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Land tenure security (LTS) is important for achieving many sustainable development goals but its influence on forest cover is mixed. The uncertain relationship between LTS and forests is driven, in part, by the moderating influence of other drivers of deforestation. In this paper we illustrate this complex relationship between LTS and forest cover for individual private landholders in the Colombian Amazon. We use household surveys and econometric analysis with matching techniques to examine whether formal land titles and perceptions of LTS influence forest cover. We explore how the effect of a land title on forest cover is moderated by perceptions of LTS, time to markets, and participation in a conservation program. We find that more secure land tenure, on average, has a statistically significant and negative influence on forest cover in our sample. The negative association between LTS and forest cover is stronger when landholders perceive they have secure tenure and are closer to markets. However, we find the negative relationship between land title and forest cover goes away when a landholder participates in a conservation program. While our cross-sectional data and quasi-experimental methods cannot lead to causal statements, our results are in line with many recent studies in the Amazon region, and our household-level data provides important insight regarding drivers of deforestation that moderate the relationship between land title and forest cover. Our results inform the design of future LTS interventions and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKSs), which were accumulated through the indigenous people's direct interaction with and dependency on the natural environment, play a critical role in forest resource conservation. However, this unique knowledge is under threat of extinction due to the current dominance of Western Scientific Knowledge (WSK) in forest resource management. This depicts the influx of Christianity, modernisation, economic development, and population growth, which pose a threat to the existence of IKS in forest resource conservation. Clashes between traditional leaders and other stakeholders over power relations in resource management have been a bone of contention, thereby escalating the conflict of roles in forest resource conservation. An exploratory qualitative design was done. Traditional leaders, traditional health practitioners, community members, and Vhembe Biosphere Reserve (VBR) members were selected purposively for the study. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews. Sankofa and Afrocentricity theories premised the study. The study revealed that indigenous knowledge in forest management is critical to conserving forest resources and livelihoods. Despite Western Knowledge being taken as superior, loyalty to the African indigenous ways and customs by the indigenous communities conserves the forest resources better. The authors argue that the government should promote bottom-up conservation strategies through the active involvement of traditional leaders and their communities in policy formulation and implementation for holistic conservation of forest resources. This should be made easy by outlining distinctive roles for respective stakeholders in forest resource management. The paper recommends the active involvement of indigenous knowledge holders in policy formulation and the legislative process of related laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biennial Visual Resource Stewardship conferences of 2017, 2019, and 2021 were designed to catalyze new ideas and innovation between academia, practice, NGOs, and government agencies who work to address the analysis, planning, valuation, design, and management of visual resources. This Special Issue is a compilation of articles from these conferences that represent a broad perspective of research and project works focused on visual, scenic, and landscape resource assessment and management. With the foundation set for a new conference, a conference planning committee was formalized with a vision to expand the reach and dissemination of activities within the subject area. [Extracted from the article]

Food systems of indigenous people across the world have developed within the confluence of forests, biodiversity, and seasonal crops. However, due to multiple socio-economic, cultural, ecological and political changes, this relationship has evolved over time. This has not only impacted traditional food systems; we hypothesize that it has also shifted communities’ social connectedness, stability and sense of purpose, thus profoundly impacting their sense of health and well-being or ‘flourishing’. Taking the case of the Solega tribe in South Indian forests as an example, this paper attempts to assess the status of the community’s flourishing in the context of the multitude of socio-ecological challenges they face. Household socio-economic survey and dietary recall were used to gather information on parameters that influence flourishing. The study reveals an interesting pattern of Solega’s sense of flourishing based on forest types and ecology, availability of diverse foods from the forest and crop choices. While traditional diets were determined by food produce collected from the forest and grown on their farms, dietary patterns today are determined by state sponsored food distribution programs and markets; and influenced by exposure to mainstream society. Data also show that flourishing scores are higher in forest types where traditional food continues to be grown or collected from forests as compared to those that have greater exposure to external exchanges. Apart from this, the data also indicate that the financial burden of having to purchase food, and the associated anxiety negatively influence perceptions of flourishing. While measures of flourishing can be complex, the study uses a parsimonious set of indicators to generate insights into the factors underlying Solega perceptions of flourishing, and their implications for food and nutrition policies and programs. We recommend that careful attention should be paid to the multiple roles that forests, and traditional farming practices play in shaping the perception of flourishing of indigenous communities, and more active support be integrated into food and nutrition policy and programs to ensure the sustainability of traditional food systems, including sources of food and dietary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating and avoiding social unrest caused by ecological forest restoration is a key factor in the coordinated development of forests and society. Forests, which are intricately linked with society, serve as a vital source of timber, non-timber forest products, and ecosystem services. Ecological forest restoration projects must carefully consider the relationship between forests and society to promote their coordinated development. As a key implementation area for the Natural Forest Resource Protection Project, the state-owned forest regions in Northeast China have experienced a crisis regarding harvestable resources and social unrest caused by protection policies and are currently innovating in policies and practices to mitigate social unrest. This study focuses on the history of natural forest resource conservation projects in China's state-owned forest areas as a case study for empirical research, aiming to provide insights into ecological restoration models that foster harmony between forests and society. The empirical analyses reveal the following findings: (1) As a result of strict protection, natural forest resources on state-owned land have transitioned from providing timber to ecosystem services and non-timber products. (2) The strict logging ban policy has led to severe resource shortages; from 2000 to 2020, for every 10,000 cubic meter decrease in timber harvest, the per capita output in state-owned forest areas has dropped by more than CNY 500 (approximately USD 70). (3) Proactive ecological restoration can effectively alleviate social unrest; from 2000 to 2020, for every additional 10,000 hectares of forest tending, the average wage increased by more than CNY 900 (approximately USD 127). (4) Regional transformation can effectively generate a buffer effect to mitigate social unrest caused by strict forest protection policies and leverage the beneficial resources produced by ecological forest restoration to develop new drivers of economic growth. By systematically reviewing the comprehensive implementation of the NFPP, this paper's findings provide insights into ecological restoration strategies that promote the harmonious development of forests and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current context of climate change, this paper provides a brief overview of climate-vegetation interactions in the Mediterranean basin, where global warming and aridification trends are predicted to intensify. Rising temperatures coupled with extreme drought events have notable impacts on forest ecosystems, triggering dieback and mortality phenomena worldwide. The health status of forest vegetation may be assessed by either ground surveys or remote sensing. Several investigations of declining oak forests in the Apennine region have shown that the drought vulnerability of Mediterranean oaks is dependent on differences in access to deep soil water pools, which can be related to differences in rooting depth, tree size and growth rate. Forest dieback is widely reported in Italy, but the extent and overall distribution of this phenomenon have not yet been well defined. Thus, understanding the future dynamics of forest stands has several key objectives: inventorying declining forest stands to gain insight into the phenomenon and create a nationallevel database; locating these stands to allow monitoring of their evolution over time; and monitoring to allow planning of mitigation measures, as well as recovery and adaptation strategies. This background led to the implementation of SilvaCuore, the first web application designed in Italy to report forest health status. Silvacuore is a web application developed with the aim of improving the link between citizens and the scientific community by contributing to the development of a valuable scientific database. The direct involvement of citizens in forest preservation offers an interesting perspective because the innovative use of technology can tap into citizens' growing enthusiasm for environmental topics. Thus, SilvaCuore may be viewed from a dual perspective as a resource for the scientific community and as a unique opportunity for citizens to take an active role in research activities (Citizen Science project). