Pub Date : 2025-09-10DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103619
Junhui Hu, Eirik Ogner Jåstad, Per Kristian Rørstad
Forest-based carbon sequestration plays an important role in climate mitigation, yet strategies vary widely in effectiveness and cost. This study compares two optimization goals in the Nordic forest sector, maximizing carbon in harvested wood products (HWP) and in avoided forest harvest plus HWPs. A partial equilibrium forest sector model (NFSM), combined with the method of Modeling to Generate Alternatives (MGA), is used to assess trade-offs between economic outcomes and carbon storage goals. Marginal abatement cost (MAC) curves are indirectly derived from the results. The analysis shows that maximizing avoided harvest and HWP achieves higher CO₂ gains at substantially lower costs (about €15–463/tCO₂) compared to only maximizing HWP (about €44–1200/tCO₂). In addition, the results reveal that carbon-focused strategies reshape industrial and trade dynamics in opposing ways. Bioeconomy-oriented approaches drive production and exports at higher carbon costs, while conservation-focused strategies reduce harvests and raise the risk of market leakage. These findings highlight the need for integrated policies that reduce reliance on product-based carbon storage while strengthening forest-based sequestration and storage.
{"title":"Exploring trade-offs in forest carbon storage: A cost-effectiveness study of Nordic forests and harvested wood products","authors":"Junhui Hu, Eirik Ogner Jåstad, Per Kristian Rørstad","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103619","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest-based carbon sequestration plays an important role in climate mitigation, yet strategies vary widely in effectiveness and cost. This study compares two optimization goals in the Nordic forest sector, maximizing carbon in harvested wood products (HWP) and in avoided forest harvest plus HWPs. A partial equilibrium forest sector model (NFSM), combined with the method of Modeling to Generate Alternatives (MGA), is used to assess trade-offs between economic outcomes and carbon storage goals. Marginal abatement cost (MAC) curves are indirectly derived from the results. The analysis shows that maximizing avoided harvest and HWP achieves higher CO₂ gains at substantially lower costs (about €15–463/tCO₂) compared to only maximizing HWP (about €44–1200/tCO₂). In addition, the results reveal that carbon-focused strategies reshape industrial and trade dynamics in opposing ways. Bioeconomy-oriented approaches drive production and exports at higher carbon costs, while conservation-focused strategies reduce harvests and raise the risk of market leakage. These findings highlight the need for integrated policies that reduce reliance on product-based carbon storage while strengthening forest-based sequestration and storage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103619"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145045626","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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-10DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103607
Tim de Kruiff , Jonas Vester Legarth , Thomas Lundhede , Carl-Emil Pless , Hans Skov-Petersen , Jette Bredahl Jacobsen
The importance of forest composition and appearance for recreational value is well-known, with a preference for deciduous species over coniferous species in Denmark. Yet, the effect of seasonal variation in appearance of these species on recreational preferences remain underexplored. In this paper, we combine three datasets to examine how seasonality affects people's preferences for forest visits. Using a repeated choice experiment over a one-year period, we find that the Danish public's preference for deciduous over coniferous forests is far more pronounced in spring and summer than in autumn and winter. Using forest visitor data from counting stations across Denmark, we demonstrate that the seasonal variation in visitor numbers is more pronounced for forests with a higher share of deciduous trees. Finally, we use PPGIS data to show that respondents travel to and stay shorter in the forest in the winter. The mode of transport, however, is stable over the year. Thus, out of five elements important for the calculation of welfare estimates, being species preference, travel distance, visit frequency, visit duration and transport mode, we find that the first four vary significantly by season, with no significant seasonal variation for the latter. We conclude that previous valuation studies, primarily based on spring or summer seasons, are upper bounds on the preference for deciduous forests over coniferous forests as well as for travel distance. Future valuation studies on forest recreation should pay closer attention to the effects of seasonality to produce non-biased estimates.
