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In 2012, was published to guide policy and research and to support Canada's obligations for climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable forest management, and international reporting. Over the past decade, the body of scientific research focused on forest carbon dynamics in Canada has significantly evolved, providing crucial insights into the intricate interplay between various forest ecosystems and the global carbon cycle. This comprehensive review synthesizes key findings from this period, highlighting improvements to Canada's estimates of current forest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals, the effects of global changes on Canada's future forest carbon, and forest contributions to mitigate climate change. Collaborating with the forest carbon science community, we identified 426 peer-reviewed published articles on landscape-scale forest carbon research for Canada from 2012 to 2021. The review emphasizes anthropogenic influences and natural disturbances in contemporary GHG emissions and removals for managed forests in the national GHG inventory, highlights the existing dichotomy between management and research models, and stresses the need for integrating disturbance and climate effects for comprehensive GHG estimates. Despite significant progress in estimating and tracking forest carbon using modelled, remotely sensed, and ground-based observations, challenges remain in reducing uncertainties, particularly regarding climate impacts on forest growth, decay, and disturbances. Furthermore, the review showcases recent advancements in climate change mitigation strategies and the use of a systems approach that includes forest ecosystem emissions and removals, wood product emissions, and substitution benefits of avoided fossil emissions. Through comprehensive scenario analyses, the review underscores regional variations in assessing GHG reductions and notes a shift towards a more holistic approach that considers environmental, economic, and social values. By providing a nuanced understanding of the complexities underlying forest carbon dynamics in Canada, this review sets the stage for future research and policy initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable forest management practices and mitigating the impact of climate change on these vital ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries worldwide, especially Nordic countries, have proposed a forest-based bioeconomy to halt systemic risks, such as climate change, and to create socioeconomic welfare. Entrepreneurs operating in various business sectors and regions face several complex challenges in this regard. However, the challenges faced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs have not been addressed across various regions using systems thinking. This comparative case study aimed to identify the environmental, social, and economic challenges faced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs and the spatial features of these challenges—their scale, interactions, and prevalence—in two different regions in Finland: Lapland and South Karelia. These regions' economies rely heavily on the recreational value of nature and on the large-scale pulp and paper industries, respectively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with micro-entrepreneurs from various sectors, such as forestry, logging, tourism, and natural products. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The framework used enabled a deeper spatial understanding of the challenges experienced by forest-based micro-entrepreneurs. The micro-entrepreneurs in the two case regions had great similarities in terms of themes related to trust, workload, and labor shortage. This may hinder the implementation of new practices in regional forest-based bioeconomy development. Future quantitative studies could validate the identified challenges for further policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to remain competitive, the company's management must consider the corporate culture as a factor that influences the success of the company. The aim of this research study is to identify corporate culture and examine the influence of selected socio-demographic factors that can influence management concerning corporate culture. Research was carried out in the forest and wood-processing sector in Slovakia on a sample of 2447 respondents. It utilized the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument. The findings indicate that a hierarchy and clan corporate culture were prevalent. The companies were characterized by their formalized and structured work environments as well as by their promotion of family-like relationships within the workplace, too. In terms of the preferred corporate culture, the clan corporate culture was clearly favored for the future. Success should be understood in relation to the internal environment and care for each employee. Following the results, the socio-demographic factors had an influence on management concerning the corporate culture. Therefore, it is essential for managers to tailor their approaches to the individual characteristics of each employee towards establishing a corporate culture that supports mutual relations in the workplace. This can affect the overall success and long-term sustainability of the company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon substitution and storage effects related to Norwegian forests and the forest sector were compared under three potential roundwood harvest scenarios: maintaining harvests at 2021 levels, increasing harvests by 20% due to policies aimed at maximizing economic benefits from the forest sector, and reducing harvests by 20% due to biodiversity concerns. For harvested wood products, both the current product structure and hypothetical alternatives were considered. The carbon stock development in forests was projected using a forestry simulation tool for Norway. Many uncertainties in carbon storage, substitution parameters, and data have been addressed using Monte Carlo simulations. Shifting a portion of pulpwood use to produce wood-based insulation materials and textile fibres was found to increase the climate benefits from the Norwegian forest sector. In contrast, the shift to bioethanol production had only a marginal effect compared to the current production structure. The analysis spanned the next two decades, which is a period relevant to the investment and operational lifespan of industrial facilities. The results suggest that during this time, smarter use of harvested roundwood for HWPs with high carbon substitution benefits can be an effective means of climate change mitigation. However, in the long term, enhancing forest carbon sinks by reducing harvests may be more beneficial for the climate, provided that global efforts to reduce emissions from energy production are successful and lead to a decrease in emissions associated with the production of various materials.

We draw insights regarding intricacies with spatially explicit data and analyses when studying the vulnerability of forest socio-ecological systems to disruptive abiotic and biotic factors. Common issues associated with data include location precision, spatial delimitation, methodological comparability, and measurement consistency. Spatial data analyses are challenged by issues of interpolation and extrapolation, inferences using data at different spatial scales, and assessment of disruption impacts at detectable spatial scales. The inextricable empirical nature of spatial data and analyses requires carefully conducting and disclosing the sensitivity of findings, and including robustness tests to openly inform decision-makers on issues of uncertainty associated with possible interventions. These considerations might be central to identifying forest socio-ecological hotspots as forest-dominated geographic areas encompassing social and ecological systems vulnerable to disruptions caused by abiotic and biotic factors, but where risks to human wellbeing may be considerably reduced through adaptive interventions.