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background-Forest carbon sinks is essential to mitigate global climate change, protect biodiversity and promote sustainable development. Mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism ( CDM), Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries, plus the sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, and Chinese Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) have established markets that monetize the carbon sinks potential of forests. These mechanisms incentivize forest conservation and sustainable management and reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. However, opportunities for carbon sinks, particularly in non-CDM forest management, remain underexplored. (2) Methods-This paper firstly analyzed the ways and current situation of forestry carbon sinks entering into domestic and international carbon trading mechanisms. Three key aspects were then critically examined: accurate baseline identification, scientific measurement of additionally, and systematic carbon leakage accounting. These dimensions were analyzed through the comparison of different carbon trading mechanisms, highlighting the methodological variances and their impact on market credibility and effectiveness. (3) Results-This paper identifies significant challenges to incorporating non-CDM forest carbon sinks into current carbon trading schemes. The baseline setting of China's CCER mechanism is too simple, which may lead to inaccurate emission reduction estimates. The baseline is a critical reference point, so a flaw here could undermine the credibility of the mechanism. The Improved Forest Management (IFM) approach uses dynamic baselines from national inventories, but questions remain about its scientific robustness, indicating the need for more context-specific criteria. In addition, this paper reveals the inconsistency of emission reduction measurements between different mechanisms. The IFM approach relies on the biomass-based methods, while the CCER mechanism employs four different methods, leading to considerable differences in results. The diversity of approaches complicates the comparisons of projects and reduces the reliability of emission reduction claims. Finally, the failure of the CCER mechanism to account for leakage is particularly concerning, as it may lead to an overestima-tion of net carbon sinks, distorting the actual impact of projects on global carbon emissions. (4) Conclusions and Discussions-China s carbon trading mechanism is underdeveloped and inadequate to meet the growing demand for carbon credits. Incorporating non-CDM forest management carbon sinks into these mechanisms could significantly improve the valuation and monetization of these activities. However, improvements in baseline selection, additionality assessment, and leakage accounting are necessary. A more sophisticated and scientifically rigorous carbon trading system is essential to accurately assess forest carbon sinks and achieve long-term environmental goals. Therefore, the following methodological suggestions for forestry carbon sinks projects are proposed: First, improve the screening methods of carbon baseline, and adopt the dynamic carbon baseline setting method in combination with the inventory data of forest resources in China. Second, improve the measurement methods of additionality, and formulate detailed evaluation criteria of additionality according to different types of forestry carbon sinks projects. Third, unify the accounting methods for carbon storage. Based on the existing CCER methodology, a unified carbon storage accounting standard is established to reduce the differences between different accounting methods. Fourth, carry out a comprehensive carbon leakage risk assessment for forestry carbon sinks projects, and set a reasonable carbon leakage value according to the actual situation of different projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Desarrollo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad de los Andes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study focuses on deforestation, a key aspect of the current environmental decline linked to worldwide economic development and increasing populations. It examines how renewable energy consumption (RENC), GDP per capita, urbanization (URB) and foreign direct investments (FDI) have influenced the expansion of forest areas (FAG) in Romania from 1990 to 2022, utilizing an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and the Bayer–Hanck cointegration approach. The main results of the paper are the following: GDP has a positive and statistically significant long-term influence on FAG; URB and FDI have a long-term negative impact on FAG; and RENC is not a significant determinant of FAG. In the short term, a 1% increase in URB leads to an 809.88% decrease in FAG, while a 1% increase in the first and second lag of URB leads to a 323.06%, and 216.26% increase in FAG. This suggests that as more land is developed for urban use (like building homes, businesses, and infrastructure), the immediate consequence is a significant reduction in the area available for forests. This effect indicates a strong inverse relationship between urbanization and the availability of land for forests in the short term. Our results underscore the importance of sustainable development strategies, including green urban planning and robust forest conservation, to offset the adverse effects of increased FDI on Romania's environmental conservation, emphasizing the need for careful strategic planning and strong environmental policies to balance economic growth with forest protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the failure to account for the value of standing tropical forests, and of ecosystem services in general, in economic decision-making. This blindness to the values of nature has led to overexploitation, degradation and destruction of tropical forests, which, in turn, has also significantly contributed to greenhouse gas emissions. Forest conservation and restoration has a critical role to play in the fight against climate change and brings a vast array of additional benefits, from security in water, energy, food, health and livelihoods to maintaining biodiversity itself as a core component of our living planet. As first Minister of Environment and Energy under President Oscar Arias (1986–1990), I brought these views into societal decision-making in Costa Rica and here I briefly describe how. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bringing nature into decision-making'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international initiative to combat deforestation and forest degradation, known as REDD+, was put on the DRC agenda following actors' policy discourse aimed at convincing policy‐makers of its effectiveness. This paper uses discursive institutionalism (DI) as a theoretical and analytical framework to analyse a set of selected policy documents on REDD+ issue and to assess the effects of policy discourse on deforestation reduction governance in DRC. From an empirical standpoint, interviews with key actors involved in the DRC REDD+ processes and field observations show that four main types of discourse accompanied the adoption of REDD+ in the DRC: a discourse promoting REDD+ through its forest conservation component, as a policy instrument that would bring in significant financial resources to the DRC forest‐related state bureaucracies, a discourse that considers REDD+ as an efficient mean of reducing poverty while promoting sustainability through "green development", a discourse presenting REDD+ as a way of reducing marginalisation of local communities and indigenous peoples by recognising their customary rights, and finally, a discourse promoting REDD+ as a tool for territorial planning and governance. In addition, the paper points out strong links between DRC REDD+ policy discourse and three types of governance approaches: organisational and fiduciary governance, territorial governance, local development and benefit sharing governance. Our analysis also shows that political discourse has played a significant role in the adoption of substantial policies aimed at reducing deforestation in DRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most problematic invasive species in Europe are knotweeds from genus Reynoutria (Fallopia) which have significant negative impact on the native communities as well on human activities. Therefore, they are a target of many control programmes. Due to their high regeneration potential, their management is problematic, and only chemical treatment is reported to be sufficiently effective. The aim of this paper was to describe and analyse the patterns of Reynoutria invasion under long-term chemical treatment with glyphosate-based herbicide in The Morávka river floodplain, Czech Republic. The data covers 17 years of management which started with the European project "Preservation of alluvial forest habitats in the Morávka river basin". We focus on (i) assessment of Reynoutria distribution during long-term management, (ii) analysis of the change of distribution according to the habitat, and (iii) discussion of the optimal management strategy based on the long-term data. Distribution data was obtained using GNSS field mapping. Before the start of the study in 2007, Reynoutria stands covered 29% of the study area (96.9 ha). As a result of systematic whole area chemical management, the extent decreased to 19.6% (65.3 ha) in 2009, and even reached 14.5% (48.2 ha) in 2013, three years after its end. Due to implementation of local chemical management in the following years, the area of Reynoutria was maintained at similar level, with minimum value 41.8 ha in 2018 and a slight increase in recent mapping in 2023. Beside the extent, the structure and coverage of invaded sites was analysed. There was a clear trend of fragmentation of larger polycormons with high coverage into many smaller and less dense ones as a result of chemical spraying. The average size of Reynoutria stand decreased from 0.61 ha in 2007 to half in 2013 (0.32 ha) to 0.15 ha in 2023. Testing of the effects of time, habitat, and biotope did not reveal significant differences of changes of extent and abundance over different environments (forest, open, bare ground), which indicates that there are no differences in reaction to management in the studied habitat and vegetation types. Our study provides a robust and unique overview of the invasion, reinvasion, and suppression dynamics for an important invasive species. If herbicide management is used, chemical treatment must be quite long-term as even three years of intensive glyphosate foliar spray application was not sufficient for the complete eradication of Reynoutria. Therefore, we propose the following procedure for effective chemical management of Reynoutria: 1) In largely infested sites, the first step is to reduce the distribution of Reynoutria stands to isolated polycormons. This phase can last 3–5 years. 2) After reaching the state of sparse distribution of Reynoutria, we recommend herbicide application only in periods of every 3–5 years depending on the local context and rate of regrowth. 