{"title":"Seasonality of the recreational value of forests in Denmark","authors":"Tim de Kruiff , Jonas Vester Legarth , Thomas Lundhede , Carl-Emil Pless , Hans Skov-Petersen , Jette Bredahl Jacobsen","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103607","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103607","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The importance of forest composition and appearance for recreational value is well-known, with a preference for deciduous species over coniferous species in Denmark. Yet, the effect of seasonal variation in appearance of these species on recreational preferences remain underexplored. In this paper, we combine three datasets to examine how seasonality affects people's preferences for forest visits. Using a repeated choice experiment over a one-year period, we find that the Danish public's preference for deciduous over coniferous forests is far more pronounced in spring and summer than in autumn and winter. Using forest visitor data from counting stations across Denmark, we demonstrate that the seasonal variation in visitor numbers is more pronounced for forests with a higher share of deciduous trees. Finally, we use PPGIS data to show that respondents travel to and stay shorter in the forest in the winter. The mode of transport, however, is stable over the year. Thus, out of five elements important for the calculation of welfare estimates, being species preference, travel distance, visit frequency, visit duration and transport mode, we find that the first four vary significantly by season, with no significant seasonal variation for the latter. We conclude that previous valuation studies, primarily based on spring or summer seasons, are upper bounds on the preference for deciduous forests over coniferous forests as well as for travel distance. Future valuation studies on forest recreation should pay closer attention to the effects of seasonality to produce non-biased estimates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103607"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145026973","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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103609
Charlotte Marie Süring, Thomas Hedemark Lundhede
Payment for ecosystem services schemes aimed at private forest owners have recently garnered renewed interest as a policy tool to promote forest restoration efforts in the EU. Although schemes that pay for biodiversity results rather than management actions have not yet been applied in the European forest sector, the EU's new State aid regulations now explicitly allow for their implementation, as evidence from the agricultural sector suggests that they are potentially more cost-effective than their action-based counterparts. We conduct a discrete choice experiment to estimate Danish and Finnish forest owners' compensation requirements for engaging in action- and result-based biodiversity schemes with contract targets based on empirically established relationships between forest structural attributes and species richness levels. We find that, on average and depending on the schemes' targets, Danish forest owners need 29–56% more compensation to enroll in result-based contracts than in action-based ones, while Finnish forest owners require a markup of 101–135%. Our results demonstrate that average compensation requirements for voluntary biodiversity schemes can vary substantially across countries and contract designs. In terms of scheme design, forest owners generally favor payments in annual instalments to lump sum payments at the start or end of the contract term, and for payments to be tied to continuous increases in outcome indicators rather than to particular thresholds. Danish owners prefer to monitor contract outcomes with support of a consultant, on average. Finnish owners have a preference for self-monitoring under action-based contracts, but highly disprefer being involved in monitoring efforts under result-based contracts.
{"title":"Private forest owner preferences for action- and result-based biodiversity restoration contracts – A discrete choice experiment in Denmark and Finland","authors":"Charlotte Marie Süring, Thomas Hedemark Lundhede","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103609","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103609","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Payment for ecosystem services schemes aimed at private forest owners have recently garnered renewed interest as a policy tool to promote forest restoration efforts in the EU. Although schemes that pay for biodiversity results rather than management actions have not yet been applied in the European forest sector, the EU's new State aid regulations now explicitly allow for their implementation, as evidence from the agricultural sector suggests that they are potentially more cost-effective than their action-based counterparts. We conduct a discrete choice experiment to estimate Danish and Finnish forest owners' compensation requirements for engaging in action- and result-based biodiversity schemes with contract targets based on empirically established relationships between forest structural attributes and species richness levels. We find that, on average and depending on the schemes' targets, Danish forest owners need 29–56% more compensation to enroll in result-based contracts than in action-based ones, while Finnish forest owners require a markup of 101–135%. Our results demonstrate that average compensation requirements for voluntary biodiversity schemes can vary substantially across countries and contract designs. In terms of scheme design, forest owners generally favor payments in annual instalments to lump sum payments at the start or end of the contract term, and for payments to be tied to continuous increases in outcome indicators rather than to particular thresholds. Danish owners prefer to monitor contract outcomes with support of a consultant, on average. Finnish owners have a preference for self-monitoring under action-based contracts, but highly disprefer being involved in monitoring efforts under result-based contracts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103609"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145010515","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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103610
