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Using an extended full-cycle carbon model from the Faustmann framework, which allows for management strategies of several uses concurrently implemented in the same area of forest, this paper investigates the selection of management objectives that are beneficial and optimal for forest plantations in Vietnam. Three scenarios are considered: Scenario 1 investigates the management objective of maximizing the land economic value (LEV) of timber as a single production. Scenario 2 investigates the joint production of timber and bioenergy sources. Scenario 3 analyzes the joint production of timber, bioenergy production, and carbon sequestration. The findings reveal that if growers pursue a timber management objective (Scenario 1), the farming business only provides considerable benefits under the government-subsidized credit scheme of 8.4%. For a higher non-subsidized interest rate of 15.24% of commercial banks, such gains reduce substantially and become negative value under the mean interest rate of 19.08% of private credit sources. Altering the management objective to a joint production of timber and raw bioenergy production (Scenario 2) will boost the LEV by a moderate level, but at the expense of timber production and thus carbon stock. However, the reduction tendency of timber and carbon balance is not substantial due mainly to the relatively small proportion of bioenergy production compared to timber production; therefore, decision-making frameworks targeting carbon uptake may be capable of incorporating such levels of confliction. Further internalizing the carbon value of the forest into management objectives generally leads to a longer rotation length, thus improving both carbon sequestration and income gains. Shifting the current timber-dominant management objective to a joint production of timber and bioenergy sources, or, alternatively, a joint production of timber, bioenergy production, and carbon sequestration when the carbon market is emerging, is a good alternative strategy for forest management in Vietnam., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In the Southeastern United States, freshwater resources are stressed due to human development, population growth, expansion of agricultural irrigation, and climate change. Restoring land to a low-density, fire-maintained longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savanna and woodland ecosystem may provide distinct ecosystem services such as increases in water quantity for vulnerable watersheds. To understand how economic incentives may bolster restoration programs, we analyze the economic and hydrologic impacts of longleaf pine restoration scenarios. We compare these scenarios against other common land uses in the Coastal Plain of Georgia, a major forestry state located in the Southern United States, identifying the financial barriers and water use impacts of alternative forest management regimes. Longleaf pine restoration shows the greatest increase in water yield per acre at 66 % over baseline timber production scenarios but at a lower timber value return. Thinning planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands to low-density woodlands may offer a more cost-efficient, immediate alternative that improves water yields by 38 %. Current incentives to restore native habitats on private lands increase financial returns but lack sufficient incentives and governance to meet or exceed baseline forest income levels by $90-$235 ha-1 annually for longleaf savanna restoration. In the future, the emerging ecosystem service market in Georgia may steer decisions about competing values of carbon storage, water yield, and native habitat restoration.

