondents in all classes to participate in carbon schemes. The results of both the conditional logit (CL) model and the latent class model (LC) indicated a high preference among forest owners for the non-participation option, suggesting low willingness to accept new schemes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103531"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144139693","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":"Aligning conservation goals with forest livelihood needs: Using local perspectives to inform policy and practice in Ghana","authors":"Ernest Nkansah-Dwamena","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103532","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103532","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Like many African countries, balancing conservation goals with the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities remains a persistent challenge in Ghana's Bia Biosphere Reserve (BBR). Usually, conservation policies sideline local knowledge, creating tensions between ecological preservation and economic survival. This study examines how integrating local perspectives into forest governance can bridge these gaps, fostering policies that support biodiversity and community well-being. The study gathered insights from 100 participants across five forest-dependent communities using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis uncovered three critical challenges in aligning conservation goals with forest livelihood needs. First is the erosion of traditional ecological practices that have historically sustained biodiversity and local livelihoods. Second, the deepening of economic hardship due to restrictive conservation measures and inadequate access to viable alternative income sources. Third, persistent governance failures are marked by inequitable policy enforcement and the systematic exclusion of marginalized voices from decision-making processes. Given the government of Ghana's formal recognition of traditional knowledge, this study recommends that these commitments be deepened. Specifically, efforts must be directed toward a more robust integration of traditional ecological knowledge, strengthening local governance structures, and expanding genuinely participatory decision-making mechanisms to ensure inclusive and adaptive conservation outcomes. The study underscores the urgent need to redefine conservation as a collaborative pursuit that balances ecological sustainability with human well-being. This calls for inclusive policies integrating local knowledge, promoting sustainable livelihoods, and safeguarding economic security. Future research should explore the long-term viability and scalability of such integrative conservation models through cross-regional, mixed-methods, and longitudinal studies, thereby deepening our understanding of how localized strategies can inform broader policy frameworks that are both ecologically sound and socially just.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103532"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144125347","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":"Livelihood commercialisation and resource use across the border: Explaining environmental income differences in northern Laos and Vietnam","authors":"Joel Persson","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103529","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103529","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forests and environmental areas remain important sources of rural livelihoods in many parts of the world. As economies industrialise and forest is lost, households typically transition towards increasingly commercial livelihoods. Consequently, the relative importance of forests and environmental products tends to decrease. This paper compares rural and environmental incomes on both sides of the national border in northern Laos and Vietnam to better understand changes in environmental resource use as livelihoods commercialise. Based on household survey data (<em>n</em> = 320), I analyse income inequalities and environmental resource uses and quantify the determinants of rural and environmental incomes using linear regression analysis. The study finds that total household incomes are comparable between countries. Although income compositions and asset endowments diverge strongly, land size, value of assets, livestock units, and access to wage and business income positively affect rural household incomes. Environmental income, mainly from subsistence use of non-timber forest products, constitutes an average of 14.9 % of household income in Laos and 1.8 % in Vietnam. Lower-income, asset-poor and subsistence-oriented farmers rely more on environmental income but do not extract higher values from environmental resources. Additionally, ethnic minority households in Vietnam and households residing in the less accessible highland area in Laos have higher relative environmental incomes. The paper provides the first detailed analysis of environmental incomes in Laos and demonstrates the continuing importance of subsistence-based incomes in a mountainous context in Vietnam. Careful attention to regional commodity chains and national environmental policies is needed to appreciate changes in environmental incomes as rural livelihoods commercialise.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103529"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144125346","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 dependency and food security: Diverse livelihoods in India's tribal heartland","authors":"Gautam Prateek ,&nbsp;Sumendera Punia","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the critical role of forests in sustaining livelihoods, knowledge gaps remain regarding the food security of forest-dependent communities. Existing research predominantly emphasizes forest-based livelihoods and agricultural activities for income and subsistence, often neglecting the broader spectrum of livelihood strategies adopted by these communities. This study investigates the relationship between food security and diverse livelihoods, drawing on survey data from 2258 households in tribal-dominant locations across seven Central-Eastern Indian states. Results indicate that 35 % of households experience severe food insecurity, despite significant forest dependence (∼59 %). Our analysis reveals that pluri-active livelihoods—encompassing forest-based income, wages, salaried work, and other income streams—contribute substantially to household income. Logistic regression analysis further highlights key factors associated with lower food insecurity, including higher forest-based and salaried income, greater ownership of durable assets, and reduced reliance on livestock. Additionally, higher food security was linked to households experiencing lower climatic stress and having older, more educated household heads. Non-migrant, literate, and male-headed households were also more likely to achieve food security, highlighting the vulnerabilities faced by women-headed and migrant households. While conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, these findings have broader implications for policy and research, emphasizing the need to address diverse livelihood needs to enhance the wellbeing of forest-dependent communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"177 ","pages":"Article 103527"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144125345","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}