Stephen Awuni , Miroslav Hájek , Marcel Riedl , Diana Carolina Huertas-Bernal , Ratna Chrismiari Purwestri , Forzia Ibrahim , Roman Dudik , Emmanuel Tetteh Jumpah , Francis Adarkwah
Medicinal plants are vital to forest ecosystem services, contributing to biodiversity, public health, and rural livelihoods. In the Czech Republic, the perceived availability of these resources is increasingly threatened by climate change and land use change. This study explores key environmental drivers perceived by the public to affect the availability of medicinal plants and examines forest owners' adoption of management strategies to sustain these resources. Based on a national perception-based survey of 1500 respondents, including 53 forest owners, regression and descriptive statistical methods were employed to examine reported environmental drivers and management strategies. The findings reveal that climate change and excessive chemical use are widely perceived as major stressors associated with the reduced availability of medicinal plants. However, only 45 % of surveyed forest owners reported adopting formal management strategies, leaving substantial forest areas at risk from environmental pressures perceived to threaten medicinal plant resources. Among those implementing measures, forest restoration, organic agriculture, landscape protection, and pest control were the most implemented. Broader conservation schemes such as Natura 2000 were underutilised. These perception-based insights highlight the need for targeted policy interventions, including financial incentives, technical support, and education, to enhance forest owners' implementation of sustainable practices and support the long-term conservation of medicinal plant resources in Czech forests. Engaging the general public through education and participatory conservation efforts is also essential, given their key role in shaping demand and supporting forest protection.
{"title":"Public perceptions of climate and land use drivers of medicinal plant availability in Czech forests: A national survey-based study","authors":"Stephen Awuni , Miroslav Hájek , Marcel Riedl , Diana Carolina Huertas-Bernal , Ratna Chrismiari Purwestri , Forzia Ibrahim , Roman Dudik , Emmanuel Tetteh Jumpah , Francis Adarkwah","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103610","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103610","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Medicinal plants are vital to forest ecosystem services, contributing to biodiversity, public health, and rural livelihoods. In the Czech Republic, the perceived availability of these resources is increasingly threatened by climate change and land use change. This study explores key environmental drivers perceived by the public to affect the availability of medicinal plants and examines forest owners' adoption of management strategies to sustain these resources. Based on a national perception-based survey of 1500 respondents, including 53 forest owners, regression and descriptive statistical methods were employed to examine reported environmental drivers and management strategies. The findings reveal that climate change and excessive chemical use are widely perceived as major stressors associated with the reduced availability of medicinal plants. However, only 45 % of surveyed forest owners reported adopting formal management strategies, leaving substantial forest areas at risk from environmental pressures perceived to threaten medicinal plant resources. Among those implementing measures, forest restoration, organic agriculture, landscape protection, and pest control were the most implemented. Broader conservation schemes such as Natura 2000 were underutilised. These perception-based insights highlight the need for targeted policy interventions, including financial incentives, technical support, and education, to enhance forest owners' implementation of sustainable practices and support the long-term conservation of medicinal plant resources in Czech forests. Engaging the general public through education and participatory conservation efforts is also essential, given their key role in shaping demand and supporting forest protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103610"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145019367","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}
To explore long-term socio-ecological relationships at the local scale, this study investigates the evolution of forest cover (1936–2018) vis à vis population, settlements, and economic activities in Italy using geo-spatial information sources that combine environmental and socioeconomic indicators. Long-term forestation (or deforestation) dynamics were assessed in more than 8000 municipalities through a comprehensive analysis of the background socioeconomic context. A multivariate framework integrating descriptive statistics and maps, exploratory pairwise correlations, and a confirmative canonical correlation analysis, has discriminated five distinctive paths in forest cover change over time. Urbanization-driven deforestation in accessible and economically dynamic flat-hilly districts, and forestation after land abandonment in remote rural areas, have been the most frequent processes of landscape transformation in Italy. The empirical findings of this study reveal the complex interactions between forests and local communities, thus supporting the core assumption of the well-known Forest Transition Theory, a key research topic in forest assessment and policy. A peculiar contribution of this research lies in highlighting local specificities in forest dynamics, which are shown to depend strictly on the economic and demographic characteristics of local communities, as well as on the degree of land protection. Triggering a path of sustainable development in rural areas requires policies that combine factors potentially beneficial for the environment, such as the expansion of forests, in order to create a more balanced set of socio-ecological conditions. This will help reducing depopulation and fostering local economies through low-impact socio-demographic processes that are compatible with the environmental quality typical of ‘forest dominated’ landscapes.