New methodologies, rules, modalities, and procedures for the mechanism established under Article 6(4) of the Paris Agreement have led to the need to change the national conditions for the implementation of climate projects, including climate projects in forests. However, the issue of evaluating the effectiveness of such projects and their attractiveness to investors remains controversial, as their place and role in the modern economy remain uncertain. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the investment attractiveness and silvicultural feasibility of implementing reforestation climate projects in the central forest steppe of Russia. Thanks to mathematical models (including the developed coefficient of carbon intensity of investment costs) and the calculations carried out, it will be possible to develop a differentiated approach to assessing the investment attractiveness of climate projects' implementation in forests. Reforestation projects including the planting of fast-growing tree species were considered. Maximum carbon sequestration for these projects is expected to occur over a period of 10–30 years. It was found that the coefficient of carbon intensity of investment costs, discounted by the duration of such projects, may become the basis for decision-making on investments in afforestation and reforestation in the central forest steppe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) is a professional and social institution whose basic mission is to influence the scientific level of research activities and education in its field of competence, to take care of its continuous development and to effectively popularize the acquired scientific knowledge. Within the CAAS and its Department of Forestry, the Commission of Forest Economics has been operating for a long time, focusing on forest and wood economics and policy. A total of 11 research directions are defined in the forthcoming Concept of Research, Development and Innovation of the Ministry of Agriculture for the period 2023+, the professional part of which is covered and guaranteed by the CAAS. The following directions are included in forestry and wood processing: "Forestry and related industries" and the direction "Forest and agricultural economics and policy" integrated with agriculture. The paper briefly describes the scientific focus of forest and wood economics and policy in this context and especially the activities of the Commission of Forest Economics of the Department of Forestry of the CAAS. In the temporal and factual context, it mentions the published monograph "Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences and a Quarter-Century of the Commission of Forest Economics". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This article aims to analyze Brazil’s global competitiveness in the exportation of forest products from 2008 to 2018. Data on importation and exportation were obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - FAO, while Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), Contribution to Trade Balance (CTB), and Terms of Trade (TOT) were the indicators used to measure international trade. The main results show that Brazil has a positive trade balance for forest products, mainly for wood pulp exports. Brazil’s RCA for forest products was classified as moderate to strong. As for the forest product groups, it was strong for wood pulp, weak to moderate for wood panels, weak for paper and paperboard, weak to nonexpressive for timber, and non-expressive for industrial roundwood and wood fuel. Based on Brazil’s CTB, all the forest product groups have a comparative advantage, except wood fuel. Brazil’s TOT was strong for wood panels, timber, industrial roundwood, wood pulp, in order from most to least expressive. In conclusion, Brazilian exports have comparative advantages and are competitive in the international market.

An analysis of a numerous official documents and publications reveals a serious crisis of forest management in Russia. Forest management paradigm, defined by the Forest Code ideologues, will lead inevitably to the Russian forest fund degradation. Meanwhile, forestry is production industry in which laws of the market economy are in force. For this reason, forest management should be reconstructed in Russia. A principle of forestry revival will be impartial ecological and market economic assessment of forest resources, which would be instrumental in transition of the subsidized scheme of forest management financing to a system that would provide rational forestry and a profit. Forestry organization is the key task of forest inventory that is completed in close connection with forest economy and forest management. Specific problems of sustainable forestry organization and forest use should be solved on this basis. When State owns forests in the market economy environments, stumpage sale at prices lower than the cost for reforestation cannot be allowed. In view of this, market transition of forest use is crucial to establish payments for standing timber based on rental income. This will guarantee the financing of reforestation as well as assignments to the budget at the different levels. Chief reorganization objective of forest management in Russia is outlined as follows: ensuring economic efficiency of the forest sector; sustainable use of forest resources and reforestation; forest conservation for the next generations.

An analysis of a numerous official documents and publications reveals a serious crisis of forest management in Russia. Collapse of the forest economy has resulted from shocking changes at the end of the 20th century and accepting a new Forest Code, approved in 2006, in which any reference to forestry disappeared. Forest management paradigm, defined by the Forest Code ideologues, will lead inevitably to the Russian forest fund degradation. Meanwhile, forestry is a productive industry, which follows market rules. For this reason, forest management should be reconstructed in Russia. A principle of forestry revival will be impartial ecological and market economic assessment of forest resources, which would be instrumental in transition of the subsidized scheme of forest management financing to a system that would provide rational forestry and a profit. Forestry comprises an inseparable triad: forest inventory, forest economics, and forest management. It is within this triad that more specific issues of rational forestry and sustainable forest use are to be solved. When state­owned forests are under market conditions, it is impermissible to sell forest resources priced below cost of their production. In view of this, market transition of forest use is crucial to establish payments for standing timber based on rental income. This will guarantee the financing of reforestation as well as assignments to the budget at the different levels. Chief reorganization objective of forest management in Russia is outlined as follows: ensuring economic efficiency of the forest sector; sustainable use of forest resources and reforestation; forest conservation for future generations.