The Green Economy, a methodology that supports the harmonious interaction between humans and nature, has been gaining attention since 1989. It focuses on alternative energy sources, sustainable agriculture, wildlife protection, and environmental policies. Kenya's forest cover is below the global minimum of 10%, and deforestation is increasing at a rate of 5,000 hectares per annum. The research aims to enhance opportunities for green economy development in the forestry sector while minimizing challenges and to bridge the gap between Green Economy development and the forestry sector, address weak policy coordination among ministries and government agencies, and compare green economy statuses with related forest policy analysis. The research uses diverse policies to guide green economy practices in the forestry sector, aiming to interlink them and reduce conflicts. The research was conducted within nine counties in the Lake Victoria Basin Region. The results revealed disparities in gender participation across various preferred green economy activities, with women in rural areas being significantly involved in the initiation of community management programs; however, there was a notable gender disparity in the decision-making process, with women only contributing 20.2% compared to the male counterpart with 79.8%. The main sources of funds for green activities are from internal budgets of organizations (36.5%), businesses (19.1%) and contributions from family and chamas (15.9%), all geared towards building the green economy. The research reveals that the green economy reduces Kenya's natural resource pressure, boosts economic growth, and improves business competitiveness. However, the proportion of different genders in the green economy is undervalued, especially in developing countries. Governments must act to reduce gender inequality in labour markets to ensure the benefits of the green economy are realized. In conclusion, the green economy presents new opportunities for women. Still, they may be deprived of the potential benefits unless governments implement structural reforms to reduce gender inequality in labour markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding a product's ecological footprint has become incredibly important, as its assessment supports efforts to promote sustainable practices. However, there is limited knowledge about the specific environmental impacts of woodworking enterprises and their products. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the ecological footprint of a typical product from a woodworking enterprise in the Carpathian Economic Region of Ukraine. A middle-sized wood-processing enterprise was used as a case study. To achieve this objective, the study quantified the land area directly involved in producing 1 m³ of furniture board. Also, the concept of a "virtual area" of land, essential for CO2 absorption resulting from the transportation of raw materials for the production of 1 m³ of furniture board, was applied. Then the methodological approach to determine the "virtual area" of land necessary for the absorption of CO2 generated during the production of electricity which is spent on the operation of the main technological equipment and electricity consumption to produce 1 m³ of furniture panel is considered. The overall ecological footprint of producing 1 m³ of furniture board at the studied woodworking company is estimated as equivalent to 0.492 ha of forested area, from which only 3% of area is represented by direct land use - area used to produce wood for furniture board production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the variables that influence freight cost in the forest supply chain and to fit nonlinear regression models to estimate the freight cost of wood transportation from the production areas to the processing units. The data used for cost analysis considered the following variables: volume of wood (m3); average fuel consumption (km/l) and average speed of the complete journey (km/h) per round trip. The results showed that there is a strong positive correlation between the variables transport distance and the freight cost of the wood, as well as between the moisture content of the wood and the freight cost of the wood. The load capacity of the vehicle combinations showed a mean negative correlation with the freight cost of the wood, and the length of the wood did not show a correlation with the cost of the transported wood. The fitted models for estimating the value of wood freight showed a high degree of adjustment of the dependent variable, indicating a good capacity for extrapolating the results from these variables. Such results emphasize the importance of optimizing transport routes, controlling wood moisture, maximizing vehicle volumetric load capacity, and using cost forecast models in order to make correct and efficient decisions in the forest supply chain context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we analyzed in situ data from the years 2018–2022 encompassing entire forest plantations in Poland. Based on data regarding stand density and the occurrence of fungal, water-related, climate-related, fire, and insect factors that may intensify with climate changes, we determined the correlation between their occurrence and the decline in wood increments for six tree species: pine, birch, oak, spruce, beech, and alder. Subsequently, we identified age intervals in which the species–factor interaction exhibited statistically significant effects. Next, we developed neural network models for short-term wood increment predictions. Utilizing these models, we estimated a reduction in wood supply harvested in accordance with the plans for the years 2023–2025 assuming a tenfold greater intensity of factors than in 2022. Findings indicate: birch: water-related factors may reduce wood production by 0.1%–0.2%. This aligns with previous research linking drought to birch wood decline, highlighting its sensitivity to water-related issues. Oak: fungal and insect factors could decrease wood production by up to 0.1%. Prior studies emphasize the significant influence of fungal diseases on oak health and regeneration, as well as the impact of insect infestation on wood production. Alder: water-related factors may lead to a slight reduction in wood production, approximately 0.02%. The impact is significant within specific age ranges, indicating potential effects on harvesting. Pine: water- and climate-related factors may result in up to a 0.05% reduction in wood production. Pine, a key forest-forming species in Poland, is notably sensitive to these factors, especially as it nears harvesting age. Spruce: insects, fungi, and climate-related factors could lead to a reduction in wood production of up to 0.2%–0.3%. Analyses demonstrate sensitivity, resulting in a noticeable growth differential compared to the typical rate. Short-term predictions based on neural networks were developed, acknowledging their suitability for short-term forecasts due to uncertainties regarding long-term factor impacts. Additionally, our study discussed modeling wood increments in divisions well below the harvesting time, emphasizing that the influence of current and 2023–2025 factors on wood increments and supply may only manifest several decades from now. These results imply important indications for the economic and financial performance of the wood industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Meeting climate change mitigation targets by 2050, as outlined in international pledges, involves determining optimal strategies for forest management, wood supply, the substitution of greenhouse gas‐intensive materials and energy sources, and wood product disposal. Our study quantified the cumulative mitigation potential by 2050 of the forest sector in the province of Quebec, Canada, using several alternative strategies and assessed under what circumstances the sector could contribute to the targets. We used the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector to project ecosystems emissions and sequestration of seven alternative and one baseline (business‐as‐usual [BaU]) forest management scenarios over the 2018–2050 period. Three baskets of wood products were used in a Harvested Wood Products model to predict wood product emissions. The mitigation potential was determined by comparing the cumulative CO2e budget of each alternative scenario to the BaU. The proportion of methane emissions from landfills (RCH4%) and the required displacement factor (RDF) to achieve mitigation benefits were assessed both independently and jointly. The fastest and most efficient way to improve mitigation outcomes of the forest sector of Quebec is to reduce end‐of‐life methane emissions from wood products. By reducing methane emissions, the RDF for achieving mitigation benefits through intensification strategies can be reduced from 1.2–2.3 to 0–0.9 tC/tC, thus reaching the current provincial mean DF threshold (0.9). Both a reduction and an increase in the harvested volume have the potential to provide mitigation benefits with adequate RCH4% and RDF. Increased carbon sequestration in ecosystems, innovations in long‐lived wood products, and optimal substitution in markets offer potential avenues for the forest sector to contribute to mitigation benefits but are subject to significant uncertainties. Methane emission reduction at the end of wood product service life is emerging as a valuable approach to enhance mitigation benefits of the forest sector.