{"title":"Long-term forestation-deforestation dynamics in a socioeconomic perspective: The case of Italy, 1936–2018","authors":"Alessia D'Agata , Marco Marchetti , Luca Salvati , Piermaria Corona","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103606","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To explore long-term socio-ecological relationships at the local scale, this study investigates the evolution of forest cover (1936–2018) vis à vis population, settlements, and economic activities in Italy using geo-spatial information sources that combine environmental and socioeconomic indicators. Long-term forestation (or deforestation) dynamics were assessed in more than 8000 municipalities through a comprehensive analysis of the background socioeconomic context. A multivariate framework integrating descriptive statistics and maps, exploratory pairwise correlations, and a confirmative canonical correlation analysis, has discriminated five distinctive paths in forest cover change over time. Urbanization-driven deforestation in accessible and economically dynamic flat-hilly districts, and forestation after land abandonment in remote rural areas, have been the most frequent processes of landscape transformation in Italy. The empirical findings of this study reveal the complex interactions between forests and local communities, thus supporting the core assumption of the well-known Forest Transition Theory, a key research topic in forest assessment and policy. A peculiar contribution of this research lies in highlighting local specificities in forest dynamics, which are shown to depend strictly on the economic and demographic characteristics of local communities, as well as on the degree of land protection. Triggering a path of sustainable development in rural areas requires policies that combine factors potentially beneficial for the environment, such as the expansion of forests, in order to create a more balanced set of socio-ecological conditions. This will help reducing depopulation and fostering local economies through low-impact socio-demographic processes that are compatible with the environmental quality typical of ‘forest dominated’ landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103606"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144933379","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}
Pub Date : 2025-09-01DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103590
Austin Lamica , Rajan Parajuli , Consuelo Brandeis
The intensity of catastrophic weather events, such as hurricanes, are projected to increase across the Southeastern United States (US). With nearly half of the region's land covered by productive forests, periodic large-scale storms frequently disrupt timber supply and destabilize local markets. We investigate the impact of Hurricane Michael (2018) on timber markets in the Southeastern Coastal US, employing a Regression Discontinuity in Time (RDiT) design. Using bi-monthly stumpage price data from hurricane-affected and surrounding micro-markets, we estimate causal effects on market responses across stumpage products. Findings indicate that Hurricane Michael led to a 6 % decline in pine pulpwood prices across the region, and a 9 % and 77 % decrease in pine sawtimber and hardwood sawtimber prices, respectively, in severely damaged areas. In unaffected or lightly impacted regions, the price effects were more variable and product specific. The findings shed light on the timber market dynamics immediately following a catastrophic hurricane and provide nuanced perspectives to forest managers, landowners, and timber investors as they plan for future risk management in timber supply chain and forest sustainability.