During the early 1900s, nearly 37 million hectares of land in the Southern United States were under longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) relative to the current area of 1.6 million hectares. This study compares the economics of southern pines (longleaf, loblolly (Pinus taeda), and slash (Pinus elliottii)) to facilitate the decision making of family forest landowners and design suitable financial incentives for increasing the area under longleaf pine in the region. We simulated six growth and yield scenarios for selected southern pines over three site indices in the Lower Coastal Plain of South Georgia. We estimated land expectation values (LEVs) of each scenario for the three cases, i.e., payment for forest products, payment for forest products and net carbon storage, and payment for forest products, net carbon storage, and net water yield. Our findings show that pine straw income significantly increases the LEV of longleaf pine. The financial risk of growing longleaf pine is lower than that of other southern pines. Existing financial support through various governmental incentives or additional monetary support for ecosystem services provided by longleaf pine ecosystems is needed to increase the area under longleaf pine in the Southern United States, in general, and in South Georgia, in particular. However, a need exists to reevaluate the conservation values provided by longleaf plantations considering expected shorter rotation ages due to the income provided by pine straw markets in Southern United States.

Abstract Economic analysis assists the administration of forest projects (mainly long-term ones) in providing solidity to the investment. This study aimed to analyze the economic viability of an eucalyptus plantation used for pulp production in the mesoregion of Southern Pará, Brazil. Financial analysis was performed using the following methods: net present value (NPV), equivalent annual value (EAV), soil expectation value (SEV), internal rate of return (IRR), and benefit-cost ratio (BCR). Additionally, sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the cost and revenue values that would represent the interface regarding the viability of the project. To this end, a cash flow was created for different scenarios of cost and revenue. The economic indicators demonstrated that the investment, as proposed in the marketing of standing timber, proved to be economically viable. Sensitivity based on the updated net revenue, despite fluctuations, made the project profitable.

ABSTRACT This paper analyzed the disparity in the gross production value of timber products from the state of Paraíba, Brazil, between 1994 and 2017. The indicators used were: the locational quotient (Lq), the coefficient of location (Cl), the coefficient of redistribution (Cred), the coefficient of geographic association (Cga), the coefficient of specialization (Cs) and the coefficient of restructuring (Cr). The results obtained indicated that wood was the main timber product extracted in the state of Paraíba, with the Sertão paraibano region being of greater relevance, increasing the disparity between the regions; the Cred pointed out greater change for charcoal extraction; the Mata Paraibana region was the most specialized region, especially for wood extraction; and the Borborema region presented the greatest restructuring in all studied periods. The study evidenced that the extraction of wood products mainly occurred in the more arid regions of the state with the purpose of population subsistence or industrial use, especially in the red ceramics and plaster segments for which wood can be used to generate heat and thermoelectric power.

ABSTRACT This papaer analyzed the global MDF production and its concentration degree between 1995 and 2016. In order to measure and analyze this concentration, we used the Concentration Ratio [CR(k)], the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), Theil Entropy Index (E), Hall and Tideman Index (HTI), the Comprehensive Concentration Index (CCI), and the Gini Index (G). Global MDF production grew 12.81% p.a. from 1995 to 2016, reaching 99 million m3 at the end of the time series. China took over the hegemony in 2001 and arrived in 2016 with about 60% of the world’s MDF supply. The CR(k) of the global MDF production inferred a high concentration, mainly in the CR(4) from 2009. The CR(8) remained with a moderately high average concentration. During this period more than 90% of the offer was retained in the CR(20). The HHI, E and HTI indices corroborate that there is high concentration in global MDF production, as well as the CCI in the studied period. The inequality indicated by G also presented increasing behavior and was classified as strong and very strong. The concentration indicators were efficient in evaluating the concentration degree of the world MDF supply.