When comprehensive and accurate data on diversity and representation is available, it significantly enhances our understanding of business challenges, thereby bolstering policy decisions and strategy formulation across all organizational tiers. Using the U.S. forest sector as a case study, we illustrate that there are significant gaps in diversity and representation within the private forest sector, particularly in terms of gender and race. These disparities exist across various domains and categories, including different forest industries, job roles, and business ownership structures. Our analysis brings to light the inadequacies of the current workforce data, emphasizing their limitations in keeping pace with the changing socio-economic landscape. We examine these areas of oversight and emphasize the profound implications they have for guiding both research and practices aimed at cultivating a sustainable and inclusive workforce.

Greece's trade patterns in wood and wood products align with the broader trade dynamics in the Mediterranean region, where wood and wood products are primarily imported. Using Pettitt's test, this study revealed a consistent decline in the production of selected wood and wood product categories in Greece, coupled with a noteworthy increase in imports. Following the economic crisis of 2008, a temporary dip in import trends in some categories was observed. Furthermore, Pettitt's test helped identify the specific years when significant shifts occurred in the time series data. In the latter part of the analysis, the study underscored the significance of various factors within the wood removal production sector, including urbanization, economic growth, personal income, and the labor force. National imports of goods and wood fuel were also identified as playing pivotal roles at the national level. Recognizing the link between economic indicators and wood removals has the potential to inform decisions related to sustainable resource management, conservation initiatives, and strategies for economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest sector plays an important role in sustainable development for market and nonmarket goods and services. Investors and policy makers are increasingly seeking to rely on forests to provide both commercial forest products and nature-based solutions that will meet consumer demands and contribute to bioenergy, climate change amelioration, and biodiversity. To meet the expectations of climate and energy policies, forecasts estimate that more than US$70 billion of investments are needed annually by 2050. To achieve this level of investments, these increasing demands for investments in forests must be based on scientific research, reliable data, and credible business applications. In the era of information overload, access to peer-reviewed open-access journals has never been more critical than it is now. We summarize the role of our new Journal of Forest Business Research in providing improved applied research for practitioners seeking to achieve better outcomes relative to investment, finance, and economic goals for sustainable development.

Meeting climate change mitigation targets by 2050, as outlined in international pledges, involves determining optimal strategies for forest management, wood supply, the substitution of greenhouse gas‐intensive materials and energy sources, and wood product disposal. Our study quantified the cumulative mitigation potential by 2050 of the forest sector in the province of Quebec, Canada, using several alternative strategies and assessed under what circumstances the sector could contribute to the targets. We used the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector to project ecosystems emissions and sequestration of seven alternative and one baseline (business‐as‐usual [BaU]) forest management scenarios over the 2018–2050 period. Three baskets of wood products were used in a Harvested Wood Products model to predict wood product emissions. The mitigation potential was determined by comparing the cumulative CO2e budget of each alternative scenario to the BaU. The proportion of methane emissions from landfills (RCH4%) and the required displacement factor (RDF) to achieve mitigation benefits were assessed both independently and jointly. The fastest and most efficient way to improve mitigation outcomes of the forest sector of Quebec is to reduce end‐of‐life methane emissions from wood products. By reducing methane emissions, the RDF for achieving mitigation benefits through intensification strategies can be reduced from 1.2–2.3 to 0–0.9 tC/tC, thus reaching the current provincial mean DF threshold (0.9). Both a reduction and an increase in the harvested volume have the potential to provide mitigation benefits with adequate RCH4% and RDF. Increased carbon sequestration in ecosystems, innovations in long‐lived wood products, and optimal substitution in markets offer potential avenues for the forest sector to contribute to mitigation benefits but are subject to significant uncertainties. Methane emission reduction at the end of wood product service life is emerging as a valuable approach to enhance mitigation benefits of the forest sector. We determined the Quebec forest sector's carbon mitigation potential using alternative strategies (forest ecosystems/product decay/substitution). We estimated the displacement factors that are required for wood products by 2050. We estimated the landfill CH4 emission reductions that must be achieved by 2050. Conservation alternatives increase carbon sinks by 2050, and intensification alternatives increase carbon sources by 2050. With improved methane management and optimal substitution, both conservation and intensification scenarios could provide mitigation benefits. Quebec's forests sector can contribute to enhanced climate mitigation benefits if sustainable forest management, optimum use of wood, and improved methane management of landfills are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest sector plays an important role in sustainable development for market and nonmarket goods and services. Investors and policy makers are increasingly seeking to rely on forests to provide both commercial forest products and nature-based solutions that will meet consumer demands and contribute to bioenergy, climate change amelioration, and biodiversity. To meet the expectations of climate and energy policies, forecasts estimate that more than US$70 billion of investments are needed annually by 2050. To achieve this level of investments, these increasing demands for investments in forests must be based on scientific research, reliable data, and credible business applications. In the era of information overload, access to peer-reviewed open-access journals has never been more critical than it is now. We summarize the role of our new Journal of Forest Business Research in providing improved applied research for practitioners seeking to achieve better outcomes relative to investment, finance, and economic goals for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Goals, developed in 2015 by the United Nations, are a set of 17 internationally agreed-upon goals to be reached by 2030. The forest sector stands out as an important player in tackling climate change and strengthening sustainable initiatives. However, in addition to investigating the synergies and trade-offs between the forest sector and the SDGs, it is important to comprehend how this relationship has been measured. We conducted a systematic review to understand which methods have been used to understand the contributions of the forest sector to the SDGs. Following the PRISMA protocol, we screened 1064 articles from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, written in English and published between 2015 and November 2022. With the assistance of CADIMA 2.2.4 and Atlas.Ti 22, 83 articles were selected for further investigation. As a result, we categorized the studies into eight methods: content analysis, personal perceptions, interpretative