3) At sites exposed to soil disturbances, where the soil is contaminated by fragments of Reynoutria rhizomes, there is a need to apply herbicide immediately to target newly resprouting individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research described in this paper focuses on the development of an innovative unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tailored for a specific mission: detecting the acoustic signature emitted by chainsaws, identifying deforestation, and reporting its location for legality assessment. Various calculations were conducted to determine the optimal solution, resulting in the choice of a fixed-wing UAV. A comparative analysis between tri-rotor and quadcopter systems was performed, leading to the selection of the tri-rotor configuration. The primary objective of this study is to design an innovative hybrid UAV concept with key features including a fixed-wing design and integrated VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) capability in the experimental model. The aircraft has been constructed using advanced materials such as fiber-reinforced polymer composites, manufactured using both conventional and advanced techniques like continuous fiber additive manufacturing and the use of a polymer matrix. Additionally, the aerodynamic configuration is optimized to achieve a cruise speed of approximately 50 km/h and a flight autonomy exceeding 3 h. The UAV has been equipped with payloads for mounting sensors to collect meteorological data, and crucially, the VTOL system has been optimized to vectorize thrust for improved performance during the transition from hover to cruise flight. This paper details the entire manufacturing and assembly process of the drone, covering both the structural framework and associated electrical installations. A dedicated sound detection system is incorporated into the drone to identify chainsaw noise, with the aim of preventing deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting and localizing standing dead trees (SDTs) is crucial for effective forest management and conservation. Due to challenges posed by mountainous terrain and road conditions, conducting a swift and comprehensive survey of SDTs through traditional manual inventory methods is considerably difficult. In recent years, advancements in deep learning and remote sensing technology have facilitated real-time and efficient detection of dead trees. Nevertheless, challenges persist in identifying individual dead trees in airborne remote sensing images, attributed to factors such as small target size, mutual occlusion and complex backgrounds. These aspects collectively contribute to the increased difficulty of detecting dead trees at a single-tree scale. To address this issue, the paper introduces an improved You Only Look Once version 7 (YOLOv7) model that incorporates the Simple Parameter-Free Attention Module (SimAM), an unparameterized attention mechanism. This improvement aims to enhance the network's feature extraction capabilities and increase the model's sensitivity to small target dead trees. To validate the superiority of SimAM_YOLOv7, we compared it with four widely adopted attention mechanisms. Additionally, a method to enhance model robustness is presented, involving the replacement of the Complete Intersection over Union (CIoU) loss in the original YOLOv7 model with the Wise-IoU (WIoU) loss function. Following these, we evaluated detection accuracy using a self-developed dataset of SDTs in forests. The results indicate that the improved YOLOv7 model can effectively identify dead trees in airborne remote sensing images, achieving precision, recall and mAP@0.5 values of 94.31%, 93.13% and 98.03%, respectively. These values are 3.67%, 2.28% and 1.56% higher than those of the original YOLOv7 model. This improvement model provides a convenient solution for forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agro-industrial grain industry generates a large amount of waste, which is often discarded, leading to environmental problems and the potential loss of valuable resources. However, in recent years an innovative approach has emerged that aims to use this waste to obtain cellulose, a compound with several industrial applications. The process of extracting cellulose from agroindustrial by-products of the food industry involves stages such as harvesting and milling, followed by a chemical and/or enzymatic treatment to obtain pure cellulose. Dependence on primary sources of pulp such as wood is reduced, thus contributing to the conservation of forests and natural ecosystems. In addition, the use of agro-industrial waste for pulp production reduces the amount of waste burned or poorly discarded, thus minimizing the environmental impacts associated with its disposal. Inadequate, in addition to the environmental benefits, the use of agro-industrial waste to obtain cellulose can also generate economic opportunities for many families who can use this medium to grow economically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewritable paper has recently become prevalent in both academic research and marketplace due to the potential environmental advantages, including forest conservation, pollution reduction, energy saving and resource sustainability. However, its real-life applications are limited by a lack of effective strategy to realize multicolour and water-jet printing on rewritable paper with long legible image-lasting times. Herein, we report an effective strategy to construct rewritable paper based on colour or luminescence switching induced by dynamic metal-ligand coordination. This type of rewritable paper can be conveniently utilized for multicolour water-jet printing by using aqueous solutions containing different metal salts as ink. In addition, the printed images on the water-jet rewritable paper can be retained for a long time (> 6 months), which shows great progress compared to previous work. We believe that this type of rewritable paper could be considered as a prototype for multicolour water-jet printing to meet the practical needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest discourses help identify forest-related issues. They aim to aid policy and decision-makers in understanding forest-related challenges and opportunities better so that they may initiate possible strategies and tactics to tackle them. Ideally, information requirements for the forest discourses would be translated into measurable variables, being the basis for collecting, analysing, and reporting data and information. Our study examined the connection between major international forest reporting processes and forest discourses. We analysed summaries and key findings for policy makers of five recent major forest reports. We compared their focus with forest discourses on climate change, forest conservation, deforestation, forest decline, illegal logging, industrial forestry/bioeconomy, traditional knowledge, woody biomass production, and innovative wood-based biofuels. The paper explores how the forest discourses are reflected in the surveyed documents and closely examines the specific focus areas in the summaries for policy makers. The results show that most forest discourses are generally well-represented, albeit with different foci. The discourse on illegal logging could not be identified in any investigated documents, even though it remains a significant concern for international forest policy. Keywords related to traditional knowledge and woody biomass production could not be found in two of the analysed findings. All analysed summaries and key findings mention issues related to the climate change discourse topic. However, they lack information on emissions from deforestation, carbon dioxide emissions and carbon budgets, which are high in political discussions. The paper highlights how discourse issues have gained in complexity both topic-wise and regarding the reporting obligations, as policy and decisionmakers require more timely and comprehensive information about the status' and trends of forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To gain a thorough grasp of the soil quality conditions in the preservation forests along the Tarim Desert Highway, a detailed assessment of the research area's soil quality is necessary, along with the identification of any potential obstacles. This evaluation should identify any potential obstacles and provide a theoretical basis for the sustainable utilization and precise management of protection forest soils. This paper examines the protection forest along the Tarim Desert Highway as the study area. To characterize the features of the soil quality, thirteen indicators of the chemical, physical, and biological composition of the soil were examined. The principal component analysis method was used to construct the minimum dataset (MDS) for soil quality evaluation. The diagnostic model for obstacle factors was combined with the MDS to explore the soil quality characteristics and obstacle factors in the study region. The findings indicated that (1) the constructed indexes of the MDS of protection forest soil in the study area included soil ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N); quick-acting phosphorus (AvP); organic carbon (SOC); alkaline phosphatase (AP); and total salt (SS); (2) soil quality based on the MDS and the total dataset (TDS) showed a significant positive correlation (R2 = 0.748; p < 0.05), and the research region's soil quality were all in the medium and below level (100% of SQI ≤ 0.6), showing the status quo of high soil quality in the two ends of the shelterbelt forest and the tower center area, while the other areas were relatively low; (3) according to the findings of the soil barrier analysis, the two main obstacles influencing the soil quality of the shelterbelt forest at this time are NH4+-N and SOC, and that the soil quality of the shelterbelt forest could be improved by artificially increasing the inputs of nutrients and precise conservation measures, promoting the overall function of artificial protective forests on desert highways. In addition to providing a solid scientific foundation for the sustainable use and maintenance of shelterbelt forests along the Tarim Desert Highway, this study is also an invaluable resource for researching the soil quality of artificial shelterbelt forests in arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of land conservation methods for forest conservation and restoration is important and relevant from the standpoint of balanced use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation. The purpose of the study was to investigate effective strategies for the exploitation of land with self-forested areas to meet the needs of the agricultural sector of the Zolochiv District of the Lviv Oblast. In the course of the study, the following methods were used: analysis; geographical method; statistical method; cartographic method; geoinformation method. It is worth noting that for the land plot No. 1 within the Buska territorial