ABSTRACT This paper analyzed the effects of the spatial distribution of the firewood gross production value (GPV) of northeast Brazil through an exploratory approach using spatial data for the period from 1994 to 2013. Identification of spatial clusters in firewood production through the spatial weighting matrices of 2 nearest neighbors and “queen” and “rook” contiguity matrices were used. Based on the analyses, the following can be concluded: there is a positive autocorrelation for firewood GPV; the high-high spatial cluster was formed predominantly in the Bahia region; the high-high spatial cluster, which considers the weight matrix per area, was composed of the Ceará and Pernambuco mesoregions; the low-low spatial cluster consisted of the Sergipe and Alagoas mesoregions; and the low-low cluster, which considers the weight matrix per area, was formed by the Sergipe, Alagoas and Piauí regions.

The traditional forestry practice is under increasing pressure to transform, driven primarily by a shifting public perception of sustainability, and developments in science, communications, and global markets. In this context, the existing forestry education model is poorly equipped to cope with changes sweeping through the forestry sector that are linked to digitisation and rapid development in the information technology sectors. In preparing professionals for forestry practice today, notable discrepancies between what potential employers want and what the forestry institutions provide are apparent. In response, when hiring graduates of professional forestry programmes, forestry employers have changed the skill set and competencies sought. A similar scenario is also observed in South-East Asia, which despite its abundant forest resources and robust forest industries, is also experiencing dwindling interest among young people and falling enrollment rates in its forestry education institutes. Prevailing financial constraints and political pressures on higher education make it difficult for educators to close the gap between forestry education and forest practice. Nevertheless, a concerted effort from all stakeholders in revising the existing forestry education model to incorporate new courses and skills that will better prepare future foresters, appears to be the way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper analyzed the process of convergence in the gross value of wood production in mesoregions of Northeast Brazil, in the period of 1994 and 2013. The object of study was the Gross Value of Production (GVP) of firewood per km2 of the mesoregions of the Northeast of Brazil. In the methodology the Absolute Convergence Model was applied and estimated through the classical model and spatial models. In the spatial approach we used the Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR) and the Spatial Error Model (SEM). From the results obtained, the following conclusions were reached: The mesoregions of the Northeast of Brazil had an average fall of 3.94% a.a. of the GVP/km2 of native wood for the period 1994 to 2013. Considering the classical linear regression model, convergence was verified and also the presence of spatial dependence for GVP/km2 of firewood. In order to correct the spatial dependence, the SAR and SEM Models were adequate and according to Akaike's Information Criterion and used the rook matrix the SEM was configured the best model. This study showed the importance of the involvement of the spatial question in the models, either by the overlap of information of the GVP and in the development of public policies that positively affect the neighborhood.

Aim of study: To analyze the influence of harvesting costs on the distribution and type of cuttings when forest management planning is based on the dynamic treatment units (DTUs) approach. Area of study: A Mediterranean pine forest in Central Spain. Materials and methods: Airborne laser scanning data were used in area-based approach to predict stand attributes and delineate segments that were used as calculation units. Predicted stand attributes and existing models for diameter distribution and individual-tree growth were used to simulate alternative management schedules for each segment for a 60-year planning horizon divided into three 20-year periods. Three alternative forest planning problems were formulated. They aimed to maximize or minimize net income, or maximize timber production with a constant flow of harvested timber. Spatial goals were used in all cases to enhance the clustering of treatments. Main results: Maxizing timber production without considering harvesting costs can be costly, even close to the plan that minimized net incomes. Maximizing net incomes led to frequent use of final felling instead of thinnings, placing cuttings near forest roads and creating more compact DTUs than obtained in the plan that maximized timber production. Research highlights: Compared to previous studies on DTUs, this study integrated felling and forwarding costs, which depended on distance to road and stand attributes, in the process of creating DTUs by means of spatial optimization.