analysis, frameworks, models, impact analysis, time series data, and SDG index. The approaches used include nature-based solutions, literature reviews, the Delphi method, case studies, the iSDG model, SDG 15 indicators, Earth observations, and remote sensing. In conclusion, although the SDGs are widely referenced, studies that measure and explore the relationship between the forest sector and SDGs in a more holistic way are still lacking. This systematic review aimed to offer an overview of the methods being used to address this topic and stimulate future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of the forest sector to climate change mitigation needs to rely on optimal strategies that include forest management, wood supply, wood product disposal, and replacement of GHG-intensive materials and energy sources. Our study aimed to assess the impact of alternative forest management practices applied at the stand scale on the capacity of the forest sector to reduce its radiative forcing, using the boreal forests of eastern Canada as a case study. We simulated management of a balsam fir–white birch stand over a sixty-year period and determined the sectorial carbon and radiative forcing budget for a reference scenario (no harvest) and for nineteen clearcut and partial cut alternatives. The results suggest that logging may not significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to a preservation practice and does not yield any climate benefits in terms of radiative forcing. In a context for which the substitution effect of wood products on markets is expected to be limited, the mitigation potential of a scenario is mostly driven by the capacity of the forest ecosystem carbon sink to compensate for the substantial CO 2 and CH 4 emissions from wood product decay in landfills. The improved assessment of carbon emission temporality, incorporation of ecosystem carbon dynamics, and improved consideration of substitution and the decay of wood products are essential in the development of any forest management strategy. Neglecting these elements can lead to misconceptions and prevent informed mitigation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling is emerging as both a viable alternative to extraction in many industries and a cornerstone of the circular economy. In this paper, we assess the role of paper and cardboard recycling on the forest sector, from both an economic and carbon perspective. For this purpose, we add the recycling industry to an existing forest-sector model in an attempt to capture its effects on other wood products and the overall forest resource. As the forest sector has an important potential for climate change mitigation, this model allows us to assess the effects of increased paper and cardboard recycling on the availability of the natural resource and the carbon balance of the forest sector. We show that these results are strongly linked to the hypotheses of substitutability and/or complementarity of recycled pulp and virgin pulpwood. Although we find increased emissions at the pulp sector level, the effects on emissions in other wood products are small. When pulp products are considered substitutes, we find the impact on total net sequestration to be positive. In the case where pulp products are considered complements, we find the impact on total net sequestration to be negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural communities depend on the forest sector to fulfill their subsistence needs and maintain economic well-being. The forest sector in Kentucky provides significant economic and employment opportunities to the rural communities in the state. Despite this, little is understood of how Kentucky communities' dependence on the forest sector is related to their economic well-being. In this research, we divided Kentucky into three regions based on physiographic conditions and examine the economic contribution of the forest sector. We applied regression and correlation analyses to assess the relationship between forest sector dependence and economic well-being for Kentucky and for the three regions using common socioeconomic indicators for 2010 and 2017. Results indicate that although the forest sector plays a critical role in the livelihood of rural communities, its contribution is usually overshadowed by bigger sectors such as services and manufacturing. Accordingly, dependence on the forest sector usually results in a negative relationship with economic well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioeconomy is portrayed by the EU and several national governments as a central element contributing to sustainability strategies and a post-fossil transformation. This paper critically engages with extractivist patterns and tendencies in the forest sector as one of the main bio-based sectors. It argues that despite the official endorsement of circularity and renewability in the forest-based bioeconomy, current developments of modern bioeconomy might threaten sustainability prospects. The Finnish forest-based bioeconomy and one of its well-known showcase projects, the bioproduct mill (BPM) in the municipality of Äänekoski, serve as a case study in this paper. The forest-based bioeconomy in Finland is scrutinized as a potential continuation or consolidation of extractivist patterns, rather than an alternative to these tendencies. The lens of extractivism is applied to identify possible extractivist and unsustainable characteristics of the case study which are discussed along the following dimensions: (A) degree of export orientation and processing, (B) the scale, scope, and speed of extraction, (C) socio-economic and environmental impacts, and (D) subjective relations to nature. The extractivist lens provides analytical value to scrutinizing practices, principles, and dynamics of the contested political field and vision of bioeconomy in the Finnish forest sector. The analysis results in a discussion of latent and manifest social, political, and ecological contradictions within the forest-based bioeconomy in Finland. Based on its analytical lens and the empirical case of the BPM in Äänekoski, it can be concluded that extractivist patterns and tendencies are perpetuated within the Finnish forest-based bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural and Forest Research and Environmental Management entail significant decisions that can impact research findings. Better findings come from well-managed research. In the research and management, a practical methodology approach is used to improve decision-making and prioritise numerous possibilities and research programmes. However, most research scientists need help setting the priority for the research project. A web-based decision-making system, i.e., the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology, provides support and solutions in prioritising the research project options based on multi-criteria decisions in order to eliminate these barriers in agricultural research and management. Considering these factors, the National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad, Telangana, India, devised and developed “AHP Analyser”, a web-based group decision-making tool for prioritising the climate change mitigation options of research projects using an analytic hierarchy approach. It was created with PHP, JavaScript, and MySQL and is available at https://naarm.org.in/ahp/. In the present research article, we have briefly discussed the AHP methodology, analytics of publication on AHP usage, primary features of the AHP Analyser, which was built by using AHP methodology, and a case study that shows how the AHP Analyser was used to mitigate climate change in the forestry sector. Study concluded that AHP methodology can be widely applicable in various sectors for decision making, portfolio management and prioritisation; also contributes to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Therefore, creating awareness on the advantages of AHP methodology among the researchers is critical to bring quality outputs in the research field.