{"title":"Evaluating hurricane impacts on timber Markets in the Southeastern United States: A case of hurricane Michael","authors":"Austin Lamica , Rajan Parajuli , Consuelo Brandeis","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intensity of catastrophic weather events, such as hurricanes, are projected to increase across the Southeastern United States (US). With nearly half of the region's land covered by productive forests, periodic large-scale storms frequently disrupt timber supply and destabilize local markets. We investigate the impact of Hurricane Michael (2018) on timber markets in the Southeastern Coastal US, employing a Regression Discontinuity in Time (RDiT) design. Using bi-monthly stumpage price data from hurricane-affected and surrounding micro-markets, we estimate causal effects on market responses across stumpage products. Findings indicate that Hurricane Michael led to a 6 % decline in pine pulpwood prices across the region, and a 9 % and 77 % decrease in pine sawtimber and hardwood sawtimber prices, respectively, in severely damaged areas. In unaffected or lightly impacted regions, the price effects were more variable and product specific. The findings shed light on the timber market dynamics immediately following a catastrophic hurricane and provide nuanced perspectives to forest managers, landowners, and timber investors as they plan for future risk management in timber supply chain and forest sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"178 ","pages":"Article 103590"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144924708","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}
Pub Date : 2025-08-30DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103603
Arpita Nehra , Justin S. Baker , Peter V. Caldwell , Katherine L. Martin , Travis W. Warziniack , Richard H. Manner , Christopher M. Mihiar , Gregory E. Frey , Jennifer K. Costanza
Previous research shows that forest preservation can protect water quality, but it is less clear what the net economic costs of forest preservation might be for drinking water utilities. Economic valuation of forest benefits for drinking water is complex in part because the potential economic benefit is indirectly related to forest preservation through the benefit of forests for water quality. We contribute to a growing literature on land use-water quality interactions by linking ecological production and economic valuation functions that relate to changes in forest cover and water quality. We estimate potential avoided drinking water treatment costs by analyzing water quality impacts of projected land use change, using changes in nutrient concentrations. Specifically, we use observations from a survey conducted in the Southeastern US to explore which factors influence the variation in reported treatment costs. We then integrate the primary data with simulated outputs from a detailed ecological production function to project the potential long-term cost implications of land use change (including forest loss) in the region. Our findings suggest that a 1 % reduction in turbidity and TOC would reduce treatment costs by 0.046 %–0.091 % and 0.951 %–1.144 %, respectively. Further, while we find evidence of modest net cost impacts overall (<10 % for most facilities) under potential future land use change, we find a 1 % forest loss could increase treatment costs by 1.7 %. These results highlight the potential economic value of forest preservation in water supply systems and could inform source water protection strategies by water utilities through forest management incentives. Keywords: Forest Loss, Water treatment costs, Water quality.
{"title":"The potential impact of forest loss on drinking water treatment costs in the southeastern U.S.","authors":"Arpita Nehra , Justin S. Baker , Peter V. Caldwell , Katherine L. Martin , Travis W. Warziniack , Richard H. Manner , Christopher M. Mihiar , Gregory E. Frey , Jennifer K. Costanza","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous research shows that forest preservation can protect water quality, but it is less clear what the net economic costs of forest preservation might be for drinking water utilities. Economic valuation of forest benefits for drinking water is complex in part because the potential economic benefit is indirectly related to forest preservation through the benefit of forests for water quality. We contribute to a growing literature on land use-water quality interactions by linking ecological production and economic valuation functions that relate to changes in forest cover and water quality. We estimate potential avoided drinking water treatment costs by analyzing water quality impacts of projected land use change, using changes in nutrient concentrations. Specifically, we use observations from a survey conducted in the Southeastern US to explore which factors influence the variation in reported treatment costs. We then integrate the primary data with simulated outputs from a detailed ecological production function to project the potential long-term cost implications of land use change (including forest loss) in the region. Our findings suggest that a 1 % reduction in turbidity and TOC would reduce treatment costs by 0.046 %–0.091 % and 0.951 %–1.144 %, respectively. Further, while we find evidence of modest net cost impacts overall (<10 % for most facilities) under potential future land use change, we find a 1 % forest loss could increase treatment costs by 1.7 %. These results highlight the potential economic value of forest preservation in water supply systems and could inform source water protection strategies by water utilities through forest management incentives. <em>Keywords:</em> Forest Loss, Water treatment costs, Water quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103603"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144920292","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}
Pub Date : 2025-08-28DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103600
Hanjabam Isworchandra Sharma, Lynda Thoudam
The paper examines the recent trends of employment in forestry and logging in India using the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The study finds consistent growth in forestry and logging employment during the study period, which is more pronounced in the COVID-19 years and among female workers. Among the sub-groups of forestry and logging, logging activity generates half of the total workers in forestry and logging, with female workers entering the gathering of firewood subgroup in large numbers, reflecting a structural retrogression in forest employment. Silviculture activities are the next component that generates the second-highest employment, followed by the gathering of non-wood forest products, with the gathering of tendu leaves having the highest percentage. Interstate and inter-regional variation is observed in forestry employment, with tribal-dominated states and the Himalayan states having a comparatively high percentage of forest employment as a proportion of total agricultural employment. At the same time, a negative growth rate of forest employment is also witnessed in tribal-dominated regions. Examining the employment type, there is a high level of informality in forest employment, as evidenced by a significant proportion of self-employed and casual labor, with a higher incidence among female workers. The employment elasticity of the forestry and logging sector in most states has room for improvement. Strong economic fundamentals, such as social sector investment and rural literacy, are positively impacting forest employment. Improving the market access of forest products, especially NTFPs, and fostering strong forest-industry linkages, along with enhancing social security measures for informal workers in forestry employment, will help realize the full potential of the forestry sector in generating sustainable and productive employment.