ABSTRACT Before performing any financial analysis costs must be calculated. These costs should allow the planning and control over the use of the machines as well as the comparison between different investments alternatives since this is easily calculated. Generally the operating costs of forest harvesting machines are estimated until the maximum of 25,000 hours of work, and it is not possible to know whether the activity remains profitable thereafter or not. For this reason the objective of this study was to evaluate the costs from cutting activities and wood processing carried out by a forestry tractor harvester up to approximately 30,000 hours of work. Ten forest machines composed of two models of harvester (John Deere, model 1270D and 1470D) were used. A spreadsheet provided by a forestry company located in the state of Minas Gerais, containing the necessary data to estimate the operating cost of the machines and subsequent achievement of the sensitivity analysis was used. The operating cost was obtained by the sum of the fixed and variable costs. For sensitivity analysis the variation ± 20% of the most representative elements of the total cost of the machine was performed. The results for the operating cost of the harvester and forwarder was U.S. $ 190.85 h-1. Costs for repairs and maintenance, labor, fuel, and depreciation represented approximately 90% of the total cost of the machine. Despite the fact that the age of the machine has a direct influence on its operating cost, the costs did not behave in a linear fashion over the years.

Background and Purpose: Even-aged forests prevail in Croatia’s forestry. Rotation period is based mostly on natural parameters. In practice, rotation period is given by Croatian Rulebook of forest management. Cutting age is determined based on inventory data and many other stand characteristics. Rotation period is a planned time and it always has to be unique for particular tree species, and cutting age is the age of a stand at the moment of the final cut. The aim of the paper is to compare rotation period based on economic parameters and rotation period determined by using forest inventory data. Material and Methods: Owing to absence of long term stand calculation data, research object was taken from Forest Management Handbook (1995). Mean annual increment (MAI) and current annual increment (CAI) provided fundamental data for calculations. The research was conducted at one hectare Common Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stand. Assortment structure and value of timber was estimated by the present cutting value method calculated by using Croatian forests Ltd. Price list for the year 2008. Labor costs in forest exploitation were also taken into account. Results and Conclusion: In order to achieve cost-effective management of common beech stands, it is necessary to adjust current optimal rotation period. Optimal rotation period should be based on management goals as the main factors. So far the most common criterion adopted in Croatian forestry has been the rotation of maximum sustained yield or maximum Mean annual increment. The presented results indicate that common forest management practice should be changed in order to achieve cost-effective management of beech stands in the future.

As the global forest sector endures rapid crises and more gradually evolving social, political, and environmental influences, little attention has been paid to how forest administrators view changing sectoral conditions and response measures. We analyze policy frames mobilized by 27 senior actors within major private and state-owned companies, and government agencies in northern forest regions of Canada, Sweden, and Finland. Results show that four intervening theme areas are engaged by forest administrators to frame sectoral changes and responses, namely, the role of international markets; timber pricing and supply; the role of the state; and environmental policies. However, perceived regional differences in the level of impact of the international market changes, public versus private wood supply dependence, and satisfaction with forestry institutions lead actors to frame problems and solutions differently. While forest policy discourse is relatively consistent across these regions, responses are specified to regional contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar as rotações econômicas para um povoamento florestal, considerando-se um único corte e infinitos cortes, e para uma floresta regulada, por meio de modelos matemáticos, bem como compará-las através da análise marginal das condições de otimalidade. Para validar o modelo e verificar a magnitude dos efeitos, foi utilizado um estudo de caso de um projeto florestal com valores reais de produção, custos, receitas e taxa de desconto. Os resultados indicaram que os modelos foram eficientes para determinar a rotação econômica e que a rotação do povoamento para um único corte e infinitos cortes e para a floresta regulada foi, respectivamente, de 6,5; 5,5; e 5 anos. O Valor Esperado do Solo (VES) para a floresta regulada foi inferior ao VES do povoamento, em virtude de se impor ao manejo a condição de regulação.The objective of this work was to determine the economic rotations for a forest stand taking into considereation only one harvest, infinite harvests and a regulated forest using mathematical models, as well as comparing them through the marginal analysis of optimality conditions. To validate the model and to verify the magnitude of the effect a study case of a forest project, with real values of production, costs, revenues and discounting rate, was used. The results indicated that the models were efficient to determine the economic rotation and that the rotation of the stand for one cut, infinite cuts and for the regulated forest were respectively 6.5, 5.5 and 5 years. The Soil Expectation Value (SEV) for the regulated forest was smaller than the SEV of the stand due toimposed regulations on the forest management.