community of Lviv Oblast, it was recommended to conserve the land, with its subsequent renaturalisation. According to the results of the analysis, it is shown that in 2011 the processes of independent afforestation of agricultural land within the Busk territorial community were insignificant. In 2023, the situation improved, as the area of afforded land increased significantly. To the soils of the land plot No. 2, which was part of the Brody urban community, it was advisable to use conservation and transformation. In the Zolochiv community, 14.2 hectares of land should be rehabilitated, 27.3 hectares should be transformed into pasture, and 3.5 hectares should be alkalised. The paper suggests the introduction of innovative approaches for integrated planning of the use of forest resources: creation of forest farms, development of forest tourism, creation of special forest stands for air filtration, application of bio-refining technology, etc. The findings can be used by local communities to develop and implement a draft of measures for the comprehensive development plan of the territory of the Lviv Oblast to improve forest ecosystem services [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The policy of resettling the Batin Sembilan people, from living in the forest and finding food in the forest to living in housing, has created complex socio-cultural dynamics related to community food security. This article explains the various socio-cultural implications of the Batin Sembilan people in food security and diversification. Orang Batin Sembilan in this paper is a community group that lives in the Bahar River area in Jambi, and is settled in Kelumpang village in the Hutan Harapan area, under the guidance of PT. REKI, a non-profit company engaged in ecosystem conservation by managing forest areas in Jambi. The purpose of this research is to understand how the Orang Batin Sembilan have come from a nomadic way of life to living in a settlement by utilizing limited forest products and starting to plant and have their own fish ponds in the neighborhood. A deep understanding of the process of changing ways of life and changing food culture in various dimensions provides a model for problem solving and lessons learned for the preparation of community food security plans. Using qualitative methods, and an ethnographic approach, the results showed that the long process of changing the nomadic way of life in the forest to the settlement area made Orang Batin Sembilan independent in food and created diversification of food sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At less than one percent of Malaysia's total population, the Orang Asli (Peninsular Malaysia's Indigenous Peoples) lack political clout; state nonrecognition of their land rights constitutes a fundamental reason for the economic and social ills faced by their communities. This article examines the protection of Semai Orang Asli customary territories from a cultural heritage perspective. Drawing on a study of traditional place-names and oral history, it describes how forests, other than existing as the Semai ancestral domain, continue to be the lifeblood of Semai culture and economic production. The paper examines state-owned forest reserves and the role these play in Semai cultural continuity, including traditional livelihoods such as agroforestry and swidden agriculture. Forest reserves are on the frontier of resource extraction and forest conservation in Malaysia; however, because these comprise the customary territories of Orang Asli, they also signify the frontier of forest-dependent Indigeneity. The paper weaves a narrative of Semai forest dependence, and concludes with a discussion of the prospects for a World Heritage Cultural Landscape (WHCL) designation as a possible avenue for protecting Semai customary territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mendoza city (Argentina) hosted the VIII Latin American Forestry Congress (CONFLAT) and the V Forestry Congress of Argentina (CFA) in 2023, where relevant issues were addressed, such as climate change, degradation, reforestation, management and forest industry, monitoring, environmental services, social issues, and governance, among others. The objective of this Special Issue was to present the main advances in Forestry Science for Latin-America in the context of changing governance and forest livelihoods for people. The fifteen articles emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the forest management and conservation, and that multiple variables must be considered to achieve sustainability. The articles come from studies across Southern South-America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay), and the collaboration of researchers of other countries (México, Canada, and Spain). Articles include research in tropical, Mediterranean and temperate Sub-Antarctic forests. Together, these articles provide a snapshot of new forestry research carried out locally and internationally to bring about beneficial ecological and environmental outcomes in a world facing the challenges of sustainable management and conservation amongst the threats and uncertainty of climate change and environmental degradation responsible for extensive loss of biodiversity and environmental services. We believe that this Special Issue will encourage more inter-disciplinary research focusing on management and conservation of forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was on the analyses factors influencing sustainable commercialization of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) among rural households in Delta State, Nigeria. The sampling techniques used to select 340 rural households was the multistage random sampling. Data were gathered with the aid of a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results showed that about 66.5% men and women of active age were involved with respect to NTFPs commercialization. There were more head of households with formal education (51.8%), though they were more of First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC). The study found the mean household size of 8 persons. Commercialization of NTFPs was not sustained. Forest conservation was poor and deforestation was high (72.5%). The regression analysis with an R2value of 0.948 and F-ratio of 254.712 implied a significant impact between the dependent and independent variables at 0,05 level. The explanatory coefficients and t- values (in parenthesis) of educational qualification 0.437 (2.758), access to technology 2.695 (2.324), access to credit4.415(5.721), total household size 2.421(3.677), amount of NTFPs resources owned 2.68 (4.434) and extension services received 2.593 (3.316) were significant. Recommendations include improvement in technology used in NTFPs production. Adopting participatory approach towards NTFPs management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Congo has long been a site of contestation for global environmental governance strategies, with Indigenous Batwa, Bambuti, and Baaka groups at the center of transnational climate discourse. One such strategy, the REDD+ initiative (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), has come to the fore as a carbon-trading-based solution to the environmental challenges facing the Congo Basin. This article critiques the REDD+ initiative's deterritorialized approach, which favors the voices of international stakeholders over forest-dependent peoples Indigenous to the region. Taking a political ethnographical approach to the area of Mai-Ndombe, this research is based on formal and informal interactions with international actors, local communities, and Indigenous peoples. The strengths and weaknesses of mitigation methods like community forestry, institutionalized participation, and participatory mapping are explored. Ultimately, it is asserted that Indigenous decision-making, rather than institutionally imposed hegemony, must be integrated into the REDD+ initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Societal Impact Statement: Arabica coffee grows in the forests and woodlands of Ethiopia. These Arabica coffee populations contain a reservoir of the highest genetic variation of this species, which is extremely valuable from a biodiversity conservation and coffee breeding point of view. Knowledge about the distribution of these populations, including how and to what extent they have been managed by local communities now and in the past, is limited. We reveal insights into the history, distribution, and management of Arabica coffee populations in the remaining forests of Ethiopia, which is essential for developing effective conservation policies for this globally important resource. Summary: To guide conservation of forest biodiversity in a broad sense, we need to understand the landscape‐level variation in current and historical management practices of agroforestry systems.We collected data on coffee management practices across a large forested landscape in Ethiopia within Arabica coffee's indigenous distribution, using interviews in 11 villages and field surveys and interviews at 78 coffee sites in the forest.There was a gradient in coffee density (higher), liana cover (lower), and canopy cover (lower) from sites with high management intensity to sites without management. Recently, management intensity has increased in the forest edges. Interviews suggest that substantial areas of currently unmanaged coffee forests are a legacy of reforestation of abandoned (semi‐) open landscapes in the late 19th century.Despite a dynamic history of coffee cultivation across these areas, the conservation of forest biodiversity, including unmanaged populations of genetically diverse Arabica coffee, should be a priority, given the few such remaining areas in Ethiopia and elsewhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the socioeconomic profile of a particular watershed is essential for effective project planning prior to intervention. This study aimed to gather baseline information, record the existing socioeconomic conditions, and identify key constraints within the Dhumuga learning watershed located in the West Shewa zone of Ethiopia. The information was collected through a household survey and focus group discussions. Through focused group discussions, issues like deforestation, water erosion, restricted access to enhanced crop varieties, insufficient irrigation water, and the decline in soil fertility were recognized and prioritized. The survey findings revealed that 82% of households were headed by males, with 40% of household heads possessing basic literacy skills (able to read and write), while 54% were enrolled in primary school (Grades 1–8). Crop production generated 912.08 USD per household per year on average as of 2023 Ethiopian foreign exchange rates to USD, while livestock production generated 2,612.39 US dollar per household per year. In relation to food security, 36% of households have occasionally faced food shortages caused