{"title":"Recent trends of employment in the forestry and logging sector of India: Evidence from unit-level data of periodic labour force survey (PLFS)","authors":"Hanjabam Isworchandra Sharma, Lynda Thoudam","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The paper examines the recent trends of employment in forestry and logging in India using the Annual Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). The study finds consistent growth in forestry and logging employment during the study period, which is more pronounced in the COVID-19 years and among female workers. Among the sub-groups of forestry and logging, logging activity generates half of the total workers in forestry and logging, with female workers entering the gathering of firewood subgroup in large numbers, reflecting a structural retrogression in forest employment. Silviculture activities are the next component that generates the second-highest employment, followed by the gathering of non-wood forest products, with the gathering of tendu leaves having the highest percentage. Interstate and inter-regional variation is observed in forestry employment, with tribal-dominated states and the Himalayan states having a comparatively high percentage of forest employment as a proportion of total agricultural employment. At the same time, a negative growth rate of forest employment is also witnessed in tribal-dominated regions. Examining the employment type, there is a high level of informality in forest employment, as evidenced by a significant proportion of self-employed and casual labor, with a higher incidence among female workers. The employment elasticity of the forestry and logging sector in most states has room for improvement. Strong economic fundamentals, such as social sector investment and rural literacy, are positively impacting forest employment. Improving the market access of forest products, especially NTFPs, and fostering strong forest-industry linkages, along with enhancing social security measures for informal workers in forestry employment, will help realize the full potential of the forestry sector in generating sustainable and productive employment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103600"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144908649","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}
Pub Date : 2025-08-27DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103605
Cornelius K.A. Pienaah , Lina Adeetuk , Bipasha Baruah , Isaac Luginaah
Climate change is intensifying the emergence of pests and diseases worldwide. Despite mounting studies across Africa focusing on staple and some tree crops, there is limited scholarly attention on the threats posed by the seasonal infestation of the shea tree caterpillar across the sub-Saharan African shea-growing belt. In northern Ghana, the shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) provides the primary income and livelihood alternative for many women and their households. Drawing on feminist political ecology, this qualitative study employed photovoice to examine women's lived experiences, encompassing their observations, beliefs, and adaptive strategies related to shea caterpillar infestations in northern Ghana. Results from the visual and thematic analysis show a mix of both challenges and opportunities. The women perceive shea caterpillar infestations as increasingly unpredictable, with seasonal shifts and intensity attributed to changing climate patterns. They recognize caterpillars as pests that extensively defoliate shea trees while also providing a high-protein food source. The findings reveal conflicting perspectives on the effect of the caterpillar, with some women believing that defoliation increases shea yields by promoting new growth, while others associate it with yield declines, noting weakened trees post-infestation. This research highlights the diverse ecological knowledge of women in shea-growing regions, which is essential for building resilience against climate change and establishing sustainable shea production systems. It sets the stage for further exploration of the complexities of shea caterpillar infestations in the context of escalating climate change. Findings from this study indicate that a community-based approach could be an effective climate-informed strategy for pest management.