Forests are under immense stress globally. Economic growth is one reason for this: its impacts can lead to deforestation and put tremendous harvesting pressure on forests. In light of increasingly popular -- and growth-based -- bioeconomy strategies, the need for more wood is likely to accelerate. Degrowth, in contrast, rejects economic growth as the central economic principle, arguing that the material throughput of countries in the Global North must shrink to achieve global sustainability. Although the concept has gained importance, there have been no attempts to link degrowth with the forest sector. This article argues that degrowth principles are beneficial for basing the forest sector on sustainable grounds, while the degrowth movement also needs to define its relationship to the forest. Against this backdrop, this contribution sets the cornerstone by linking the Swiss forest sector to central degrowth principles, and discussing possible interrelations and mismatches. Finally, a future research agenda for degrowth and the forest sector is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest management policies play a crucial role in enhancing the carbon sequestration capacities of forests. China's current harvest-prohibitive policies may result in the development of old-growth forests and the eventual saturation of their carbon stocks. This study combines empirically derived forest biomass growth models, spatially explicit information on forest age and live biomass carbon stock, and life cycle analysis to explore whether wood harvesting followed by forest regrowth can enhance carbon sequestration in the forest sector for 2021–2060 in China, by accounting for carbon stock changes in both live biomass and harvested wood products (HWP). The results showed that the net effect of wood harvesting on carbon sequestration, compared to that without any harvesting, is crucially dependent on the half-life of HWP and, secondarily, on harvest intensity. The 'no-harvest' scenario will enable 9.58 Pg more carbon to be stored in the forest live biomass by 2060 compared to that in 2020. Wood harvesting under the current average half-life of HWP in China (12.5 years) will enhance the forest sector's capability to sequester carbon with a light harvest intensity and diminish it with an intensive harvest intensity. However, the carbon sequestration capacity of the forest sector would increase, irrespective of the harvest intensity, if the HWP half-life could be doubled (25 years) or even quadrupled (50 years). Our findings highlighted the potential positive role of wood harvesting in increasing the carbon sequestration capacity of the forest sector in China and provide useful perspectives for drafting national forest management policies. • Carbon accumulates in both forest live biomass and harvested wood products. • Carbon sequestration capacity of China's whole forest sector was evaluated. • Light-intensity harvest enhances the whole forest sector's carbon sequestration. • Prolonging wood product half-life can further enhance carbon sequestration. • Potential benefits of wood harvest should be considered in China's forest policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, the increasing global demand for food and feed and the loss of biodiversity, requires a shift towards a sustainable, innovative and knowledge-based bioeconomy. Simultaneously, the implementation of a strategic approach to the utilization of the sector and associated bioresources that aligns with the principles of sustainability represents a significant challenge. The aim of this study is therefore to develop a methodology for policy and decision makers to facilitate a knowledge-based bioeconomy policy planning framework. To map the development opportunities of the bioeconomy, a detailed analysis was conducted on the Latvian forest sector. This entailed an examination of the system's components within the sector, which involved the collection and analysis of statistical data, reports, and official information from forest sector stakeholders, with the objective of obtaining a comprehensive overview of Latvia's forest sector. Following the identification of the current enablers and constraints of the sector, a selection of niche products with high value-added for sector development was made. During group model building experts: (1) developed a SWOT matrix for the Latvian forest sector; (2) selected three wood-based high value-added products – textile from trees; particle board; natural thermal packaging; (3) elaborated SWOT/TOWS analysis to facilitate strategy development for the niche products. The developed methodology incorporates a synthesis of established scientific methods, including SWOT, TOWS, and AHP, with a bioeconomy system component analysis approach. The methodology therefore not only systematises the process of forest sector analysis, but also applies the findings to the development of sector development pathways aimed at shifting from low value-added to high value-added production. The innovation of the methodology lies not only in the combination of methods used, but also in the insights gained, which allow for a narrower product development perspective to be taken in order to understand the enablers and constraints of the sector and vice versa. • Analysis of the Latvian forest sector for transition to a knowledge-based bioeconomy. • Identifying niche products with higher added value to promote the forest sector. • SWOT/TOWS analysis of niche wood-based products and foresight of future scenarios. • Methodology for policy and decision makers to analyse and develop strategic pathways for bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the influence of climate change, wildfire regimes are expected to intensify and expand to new areas, increasing threats to natural and socioeconomic assets. We explore the environmental and economic implications for the forest sector of climate‐induced changes in wildfire regimes. To retain genericity while considering local determinants, we focus on the regional level and take Mediterranean France as an example. Coupling a bioeconomic forest sector model and a model of wildfire activity, we perform spatially explicit simulations under various levels of radiative forcing. By using a probabilistic framework, we also assess the propagation of several sources of uncertainty to the forest sector, considering both climate‐induced uncertainty and the intrinsic stochasticity of the fire process. By the end of the century, summer burned areas increase by up to 55%, causing moderate losses of merchantable timber and forest carbon stocks, with cascading impacts for industrial activities and climate mitigation in the forest sector. Implications for industries remain limited, but we observe price increases, especially for softwoods, as well as spatially differentiated changes in producer welfare. Inter‐annual fluctuations explain most of uncertainty in wildfire activity, but their impacts on the forest sector are quickly dampened. Over time, owing to the cumulative nature of wildfire impacts on forest resources, uncertainty related to climate warming, climate models' response and stochasticity intrinsic to the wildfire phenomenon strongly increase in relative importance. Results reassert the need to consider multiple futures in prospective assessments, including uncertainty inherent to natural processes, often omitted in large‐scale economic assessments. Plain Language Summary: Forest fires in the Mediterranean are expected to become more numerous, more intense, and to reach new areas due to climate change. Forest resources, carbon sequestrated in forests, as well as economic activities related to forestry, are threatened by this evolution. This article focuses on Southern France and uses large‐scale model simulations to explore these dynamics. We show that burned areas in forests may increase by more than half by 2100, leading to a decrease in forest resources (timber) by up to 5%. Besides, prices for wood products may increase, especially for softwoods, with implications for the welfare of timber producers and consumers. Moreover, these results are