by natural issues during the kiremt season. The research also highlighted challenges such as land degradation from water erosion (46%), improper tillage practices (34%), and deforestation (20%). Additionally, 78% of households rely on firewood for cooking, with 98% of this firewood sourced from local forests and trees, posing a significant threat to forest resources and their sustainable management. For effective management and oversight of the Dhumuga learning watershed, it is recommended to implement forest resource conservation initiatives, promote the use of energy-efficient stoves, enhance soil fertility strategies, establish soil erosion control methods, and introduce innovations for community livelihood improvement, along with raising awareness about various natural resource management activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is driven by the rapid degradation of Ethiopia's native forest coffee due to agricultural expansion and limited community engagement in conservation efforts, threatening both biodiversity and local livelihoods. The primary objective is to assess the factors influencing households' willingness to pay (WTP) for conserving Coffea arabica, a vital genetic resource. Using a contingent valuation method (CVM), data were collected through structured questionnaires from 164 households in the Kafa Zone, where forest coffee has deep cultural and economic significance. The bivariate probit model was employed to analyze how various socioeconomic factors (income from coffee, age, gender, property rights, and education) and institutional influences (customary laws and property rights) affect WTP for conservation. Key findings indicate that income from forest coffee, customary laws, traditional institutions, and extension contacts positively impact households' WTP, while age and sex also play significant roles. Younger household heads, increased extension contact, and stronger property rights were associated with higher WTP. The average annual WTP per household was calculated as 430 Ethiopian Birr. The study recommends enhancing community involvement through policies that integrate economic incentives with customary governance systems, promote equitable benefit‐sharing, and strengthen property rights. By aligning conservation policies with local socioeconomic contexts, the findings underscore the potential for sustainable forest management and improved community livelihoods in Ethiopia's coffee‐producing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual Reality (VR) enables immersive experiences that can enhance awareness about environmental problems. We measure the effectiveness of VR versus 2D in an environmental campaign using a field experiment in Brazil. 617 passers-by at a mall were randomly assigned to watch a video clip about the Amazon Forest through VR or a traditional 2D device, with some being randomly interviewed before watching the movie (control group). We find that both the 2D and VR interventions increase individuals' propensity to (i) contribute to an Amazonian humanitarian campaign, (ii) share contact information, (iii) interact with a conservation campaign, and (iv) state pro-conservation opinions. We find no additional impact of VR compared to 2D, but VR participants were more likely to engage with pro-conservation content online 3 months later. Our findings provide cautionary evidence about the additional potential of using immersive technologies, like VR, to improve conservation behaviors compared to 2D methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIGHLIGHTS Timber smuggling in the Hyrcanian forest is highly affected by administrative and economic drivers. Integration of the forests' different stakeholders' knowledge can highlight key drivers of timber smuggling. Economic and livelihood factors play as important a role as administrative and legal factors in timber smuggling. Using Indigenous people and local communities' knowledge is essential in forest management and conservation. Cross-impact analysis can help understanding key affective and effective factors in nature conservation. SUMMARY The Hyrcanian forest in Northern Iran has faced increased incidents of timber smuggling over the last decade caused by multiple interwoven factors. The study analysed factors affecting timber smuggling in order to identify the most appropriate strategies to combat this problem. The views of a range of stakeholders were sought, including government and local communities. Analysis reveled 16 key classes of factors affecting timber smuggling amongst which, factors within administrative-political, economic-livelihood and law-legal dimensions were shown to be the most effective. Executive weaknesses, supervision weaknesses, and planning weaknesses within the administrative-political dimension, higher demand for timber, market boom and increase in wood prices, and dependency of local communities' livelihood on forests within the economic-livelihood dimension, and legal limitations within the law-legal dimension, were found to be the most important key factors affecting timber smuggling. Forest conservation can mitigate the situation by reducing the negative effects of the identified factors. La forêt Hyrcanienne en Iran du nord a fait face à des incidences croissantes de contrebande de bois au cours de la dernière décennie, causée par des facteurs multiples et entremêlés. L'étude a analysé les facteurs affectant la contrebande de bois, afin d'identifier les stratégies les plus appropriées pour combattre ce problème. Les points de vue d'un éventail de parties prenantes ont été recherchées, gouvernement et communautés locales inclus. L'analyse a révélé 16 classes-clé de facteurs influençant la contrebande de bois, parmi lesquels les facteurs compris dans les dimensions politiques-administratives, économiques-revenus et loi-légalité se sont révélés être les plus efficaces. Les faiblesses de l'exécutif et de la supervision, ainsi que celles de la planification dans la dimension administrative-politique, une demande croissante de bois, l'explosion du marché et l'augmentation du prix du bois, la dépendance des communautés locales aux forêts pour leur subsistance dans la dimension économique-revenus et les limites légales dans la dimension loi-légalité se sont révélées être les facteurs-clé les plus importants affectant la contrebande du bois. La conservation forestière peut atténuer la situation en réduisant les effets négatifs des facteurs identifiés. El bosque de Hircania en el norte de Irán se ha enfrentado en la última década a un aumento de casos de contrabando de madera causado por múltiples factores interconectados. El estudio analizó los factores que afectan al contrabando de madera con el fin de identificar las estrategias más adecuadas para combatir este problema. Se recabó la opinión de diversas partes interesadas, entre ellas el Gobierno y las comunidades locales. El análisis reveló 16 clases clave de factores que afectan al contrabando de madera, entre los cuales las dimensiones administrativo-política, económico-social y jurídico-legal resultaron ser los más eficaces. Las debilidades en aspectos ejecutivos, de supervisión y de planificación dentro de la dimensión político-administrativa, la mayor demanda de madera, el auge del mercado y el aumento de los precios de la madera, y la dependencia de los medios de vida de las comunidades locales de los bosques dentro de la dimensión económico-social, y las limitaciones legales dentro de la dimensión jurídico-legal, resultaron ser los factores clave más importantes que afectan al contrabando de madera. La conservación de los bosques puede mitigar la situación reduciendo los efectos negativos de los factores identificados. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIGHLIGHTS Socioeconomic factors such as income and education influence community Willingness to Pay (WTP) for forest conservation. Contingent valuation and choice experiments are the primary economic valuation methods applied, reflecting public preferences and support for conservation initiatives. Tropical forests in developing countries exhibit higher WTP values than other regions, underscoring their critical ecological and socioeconomic roles in global conservation efforts. Integrating remote sensing data and ecosystem service modelling has enhanced valuation accuracy. However, disparities in valuation approaches and data limitations persist, indicating a need for standardized methodologies and better data integration. Economic valuation of forest conservation is crucial for informed decision-making and effective policy design. SUMMARY Forest conservation is vital for biodiversity, climate regulation and livelihoods. However, valuing its economic benefits is challenging. This review assesses and synthesizes current methodologies and findings on the economic valuation of forest conservation, focusing on non-market benefits and diverse valuation approaches. The study was reviewed from 2018 to 2023 using Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), and EconBiz, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. Analyzing 37 articles, three themes were identified: Community and Socioeconomic Aspects (15 articles), Economic Valuation Techniques (16 articles), and Policy Implications (6 articles). Contingent valuation and choice modelling were found to be predominant, especially in tropical forests of developing countries, where higher WTP values than other regions highlight their importance in supporting conservation efforts. Though challenges such as data disparities and limitations persist, recent advancements, such as the use of remote sensing and ecosystem service modelling, have improved the precision of forest conservation valuations. Standardized methodologies and better data integration are required to improve the accuracy and comparability of economic valuations, ensuring more reliable data for policy-making and resource allocation in forest conservation. This review aids researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in enhancing forest conservation strategies through robust economic valuation. La conservation forestière est vitale pour la biodiversité, la régulation du climat et les revenus. Évaluer ses bénéfices économiques est toutefois un défi. Cette étude examine et synthétise les méthodologies et les découvertes actuelles dans l'évaluation économique de la conservation forestière, en se concentrant sur les bénéfices hors-marché et sur les diverses approches évaluatives. L'étude a été conduite de 2018 à 2023, en utilisant Scopus, Web of Science (WoS) et EconBiz, dans le cadre des Éléments de rapport préférés pour les examens systématiques et les méta-analyses (PRISMA). Trois thèmes ont été identifiés lors de l'analyse de 37 articles: aspects communautaires et socioéconomiques (15 articles), techniques d'évaluation économique (16 articles), et implications des politiques (6 articles). L'évaluation contingente et la modélisation de choix se sont trouvées