{"title":"Harnessing women's traditional ecological knowledge through photovoice to address shea tree caterpillar (Cirina butyrospermi) infestation in semi-arid Ghana","authors":"Cornelius K.A. Pienaah , Lina Adeetuk , Bipasha Baruah , Isaac Luginaah","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103605","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103605","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate change is intensifying the emergence of pests and diseases worldwide. Despite mounting studies across Africa focusing on staple and some tree crops, there is limited scholarly attention on the threats posed by the seasonal infestation of the shea tree caterpillar across the sub-Saharan African shea-growing belt. In northern Ghana, the shea tree (<em>Vitellaria paradoxa</em>) provides the primary income and livelihood alternative for many women and their households. Drawing on feminist political ecology, this qualitative study employed photovoice to examine women's lived experiences, encompassing their observations, beliefs, and adaptive strategies related to shea caterpillar infestations in northern Ghana. Results from the visual and thematic analysis show a mix of both challenges and opportunities. The women perceive shea caterpillar infestations as increasingly unpredictable, with seasonal shifts and intensity attributed to changing climate patterns. They recognize caterpillars as pests that extensively defoliate shea trees while also providing a high-protein food source. The findings reveal conflicting perspectives on the effect of the caterpillar, with some women believing that defoliation increases shea yields by promoting new growth, while others associate it with yield declines, noting weakened trees post-infestation. This research highlights the diverse ecological knowledge of women in shea-growing regions, which is essential for building resilience against climate change and establishing sustainable shea production systems. It sets the stage for further exploration of the complexities of shea caterpillar infestations in the context of escalating climate change. Findings from this study indicate that a community-based approach could be an effective climate-informed strategy for pest management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"179 ","pages":"Article 103605"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903355","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}
Pub Date : 2025-08-23DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103598
Juliet Achieng Owuor , Marko Lovrić , Georg Winkel
The question of whether graduates from forest science programmes possess the relevant skills needed for them to succeed in careers in the forest sector is critical for both graduates and the sector in general. Gaps between perceived demands and education have been identified in some past studies. Through interviews with 30 employers from five countries (Brazil, Finland, Germany, South Africa and United States of America), we investigate the changes in the forest sector labour market, including emerging employment fields. We further explore the perceptions of skills required by future forest professionals, drawing on the Work-readiness integrated competence model (WRICM). We compare the perspectives of the employers and those of 39 recent graduates from the same countries obtained from a global survey. Results show that employers anticipate a decrease in the share of employment by 2030 in the fields of forest management, forest industries, wood processing and energy production. Both employers and recent graduates agree on the importance of job specific dimensions. Meta-skill resources (timely application of new knowledge) and intellectual resources (foundation and cognitive) are regarded as important future skills by employers, while recent graduates' emphasis was on intellectual and personality (managing oneself and others) resources dimensions. The results of this study shed light on the perceived gaps in the present and future training needs. Systematically capturing the perceptions of employers and graduates is crucial for informing universities to better prepare graduates for the labour market and match their own interests.
{"title":"Shaping future foresters: Assessing employers and recent graduates' perceptions on changing demands in forest sector employment","authors":"Juliet Achieng Owuor , Marko Lovrić , Georg Winkel","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The question of whether graduates from forest science programmes possess the relevant skills needed for them to succeed in careers in the forest sector is critical for both graduates and the sector in general. Gaps between perceived demands and education have been identified in some past studies. Through interviews with 30 employers from five countries (Brazil, Finland, Germany, South Africa and United States of America), we investigate the changes in the forest sector labour market, including emerging employment fields. We further explore the perceptions of skills required by future forest professionals, drawing on the Work-readiness integrated competence model (WRICM). We compare the perspectives of the employers and those of 39 recent graduates from the same countries obtained from a global survey. Results show that employers anticipate a decrease in the share of employment by 2030 in the fields of forest management, forest industries, wood processing and energy production. Both employers and recent graduates agree on the importance of job specific dimensions. Meta-skill resources (timely application of new knowledge) and intellectual resources (foundation and cognitive) are regarded as important future skills by employers, while recent graduates' emphasis was on intellectual and personality (managing oneself and others) resources dimensions. The results of this study shed light on the perceived gaps in the present and future training needs. Systematically capturing the perceptions of employers and graduates is crucial for informing universities to better prepare graduates for the labour market and match their own interests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"178 ","pages":"Article 103598"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144889722","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}
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