heterogenous across space, and areas to the south and to the west are more gravely affected. However, these trends come with relatively large uncertainties. We show that uncertainties concerning the evolution of forest fires themselves are largely due to annual variability in weather conditions. On the contrary, uncertainties concerning economic activity in forestry are mostly due to the unknown future evolution of greenhouse gas emissions and to differences in climate models functioning. Our results reassert the need to consider several possible sources of uncertainty in long‐term prospective assessments. Key Points: Models project an intensification of wildfire regimes in southern France, losses of forest resources and carbon, disturbances to forestryUncertainty in projections is dominated by annual fluctuations for wildfire activity, by choice of climate model/scenario for forestryProspective bioeconomic assessments need to consider multiple possible futures but also stochasticity intrinsic to disturbance processes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The potential contributions from forest-based greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions need to be quantified to develop pathways towards net negative emissions. Here we present results from a comparative analysis that examined mitigation options for British Columbia’s forest sector. Mitigation scenarios were evaluated using a systems perspective that takes into account the changes in emissions and removals in forest ecosystems, in harvested wood product (HWP) carbon stocks, and in other sectors where wood products substitute for emission-intensive materials and fossil fuels. All mitigation activities were assessed relative to a forward-looking ‘business as usual’ baseline for three implementation levels. In addition to quantifying net GHG emission reductions, we assessed economic, and socio-economic impacts as well as other environmental indicators relating to forest species, age class, deadwood availability and future timber supply. We further considered risks of reversal for land-based scenarios, by assessing impacts of increasing future wildfires on stands that were not harvested. Results Our spatially explicit analyses of forest sector mitigation options demonstrated a cost-effective portfolio of regionally differentiated scenarios that directed more of the harvested wood to longer-lived wood products, stopped burning of harvest residues and instead produced bioenergy to displace fossil fuel burning, and reduced harvest levels in regions with low disturbance rates. Domestically, net GHG emissions were reduced by an average of -9 MtCO2e year−1 over 2020–2050 for a portfolio of mitigation activities at a default implementation level, with about 85% of the GHG emission reductions achieved below a cost of $50/tCO2e. Normalizing the net GHG reduction by changes in harvested wood levels permitted comparisons of the scenarios with different ambition levels, and showed that a 1 MtCO2 increase in cumulative harvested stemwood results in a 1 MtCO2e reduction in cumulative emissions, relative to the baseline, for the Higher Recovery scenario in 2070. Conclusions The analyses conducted in this study contribute to the global understanding of forest sector mitigation options by providing an integrated framework to synthesize the methods, assumptions, datasets and models needed to quantify mitigation activities using a systems approach. An understanding of economically feasible and socio-economically attractive mitigation scenarios along with trade offs for environmental indicators relating to species composition and age, helps decision makers with long-term planning for land sector contributions to GHG emission reduction efforts, and provides valuable information for stakeholder consultations.

Abstract Under the influence of climate change, wildfire regimes are expected to intensify and expand to new areas, increasing threats to natural and socioeconomic assets. We explore the environmental and economic implications for the forest sector of climate‐induced changes in wildfire regimes. To retain genericity while considering local determinants, we focus on the regional level and take Mediterranean France as an example. Coupling a bioeconomic forest sector model and a model of wildfire activity, we perform spatially explicit simulations under various levels of radiative forcing. By using a probabilistic framework, we also assess the propagation of several sources of uncertainty to the forest sector, considering both climate‐induced uncertainty and the intrinsic stochasticity of the fire process. By the end of the century, summer burned areas increase by up to 55%, causing moderate losses of merchantable timber and forest carbon stocks, with cascading impacts for industrial activities and climate mitigation in the forest sector. Implications for industries remain limited, but we observe price increases, especially for softwoods, as well as spatially differentiated changes in producer welfare. Inter‐annual fluctuations explain most of uncertainty in wildfire activity, but their impacts on the forest sector are quickly dampened. Over time, owing to the cumulative nature of wildfire impacts on forest resources, uncertainty related to climate warming, climate models’ response and stochasticity intrinsic to the wildfire phenomenon strongly increase in relative importance. Results reassert the need to consider multiple futures in prospective assessments, including uncertainty inherent to natural processes, often omitted in large‐scale economic assessments.

We conducted a spatially explicit vulnerability assessment of the forest industry in Maine, USA, to climate change in an effort to (1) advance a spatial framework for assessing forest industry vulnerability and (2) increase our understanding of Maine's specific vulnerabilities to climate change in order to guide decision-making. We applied a bottom-up indicator approach to evaluate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to climate change using both biophysical and social indicators, largely driven by participatory processes. Our approach enabled us to synthesize and aggregate indicators of regional importance to evaluate vulnerability, allowing us to simultaneously examine combinations of potential changes. We found that each Maine county had its own unique combination of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity indicators, with overall vulnerability highest in the rural northern and western parts of the state, where forest industry activities are most prevalent. However, results also indicate that although increased stress from climate-related changes can negatively affect Maine's forest via high exposure, reduced sensitivities and increased adaptive capacity have the potential to largely decrease overall vulnerability in many parts of the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal employment has been observed for decades and inevitably accompanies the formal economy globally, and it does not disappear to date along with economic growth. Particularly in developing countries, informal employment has increased beyond expectation. This scoping literature review, therefore, aims to identify and analyze the magnitude, causes, characteristics and socioeconomic effects of informal employment in the forest sector on a global scale. The literature analysis reveals that informal employment is predominant in the forest sector. Poverty, lack of education and migration are the causes of informal employment both in general and in the forest sector. Informal employment in the forest sector has various decent work deficits. At the same time, informal employment in the forest sector has induced and enlarged socioeconomic effects of working poverty and occupational accidents and illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest ecosystems provide numerous services that contribute to the wellbeing of societies. However, the lack of knowledge about the benefits of non-wood forest ecosystem services, such as non-wood forest products (NWFPs), hinders efficient forest policy decision-making processes. This study