être les prédominantes, particulièrement dans les forêts tropicales des pays en voie de développement, où les valeurs WTP plus élevées que dans d'autres régions soulignent leur importance dans le soutien des efforts de conservation. Bien que les défis comme la disparité des données et les limitations persistent, des avancées récentes, telles que l'utilisation des senseurs à distance et la modélisation du service d'écosystème, ont amélioré la précision de l'évaluation de la conservation forestière. Des méthodologies standardisées et une meilleure intégration des données sont nécessaires pour une amélioration de la précision et de la compatibilité des évaluations économiques, assurant des données plus fiables pour la création de politiques et pour l'allocation des ressources dans la conservation forestière. Cette étude aide les chercheurs, les créateurs de politiques et le personnel sur le terrain à fortifier les stratégies de conservation forestière grâce à une évaluation économique robuste. La conservación de los bosques es vital para la biodiversidad, la regulación del clima y los medios de vida. Sin embargo, valorar sus beneficios económicos es todo un reto. Esta revisión evalúa y sintetiza las metodologías y conclusiones actuales sobre la valoración económica de la conservación de los bosques, centrándose en los beneficios no comerciales y en los diversos enfoques de valoración. El estudio se revisó de 2018 a 2023 utilizando Scopus, Web of Science (WoS) y EconBiz, siguiendo el marco de los Elementos Preferidos para Preparación de Informes de Revisiones Sistemáticas y Metaanálisis (PRISMA, por sus siglas en inglés). Después de analizar 37 artículos se identificaron tres temas: Aspectos comunitarios y socioeconómicos (15 artículos), Técnicas de valoración económica (16 artículos) e Implicaciones políticas (6 artículos). La valoración contingente y los modelos de elección resultaron predominantes, especialmente en los bosques tropicales de los países en desarrollo, donde los valores de la disposición a pagar (WTP, por sus siglas en inglés), más elevados que en otras regiones, ponen de relieve su importancia para apoyar los esfuerzos de conservación. Aunque persisten problemas como las disparidades y limitaciones de los datos, los avances recientes, como el uso de la teledetección y la modelización de los servicios ecosistémicos, han mejorado la precisión de las valoraciones de la conservación forestal. Se necesitan metodologías estandarizadas y una mejor integración de datos para mejorar la precisión y comparabilidad de las valoraciones económicas, lo que garantizaría datos más fiables para la formulación de políticas y la asignación de recursos en la conservación de los bosques. Esta revisión ayuda a investigadores, responsables políticos y profesionales a mejorar las estrategias de conservación de los bosques mediante una rigurosa valoración económica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combined pressures of climate change and human activities have exacerbated ecological risks in fragile and sensitive areas. Assessing the ecological restoration status of key nature reserves and developing a new conservation and development framework are fundamental for achieving ecological civilization and enhancing sustainability. As an ecological security barrier in the northwestern alpine region, Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNP), is of great significance for maintaining the sustainable ecological environment of western China. By measuring changes in ecological land use and monitoring key vegetation indicator trends in QMNP, we constructed the Regional Ecological Resilience Indicator (RERI) and proposed a new restoration and restoration framework. The results show that: (1) the ecological land restoration in QMNP was remarkable, with a total of 721.76 km2 of non-ecological land converted to ecological land, representing a 1.44% increase. Forest restoration covered 110 km2, primarily made up of previously unused land from 2000 to 2020. (2) The average NDVI value increased by 0.025. Regions showing productivity growth (NPP) accounted for 51.82% of the total area from 2000 to 2020. The four typical eco-migration zones reduced the building profile area by 47.72% between 2015 and 2019. The distribution of high Composite Vegetation Index (CFI) values overlapped with concentrated forest restoration areas, revealing two main restoration models: forest conservation and population relocation. (3) RERI calculations divided the park into three ecological zones, Priority Conservation Area (PCA), Optimization and Enhancement Area (OEA), and Concerted Development Area (CDA), leading to the proposal of an ecological restoration and development framework for QMNP, characterized by "three zones, two horizontal axes, and one vertical axis". Our findings contribute to strengthening the ecological security barrier in northwestern China; they offer new insights for the long-term, stable improvement of the ecological environment in QMNP and in other critical protected area systems globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest degradation and forest disturbance are distinct yet often conflated concepts, complicating their definition and monitoring. Forest degradation involves interrupted succession and a severe reduction in forest services over time, caused by factors like fires, illegal selective logging, and edge effects. Forest disturbance, on the other hand, refers to abrupt, localized events, natural or anthropogenic, such as legal selective logging, tropical blowdowns, storms, or fires, without necessarily leading to long-term degradation. Despite the varying intensity and scale of forest degradation and disturbance, systematic studies distinguishing its types and classes are limited. This study reviews anthropogenic impacts on forests in the Brazilian Amazon, analyzing 80 scientific articles using remote sensing techniques and data. Most research focuses on the "arc of deforestation," characterized by intense human activity, showcasing methodological advancements but also revealing gaps in monitoring less-studied regions like the central and western Amazon. The findings emphasize the need for advanced remote sensing tools to differentiate degradation types, particularly in sustainable forest management (SFM) contexts. Expanding research to underrepresented regions and refining methodologies are crucial for better understanding forest dynamics and improving conservation strategies. These efforts are essential to support effective forest management and informed policy development across the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most well-preserved areas in the vertical band spectrum of vegetation in central China and even in the northern hemisphere at the same latitude, the vegetation in Shennongjia Forest District is vital to global ecological balance. In order to fully understand the vegetation change in the study area, remotely sensed data since 1990, combined with the Sen-MK test, Geo detector, and LandTrendr algorithm, were used to analyze the vegetation distribution characteristics and change trends. The results showed that: (1) the overall NDVI in the study area displayed an upward trend. (2) Vegetation disturbance occurred frequently before 2000 and decreased significantly after 2000. The most severely disturbed year was 1991 when the disturbed area amounted to 4.0851 km2, accounting for 16.76% of the total disturbed area. The analysis of the topographic environment reveals that most of the vegetation disturbances occur in areas with slopes of 15–25° and elevations of 1500–2000 m, which indicates that these areas have frequent human activity. (3) The explanatory power of different influences on vegetation changes varied, with altitude having the most significant effect and the superposition of two influences increasing the effect on vegetation change. Over the past 30 years, vegetation in the Shennongjia Forest District has shown a general trend of recovery, with natural forest protection initiatives playing a critical role in mitigating disturbance. This comprehensive study of vegetation changes in Shennongjia offers a valuable research paradigm for forest conservation and sustainable development in temperate forests at similar latitudes, providing significant insights into the protection and management of similar ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the factors influencing ecosystem regulation services in southwestern Zhejiang is of great significance for formulating reasonable pricing strategies for forest ecosystem regulation services and optimizing ecological security. This study constructed a theoretical framework for analyzing forest ecosystem regulation services and assessed the spatiotemporal evolution and influencing factors of forest ecosystem regulation services using InVEST model calculations and spatial autocorrelation analysis. The results showed that all ecosystem services of forests in the study improved from 2000 to 2019, with the exception of soil conservation. The water conservation function increased significantly from 2000 to 2019, with an overall increase of 3.53%. The biodiversity conservation function in 2019 also increased significantly, with an average increase of 2.16% compared with 2000. The synergies mainly occurred between water source regulation and soil conservation, soil conservation and biodiversity, and forest recreation and carbon storage. Forest Reserve was precipitation, canopy closure, elevation, and soil texture, and their driving forces differed at different time scales. The trade-offs mainly occurred between soil conservation and forest recreation, forest recreation and biodiversity, and carbon storage and biodiversity. The research results provide a reference for achieving ecological protection and high-quality development in the southwestern region of Zhejiang. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme climate events are increasingly damaging forests, particularly in Europe's Alps. These disturbances lead to more damaged timber, necessitating rapid salvage operations to preserve timber value and protect ecosystems. However, salvage logging, though essential, raises concerns about its environmental impact, especially on soil conservation and forest regeneration. To mitigate these effects, best practices such as leaving logging residues and avoiding wet soils are recommended. Nevertheless, fuel efficiency remains a critical concern. This study focuses on addressing gaps in understanding forwarder productivity in salvage logging, considering factors such as assortment number, extraction distance, and payload. Utilizing Automatic Work-Element Detection (AWED) for data collection, this study enhances fuel efficiency analysis. Findings show that the average cycle time was 27.4 min, with 4.9 L of fuel consumed per cycle. Each cycle covered 241.3 m, extracting 11.7 m3 of timber, yielding a productivity rate of 31.6 m3 per machine hour and a fuel efficiency of 0.4 L per m3 and per 100 m. Traveling was the most time- and fuel-intensive task. Assortment type significantly impacted loading time and fuel consumption, with short sawlogs requiring fewer crane cycles. Key factors influencing productivity and fuel efficiency were average log volume, distance, payload, and slope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interactive effects of environmental heterogeneity caused by forest gaps and ectomycorrhizae on fungal community characteristics remain insufficiently explored. To address this knowledge gap, we established a three-year field manipulation experiment in a Picea asperata (Picea asperata Mast.) plantation located in the subalpine region of western Sichuan, China. Growth bags with three mesh sizes—1000 μm (allowing ectomycorrhizae and hyphae), 48 μm (excluding ectomycorrhizae), and 1 μm (excluding both)—were placed across forest gaps (closed canopy, gap edge, and gap center) to investigate how gap disturbances influence soil fungal communities via changes in ectomycorrhizal and hyphal turnover alongside soil physicochemical properties. Soil fungal α-diversity was significantly lower under closed-canopy conditions than at forest gap centers and remained unaffected by ectomycorrhizal and hyphal treatments. Particularly, species diversity increased by 9%, and phylogenetic diversity increased by 10% in forest gap centers compared to the closed canopy. In contrast, soil fungal β-diversity responded to both ectomycorrhizal/hyphal treatments (R2 = 0.061; p = 0.001) and forest gap positions (R2 = 0.033; p = 0.003). Pairwise comparative analyses revealed significant distinctions between treatments, concurrently excluding ectomycorrhizal and hyphal treatments versus other experimental treatments, as well as between closed-canopy conditions and forest gap centers. The fungal community was dominated by four major phyla: Ascomycota (25.6%–71.0%), Basidiomycota (17.7%–43.7%), Mortierellomycota (1.4%–24.5%), and Rozellomycota (0.4%–2.9%), the relative abundances of which were unaffected by either ectomycorrhizal/hyphal treatments or forest gap positions. The biomass of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi showed no significant response to ectomycorrhizal/hyphal treatments. Notably, the exclusion of ectomycorrhizae and hyphae enhanced the significant correlations between fungal community characteristics and soil physicochemical properties. Hierarchical partitioning analysis revealed that the soil water content (SWC) and dissolved organic carbon content were the key determinants of soil fungal community characteristics beneath closed-canopy conditions. In contrast, at forest gap edges and centers, the fungal communities were predominantly shaped by the SWC and dissolved carbon and nitrogen contents. This study highlights the impacts of forest gap disturbances and ectomycorrhizal treatments on soil fungal communities, offering valuable insights for the sustainable management and biodiversity conservation of subalpine forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests are valuable for a wide variety of reasons, including biodiversity and carbon sequestration and storage. As such, in the U.S., various parties have proposed large-scale forest management efforts to enhance biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. Others, in contrast, argue that forests should not be harvested and have used legal action to prevent timber harvest on public lands. However, given that modern forests in the U.S. are reduced in extent compared to pre-settlement times, are subject to a reduced rate of natural disturbances but experience novel disturbances such as invasive pests and elevated fire risk, and are out of ecological balance due to past human activities, we suggest that active management is not only aligned with forest sustainability but necessary to conserve the maximum feasible range of forest biodiversity. In many areas of the U.S., species most in need of conservation depend on open canopy or early seral forest conditions, both of which can be created or maintained by forest harvest. We suggest that forest management for wood products simultaneously produces these needed conditions, whereas setting aside forests from management only benefits a subset of biodiversity. Although areas not subjected to forest harvest are important landscape components, active management is also needed to restore once-common forest types such as oak (Quercus spp.) woodland, mitigate invasive pests, reduce fire risk, and manage for species that need early seral or disturbed conditions, which are declining on the landscape. We document the current unbalanced conditions and the need for management with a focus on the eastern U.S. to demonstrate the issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study fills a significant research gap by examining the factors influencing the circular economy in Thailand, particularly within the context of developing countries. Utilizing regression and correlation analysis, we investigate key environmental and socioeconomic variables: greenhouse gas emissions, forest area percentage, income levels among the poorest 20% of the population, access to electricity, and income inequality. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive integration of these dimensions to identify barriers and sustainable circular economy. Key findings reveal that higher greenhouse gas emissions correlate with increased recycling, underscoring the need for stricter emission controls and cleaner technologies. Conversely, greater forest coverage is associated with reduced recycled waste, highlighting the importance of forest conservation and sustainable land use. Economic disparities significantly impact recycling efforts, necessitating supportive policies for lower-income groups. Increased access to electricity correlates with higher waste generation, emphasizing the need for sustainable consumption practices. Although income inequality correlates with recycling rates, it is not a significant predictor, indicating the necessity for broader economic and environmental policies. This study offers novel, comprehensive recommendations for advancing Thailand's circular economy. Strategies include implementing emission controls, enhancing forest conservation, promoting economic empowerment, encouraging sustainable consumption, and developing integrated policies. These recommendations aim to address identified challenges and support sustainable growth in alignment with circular economy goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding forest health is of great importance for the conservation of the integrity of forest ecosystems. The monitoring of forest health is, therefore, indispensable for the long-term conservation of forests and their sustainable management. In this regard, evaluating the amount and quality of dead wood is of utmost interest as they are favorable indicators of biodiversity. Apparently, remote sensing-based Machine Learning (ML) techniques have proven to be more efficient and sustainable with unprecedented accuracy in forest inventory. However, the application of these techniques is still in its infancy with respect to dead wood mapping. This study, for the first time, automatically categorizing individual coniferous trees (Norway spruce) into five decay stages (live, declining, dead, loose bark, and clean) from combined Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) point clouds and color infrared (CIR) images using three different ML methods − 3D point cloud-based deep learning (KPConv), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and Random Forest (RF). First, CIR colorized point clouds are created by fusing the ALS point clouds and color infrared images. Then, individual tree segmentation is conducted, after which the results are further projected onto four orthogonal planes. Finally, the classification is conducted on the two datasets (3D multispectral point clouds and 2D projected images) based on the three ML algorithms. All models achieved promising results, reaching overall accuracy (OA) of up to 88.8%, 88.4% and 85.9% for KPConv, CNN and RF, respectively. The experimental results reveal that color information, 3D coordinates, and intensity of point clouds have significant impact on the promising classification performance. The performance of our models, therefore, shows the significance of machine/deep learning for individual tree decay stages classification and landscape-wide assessment of the dead wood amount and quality by using modern airborne remote sensing techniques. The proposed method can contribute as an important and reliable tool for monitoring biodiversity in forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species-specific timber volume estimates are required to support forest planning and conservation. We evaluated whether additional predictors from a Sentinel-2 time series can improve airborne laser scanning (ALS)-based estimation of species-specific timber volumes. Furthermore, we determined the satellite image dates that provided the greatest improvement in accuracy. The Sentinel-2 time series was constructed to cover 1 March–30 November time-period, with a focus on late spring and early summer. The estimation was done using the k Most Similar Neighbor method and predictors extracted from the ALS data and Sentinel-2 images. Our best model included both ALS and Sentinel-2 time-series predictors, and the relative root mean square error (RMSE) values for pine, spruce and deciduous timber volumes were 40.8%, 57.0% and 51.3%, respectively (mean 49.7%). All deciduous trees were treated as one species. When bands from an individual image were used instead of the time series, the best result was obtained with an image from September where the respective relative RMSE values were 42.2% (deciduous), 58.4% (pine) and 60.6% (spruce) with a mean value of 53.7%. A fusion of a Sentinel-2 time-series and ALS data can improve species-specific estimation results compared to the use of individual Sentinel-2 images or ALS only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although extensive interventions are being made to protect forests, many developing countries, including Ethiopia, face persistent forest conservation challenges, particularly where local communities heavily rely on forests for their livelihoods. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the government of Ethiopia introduced Participatory Forest Management (PFM) and devolved forest management responsibilities to enhance forest conservation. Therefore, investigating the impacts of PFM on forest covers is important. To this end, our research is based on an analysis of the land use/land cover changes (LULCCs) over the last 23 years in selected forest sites of Adaba–Dodola and their implications for the implementation of REDD+. This study examines the difference in forest cover changes between PFM and non-PFM sites within and between the study periods. Landsat images from 2000, 2012, and 2023 were analysed to detect LULCCs. Overall, the results from the comparison analysis indicate that in the period of 2000–2023, forest lands decreased by 5.22% in non-PFM sites, while they increased by 5.89% in PFM sites. On the other hand, agricultural lands experienced a notable increase of 9.64% in non-PFM sites but decreased by 1.65% in PFM sites. The increase in the forest cover is attributed to the effectiveness of PFM in halting deforestation and promoting forest conservation compared to non-PFM sites. Thus, the PFM approach is a tool for preserving forest ecosystems and mitigating the adverse effects of deforestation and forest degradation; therefore, this strategy could be used as a driving wheel for the implementation of REDD+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variable retention harvesting (VRH) was designed for timber purposes and biodiversity conservation in natural forests. This system was globally tested, but few studies are related to soil microbial components. The objective was to evaluate different retention types (aggregated and dispersed retention) considering different years-after-harvesting (6, 9, 16 YAH) on soil microbial community attributes compared with unmanaged primary forests (PF) in Nothofagus pumilio forests of Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). This study also evaluated the influence of climate, soil, and understory vegetation. Results showed that aggregated retention increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and soil basal respiration (SBR) compared to dispersed retention, but with similar values than PF. However, harvested areas decreased MBC/MBN values compared with PF. The results showed an overall decrease in microbial biomass and activity in 9 YAH stands, with a positive recovery at 16 YAH. Soil pH, mean annual temperature, and understory vegetation cover showed a positive relationship with MBC, MBN, and SBR. The recovery after 16 YAH reached to different microbial communities. Therefore, the maintenance of retention components in managed stands for longer periods is needed. The results highlight some advantages of VRH as a tool for conservation of forest-dwelling soil microorganisms, including microbial biomass and activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant diversity is one of the fundamental cornerstones for human well-being and sustainable development in countries where household livelihoods are highly dependent on land resources. Given their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and increasing threat to plant diversity sustainability efforts to conserve plant diversity through ex-situ strategies like plant nurseries management are crucial for those countries. We surveyed 70 roadside plant nurseries across Kampala District, to understand their contribution to plant conservation and human livelihoods in the face of global change. One hundred and nine species representing 55 families including exotics and indigenous were recorded. The most frequent indigenous species were Musanga cecropioides, Elaeis guinensis, Maesopsis eminii, and the endangered Encephalartos hildebrandtii. Over 94% of the respondents depended on plant nursery business for their economic needs. Over 92% of the respondents lacked the technical capacity to manage plant nurseries for conservation and as a business. Yet with proper management, the plant nurseries can enhance plant conservation, urban forestry development, and act as green businesses. Hence, contributing to livelihood improvement of the low-income urban households; and achieving assisted plant migration as an adaptation strategy for plant conservation in the face of global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the long-term impacts of various forest management practices on the structure and biodiversity of Estonian hemiboreal forests, a unique ecological transition zone between temperate and boreal forests, found primarily in regions with cold winters and moderately warm summers, such as the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. The study examined 150 plots across stands of different ages (65–177 years), including commercial forests and Natura 2000 habitat 9010* "Western Taiga". These plots varied in stand origin—multi-aged (trees of varying ages) versus even-aged (uniform tree ages), management history—historical (practices before the 1990s) and recent (post-1990s practices), and conservation status—protected forests (e.g., Natura 2000 areas) and commercial forests focused on timber production. Data on forest structure, including canopy tree diameters, deadwood volumes, and species richness, were collected alongside detailed field surveys of vascular plants and bryophytes. Management histories were assessed using historical maps and records. Statistical analyses, including General Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs), Multi-Response Permutation Procedures (MRPP), and Indicator Species Analysis (ISA), were used to evaluate the effects of origin, management history, and conservation status on forest structure and species composition. Results indicated that multi-aged origin forests had significantly higher canopy tree diameters and deadwood volumes compared to even-aged origin stands, highlighting the benefits of varied-age management for structural diversity. Historically managed forests showed increased tree species richness, but lower deadwood volumes, suggesting a biodiversity–structure trade-off. Recent management, however, negatively impacted both deadwood volume and understory diversity, reflecting short-term forestry consequences. Protected areas exhibited higher deadwood volumes and bryophyte richness compared to commercial forests, indicating a small yet persistent effect of conservation strategies in sustaining forest complexity and biodiversity. Indicator species analysis identified specific vascular plants and bryophytes as markers of long-term management impacts. These findings highlight the ecological significance of integrating historical legacies and conservation priorities into modern management to support forest resilience and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth's forests are continually monitored by both the satellite record and the lived experiences of nearly 2 billion forest‐proximate peoples. Generally, the satellite record summarizes production estimates, such as percent tree cover, at regular, relatively coarse scales. Conversely, local perceptions tend to capture changes at irregular and very fine scales. While the utility of both of these sources of information has been widely demonstrated in isolation, little work has explored in what contexts they are expected to correlate or deviate, or how they might be quantitatively integrated. Here, we collect gridded information on community perceived and remotely sensed mangrove cover change across 719 0.5‐km grids in Pemba Island, Tanzania. We reveal variation in the association between these two data sources across different wards (shehia) and explore the reasons for this variation using interviews and direct observation. We find that shehia with the greatest alignment between perceived and remotely sensed mangrove change tended to have little planting or natural regeneration of mangrove propagules and large areas of complete cover loss. Alternatively, in shehia with the lowest alignment, we find high levels of natural and/or human‐assisted mangrove recolonization and selective harvesting of individual trees and branches. These findings indicate that the alignment between local knowledge and satellite observations of mangrove cover change systematically increases with the scale of change in this system. Finally, we demonstrate a practical workflow for quantitatively leveraging these misalignments by optimizing across both data sources to identify restoration priority areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native bees are an ecologically diverse group of pollinators in global decline due at least in part to invasive species, pesticides, and habitat loss. Although guidelines exist for land managers to restore pollinator habitat, these "best management practices" (BMPs) include other pollinator taxa that may have different requirements than bees, do not give particular attention to rare bee species, or describe practices that are impractical for land managers. Using co‐production science, our team of land managers and researchers sampled bee communities in 100 wildlife openings on six National Forests (NF) within the Great Lakes Basin of the United States during 2017–2019. We found that bee communities responded to site factors and management practices, including prescribed fire, mechanical methods (e.g., felling, brushhogging, mowing), herbicides, and pollinator plantings. Bee abundance, diversity, and rarity were strongly related to soil properties, landscape context, and the plant community, including small‐statured woody species, which collectively informed our BMPs. For instance, mechanical treatments were most beneficial for openings with clayey or organic soils while prescribed fire was most effective in openings with well‐drained soils. Our BMPs highlight effects of treatment combinations, including negative effects on rare species when herbicides were combined with plantings and positive effects on abundance and rare species when prescribed fire was combined with mechanical treatments. Since our BMPs were generated in collaboration with land managers, they better conform to their needs and constraints, contributing to more effective native bee conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper attempts to contribute to existing discourse on conservation and political ecology by juxtaposing the concept of "fortress conservation" which favors the creation of protected areas, to the concept of "forest forts," a traditional conservation practice woven into a traditional village society. By drawing insights from the theory of political ecology and colonial conservation laws and practices, the present paper reiterate the critique of "fortress conservation" while advocating a dialogue between the state, conservationists, and the local people. Unlike the forceful and displacive conservation projects and discourse that harbors dissent and protests, straining relationships between state and people, the paper shifts the paradigm emphasizing the healing of relationship among human agencies as of utmost importance, and a vital step in restoring our relationship with nature. It opines that if conservation is to be deeply successful and sustainable, the minimization of casualty and cases of displacement must be part of the equation. Furthermore, it seeks to explain such a possibility through the traditional forest forts in which the local people engaged in the traditional practices of conservation themselves based on their long-standing and time-tested traditional ecological knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]