Skewed distributions of benefits from natural resources can fuel social exclusion and conflict, threatening sustainability. This paper analyzes how user-group property rights to harvest forest products affect the distribution of benefits from those products within user groups. We argue that groups with recognized harvesting rights share benefits more equally among group members than groups without such rights. We test this argument with data from 350 forest user groups in 14 developing countries. Our results suggest that securing harvesting rights for local user groups can contribute to more equal benefit sharing, especially in ethnically homogenous groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to increase the contribution of the forestry sector to economic and social development, it is necessary to support the establishment and development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) whose business is based on wood and non-wood forest products (NWFPs). To properly plan the development of the private forestry sector, it is also necessary to establish the basic structure and forms of SMEs for procurement, processing and sale of NWFPs (NWFP-SMEs) as well as their business. In this context, the aim of the research was to determine the characteristics and types of NWFP-SMEs. The study included 91 representatives of NWFP-SMEs in Central Serbia. The analysis of the results showed that, based on the characteristics and activities they perform, there are three types of NWFP-SMEs. Based on the characteristics and attitudes towards additional training, four types of NWFP-SMEs representatives can be distinguished. The results can serve as a basis for further study on types of SMEs and improving the entrepreneurship in NWFP sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest and forest products form one of the most important basis for the transfer to a bio-based economy in Sweden. About 75% of the area covered by forest in Sweden is used industrially to produce raw material for the wood-refining industries. Every year, this cluster uses 75 million m3of roundwood and has an export value of €12 billion. This review paper is devoted to the wood mechanical industry, i.e. the industry which turns the forest into sawn timber, packaging, construction wood, furniture and interior fittings. The sawmills consume about half of the volume of softwood which is felled, and about two-thirds of the sawn timber go to export without any further refining within the country. Nevertheless, in spite of the relatively low degree of refinement in the sawmill and the fact that the sawmills in general over time have a very low profitability, they are responsible for 70–80% of the forest owners' profits on the sale of timber. An increased upgrading of the sawn timber within the country is desirable from a national economic viewpoint – increased employment opportunities, increased export income, etc. It should then in the first place be for products with a higher added value, such as furniture and fittings. Today, the refinement value is 15–20 times higher for products from joinery and furniture industries compared to that of the sawn timber, and the added value of the wood within the building industry is only about 1.5 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and a possible future shortage of fossil resources are leading to a growing demand for wood biomass as a renewable material and energy source. In this context, forestry activities are increasing to meet the larger demand for wood biomass supply. Hence, there is also an increasing need for assessing environmental costs and impacts of forestry operations, considering both direct and indirect inputs supporting wood production systems as well as main outputs, co-products, and by-products. In this study, a multi-method assessment encompassing material, energy, and emergy demand as well as relevant emissions was implemented to explore the environmental performance and sustainability of timber and wood biomass production in the Alpine context of Fiemme and Fassa Valleys, Province of Trento (Italy). The Energy Return On Investment (EROI) calculated for timber and wood chips production was 51.9 and 28.1. These output/input energy ratios showed that the products’ energy content was high compared to the direct and indirect fossil energy invested in both production processes. The global to local ratio of abiotic material calculated for timber and wood chips was 3.58 and 2.95, proving that about 2 times more matter flows were extracted and processed elsewhere than locally to supply the production processes. The fraction of renewable emergy calculated for timber and wood chips was 81% and 75% while the Emergy Yield Ratio (EYR) was 4.57 and 3.86, respectively, proving that the forestry system is considerably supported by renewable and locally available resources. The release of CO2 was 855 and 133t CO2/yr when considering the whole Fiemme and Fassa Valleys. These last figures, compared to the potential of the two valleys for greenhouse gas mitigation, showed the ability of the investigated forestry sector to perform within the limits of the local carrying capacity in terms