proposes a new extension of the Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs) to capture both the private and the social component of NWFPs. By means of a literature review, we show how extended SAMs can be a suitable approach to explain the causal relationship between the supply of forest ecosystem services, forest-based value chains, and the European bioeconomy. The literature analysis shows that the number of research studies calibrating or using SAMs has been increasing over the last decades. Recent extensions of the SAMs made it possible to evaluate the relationship between human wellbeing and the environment. Moreover, we found applications to the forest sector (limited to timber) and to the supply of some non-wood ecosystem services. We believe the extended SAMs will support decision-makers to design forest strategies that properly account for the benefits NWFPs provide to both the economy and the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Forest based climate mitigation emerged as a key component of the Paris Agreement, and thus requires robust science to reduce uncertainties related to such strategies. The aim of this study was to assess and compare the cumulative effects on carbon dynamics of forest management and climate change on boreal and northern temperate forest sector in eastern Canada for the 2020–2100 period. Methods We used the spatially explicit forest landscape model LANDIS-II and its extension Forest Carbon Succession, in conjunction with the Carbon Budget Model for Harvested Wood Products framework. We simulated the dynamics of forest composition and carbon flows from forest ecosystems to wood products and their substitution effect on markets under increasing climate forcing, according to a tonne-year approach. Simulations were conducted for a series of forest management scenarios based on realistic practices principally by clearcut in the boreal territory and continuous-cover forestry in the northern temperate one. These scenarios included: i) a business-as-usual scenario (BaU), representing the current management strategy, ii) increased harvesting by 6.3% to 13.9%, iii) increased conservation (i.e. reduced harvesting by 11.1% to 49.8%), iiii) and a scenario representing the natural evolution of the forest landscape (i.e. without any management activity). Results Our study revealed that increasing harvesting levels had contrasting effects on the mitigation potential in northern temperate (enhance net sequestration) and boreal forest sector (enhance net emissions) in comparison to the BaU from 2040 onwards, regardless of the future climate. Carbon storage in wood products and the substitution effect were not sufficient to offset carbon emissions from ecosystems. Moreover, climate change had a strong impact on the capacity of both landscapes to act as carbon sinks. Northern temperate landscapes became a net source of carbon over time due to their greater vulnerability to climate change than boreal landscapes. Conclusions Our study highlights the need to consider the initial landscape characteristics in simulations to maximize the mitigation potential of alternative forest management strategies. The optimal management solution can be very different according to the characteristics of forest ecosystems. This opens the possibility of optimizing management for specific forest stands, with the objective of maximizing the mitigation potential of a given landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this article is to deepen the theoretical provisions of the functioning and development of forestry in Ukraine, allocating the features of economic activity in this sphere. The article puts special emphasis on the definition of the essence of the category of «forestry». To do this, the contents of such definitions as: «forest sector», «forestry», «forest complex», «forest industry», «forest-industry complex» and «forest-based industry sector» were analyzed. A detailed study of these categories, in addition to a closer definition of their essence, has also allowed us to determine their relationship. The result of the study provides the following interpretation of the essence of the category of «forestry» - this is a material production industry that studies, records, reproduces and protects forests, as well as regulates their use to meet the needs of economic actors in the forest-based and other related resources. Thus, in our opinion, forestry should be considered as a separate industry, as a part of the forest sector of the country. The article also defines the functioning and development of forestry as a separate, holistic economic system.

Wood as form of biomass is one of the main types of alternative energy in Ukraine. At the same time, wood biomass is one of the cheapest energy resources. It has been proved that its volume potential can be sufficient to meet the energy needs of the population. It is found that a significant amount of wood biomass in Ukraine, which can be used for energy purposes, is not yet used, particularly wood residuals in forest stands. The use of wood and wood residuals as fuel is an environmentally and cost-effective solution. However to meet sustainability goals some social and environmental limitations should be taken into account. The urgency of implementing a bioenergy policy for governing the process of wood residuals and biomass use for energy purpose is obvious, since there are no clear legislative norms and regulations to stimulate the bioenergy sector development in Ukraine, except for the “Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035”. Fuel wood is one of the main types of bioenergy in Ukraine. It is found that sustainable utilization of wood residuals potential would contribute to the circular economy and at the same time can make a significant contribution to solving energy dependency from suppliers outside Ukraine. The process of obtaining wood energy and using wood biomass for energy purposes is not governed by clear and transparent bioenergy policy and set of instruments in Ukraine. Ukraine's energy strategy for the period until 2035 envisages the transition to renewable energy sources, considers wood biomass as one of the options for obtaining fuel energy, but does not describe actions and regulation measures in bioenergy. The legislation is also seen as imperfect as it does not actually treat this wood biomass as an alternative (renewable) energy. Creating a legislative framework based on the use of foreign experience and the assessment of the potential of wood biomass in Ukraine, which can be used for energy purposes, is the main task of Ukraine's bioenergy policy. Bioenergy policies should be aimed to achieving the sustainable development goals through the use of appropriate strategies and instruments and systematically assessed through a system of indicators. The main problem with the use of fuel wood is the lack of a legal framework governing its production and use. In this regard, it is appropriate to draw on the experience of other countries in the use of wood biomass for energy purposes. It is found that the main source of fuel wood is sawmill and furniture waste. It has been proven that biomass in Ukraine is sufficient to replace all gas and coal imports. The term "bioenergy" has been found not to refer to deforestation. It is about the use of wood waste and illiquid residues. In Sweden, 60% of heat is produced from biomass, however, in Ukraine only 9%. Taking into account the social and environmental constraints in determining the amount of biomass that can be removed from the forest, providing an ecological and economic justification for the entire process of harvesting, sorting and processing of biomass is an important component of achieving the concept of sustainable development of the forest sector. The main problem with the use of fuel wood is the lack of a legal framework governing its production and use. In this regard, it is appropriate to take into account the experience of other countries in the use of wood biomass for energy purposes. Therefore the most important task is to develop regional strategies and a set of bioenergy policy instruments.