of CO2 emissions. Finally, the scenario analysis highlighted the maximum production level compatible with a sustainable forest exploitation. In conclusion, the development of a multi-method approach to environmental accounting allowed a comprehensive assessment of forestry operations, providing a tool useful for local managers and policy makers committed to implement an environmentally sound management of forestry activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Indian forest based culture has a long history. Until the British colonial rule (1757 ‐1947), Indian forest has been controlled and used by several monarchies. The features of forest based livelihoods were also quite different from one period to another. Before Muslim period, Indian forest used to be considered as an important source of resource, but exploitation was quite less compared to total forest cover. People used to admire native forest for the role it used to play. However, during Muslim and early British period (East India Company period, 1757 – 1857) forest was considered only as the source of timber. To produce farmland a considerable amount of forest cover was also destroyed. After the hangover of the colonial power (1857), the British government realized the importance of forests for revenue generation and implemented several rules and regulations to control the ‘illicit’ timber felling. This forest management strategy was followed even after independence (1947) until the JFM system was implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest species have great economic and social importance, offering various products as wood and non-timber fundamental to society. In this context, the search for new technologies that promote increase in productivity of commercial forests has received special attention and biotechnology has contributed substantially to this. This branch of science can promote direct modification of the genome of a target organism, through the analysis and manipulation of DNA genome or by insertion of fragments of the same with known function and thus to achieve desired characteristics, such as resistance to diseases and pests, lignin reduction in wood and generation of plants tolerant to different kinds of stresses. This review aims at reporting techniques for the generation of genetically modified trees, applications of genetic transformation in forest species, risks of using this technology and its potential environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the global energy production potential of woody biomass from forestry for the year 2050 using a bottom-up analysis of key factors. Woody biomass from forestry was defined as all of the aboveground woody biomass of trees, including all products made from woody biomass. This includes the harvesting, processing and use of woody biomass. The projection was performed by comparing the future demand with the future supply of wood, based on existing databases, scenarios, and outlook studies. Specific attention was paid to the impact of the underlying factors that determine this potential and to the gaps and uncertainties in our current knowledge. Key variables included the demand for industrial roundwood and woodfuel, the plantation establishment rates, and the various theoretical, technical, economical, and ecological limitations related to the supply of wood from forests. Forests, as defined in this study, exclude forest plantations. Key uncertainties were the supply of wood from trees outside forests, the future rates of deforestation, the consumption of woodfuel, and the theoretical, technical, economical, or ecological wood production potentials of the forests. Based on a medium demand and medium plantation scenario, the global theoretical potential of the surplus wood supply (i.e., after the demand for woodfuel and industrial roundwood is met) in 2050 was calculated to be 6.1 Gm3 (71 EJ) and the technical potential to be 5.5 Gm3 (64 EJ). In practice, economical considerations further reduced the surplus wood supply from forests to 1.3 Gm3 year-1 (15 EJ year-1). When ecological criteria were also included, the demand for woodfuel and industrial roundwood exceeded the supply by 0.7 Gm3 year-1 (8 EJ year-1). The bioenergy potential from logging and processing residues and waste was estimated to be equivalent to 2.4 Gm3 year-1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The location of forest plantations and related economic activities is one of the most relevant territorial transformations in Southern Chile. There are contradictory assessments about their benefits between different stakeholders and at national, regional or local geographical scales: This paper reviews the current territorial management in Collipulli commune, one of the areas most impacted by forestry, taking into consideration either the natural resources basis and the spatial organisation of settlements, land uses and accessibility, using geographical information systems. In terms of Environmental Stratetegical Assessment alternative scenarios of development have been prepared, optimizing land uses, accessibility and connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]