Cross-sector collaboration is emphasized as a means for forest sector companies to remain competitive in a global marketplace that is evolving toward greater use of bio-based products (bioeconomy). Nevertheless, questions remain regarding how companies can identify and develop innovations via cross-sector collaboration. This study addresses the potential of Oregon forest sector companies to collaborate with other sectors. Results show interest in collaboration among leaders of Oregon companies, given expectations of knowledge acquisition, increased capacity for innovation, and enhanced profitability. However, leaders describe a hesitancy within their companies as well as a host of changes that must take place before collaboration is likely. Suggestions include generational changes of leadership, more specialized employees, and building trust with potential partners. A traditional, conservative industry/company culture was the key barrier to collaboration. Despite opportunities promised by cross-sector collaboration, considerable development within companies is likely needed before cross-sector collaboration opportunities can be capitalized on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background We determine the potential of forests and the forest sector to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by changes in management practices and wood use for two regions within Canada’s managed forest from 2018 to 2050. Our modeling frameworks include the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector, a framework for harvested wood products that estimates emissions based on product half-life decay times, and an account of marginal emission substitution benefits from the changes in use of wood products and bioenergy. Using a spatially explicit forest inventory with 16 ha pixels, we examine mitigation scenarios relating to forest management and wood use: increased harvesting efficiency; residue management for bioenergy; reduced harvest; reduced slashburning, and more longer-lived wood products. The primary reason for the spatially explicit approach at this coarse resolution was to estimate transportation distances associated with delivering harvest residues for heat and/or electricity production for local communities. Results Results demonstrated large differences among alternative scenarios, and from alternative assumptions about substitution benefits for fossil fuel-based energy and products which changed scenario rankings. Combining forest management activities with a wood-use scenario that generated more longer-lived products had the highest mitigation potential. Conclusions The use of harvest residues to meet local energy demands in place of burning fossil fuels was found to be an effective scenario to reduce GHG emissions, along with scenarios that increased the utilization level for harvest, and increased the longevity of wood products. Substitution benefits from avoiding fossil fuels or emissions-intensive products were dependent on local circumstances for energy demand and fuel mix, and the assumed wood use for products. As projected future demand for biomass use in national GHG mitigation strategies could exceed sustainable biomass supply, analyses such as this can help identify biomass sources that achieve the greatest mitigation benefits.

The estimation of the development of the main trends of the global timber marketisgiven,there are characterized relative labor productivity indices in the forestry sector of the world economy in various regions of the world over 20 year. There is carried an analysis of the key implications of the spread of the modern model of consumption in the Asia-Pacific region for the wood and furniture industry.

In evaluating effectiveness for collaborative environmental governance arrangements, a key concern is describing not just the processes and actors that are a part of these systems, but also the impacts that these processes have on ecological and social conditions. Existing research delineates an emphasis on process variables over outcome variables, as well as the difficulties of demonstrating causal relationships between collaborative governance processes and ecological outcomes. In this paper, we examined how process and outcome criteria are used by sponsors, industry practitioners, and participants of collaborative environmental governance (CEG) arrangements in Canada's forest sector to ascertain effectiveness. We explicitly sought evidence from sponsors and industry practitioners of self-described effective forest advisory committees, anticipating that sponsors or practitioners might place greater emphasis than participants on outcome criteria over process criteria. We analyzed data from a nation-wide survey of forest advisory committee participants, conducted interviews with sponsoring agencies, and completed two in-depth case studies. We found that sponsors and industry practitioners, like participants, perceived a strong relationship between process and effectiveness. The perspectives of all participants helped us articulate ten key process criteria that they determined as essential for CEG. By including the insights of sponsoring agencies, our study provides both on-the-ground and management interpretations of process and outcomes as well as a nuanced approach to understanding the relationship between the two. However, we conclude that systematic evaluation approaches involving outcome-based criteria are still necessary and would provide a clear step towards encouraging accountability in CEG decision-making, both for sponsors and members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How perceptions of the forest-based bioeconomy differ across country contexts and social groups is important as it opens possibilities for the development of more inclusive, locally and socially relevant bioeconomy policies and strategies. Therefore, this special section explores the social dimensions of the forest-based bioeconomy by focusing on discourses and perceptions of different actor groups in Europe. We introduce six articles that range from review and discursive approaches to consumer studies. The section adds to the existing literature by focusing not only on political decision makers, stakeholders, and experts but also on the public, media and students. Patterns in the presented discourses and perceptions can be identified but more is needed to validate these and respond to the question of representativeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization and client demands result in the need for investments for the survival of the companies. Forest harvest represents the highest costs and losses of wood production. Quality function deployment (QFD) is recommended to achieve quality by detecting customer needs. Thus, this study aimed to determine the variables that influence quality costs in the mechanized harvest to reach the quality control of forest activity. The research was developed in a company located in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The variables that influence quality costs in four categories (evaluation, prevention, internal and external flaws) were identified. The QFD method was used to translate the needs of internal and external customers (critical success factors) of mechanized harvesting activities into measurable technical characteristics (variables that influence quality costs), determining the weight for each relationship and, consequently, the balance of the categories, besides the correlations of the variables evaluated as strong, medium, weak, and non-existent. Among the 29 variables identified, 18 consisted of evaluation and prevention, representing the relative weights of 37.17% and 26.49%, respectively, and 11 represented internal and external flaws, with values of 26.57% and 9.73%, respectively. The correlation matrix found 334 correlation of the 406 cells: 195 (58%) strong, 86 (26%) medium, and 53 (16%) weak. In conclusion, the company must improve process quality by investing in evaluation and prevention aimed at reducing non-conformities and expansion of revenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The potential contributions from forest-based greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation actions need to be quantified to develop pathways towards net negative emissions. Here we present results from a comparative analysis that examined mitigation options for British Columbia's forest sector. Mitigation scenarios were evaluated using a systems perspective that takes into account the changes in emissions and removals in forest ecosystems, in harvested wood product (HWP) carbon stocks, and in other sectors where wood products substitute for emission-intensive materials and fossil fuels. All mitigation activities were assessed relative to a forward-looking 'business as usual' baseline for three implementation levels. In addition to quantifying net GHG emission reductions, we assessed economic, and socio-economic impacts as well as other environmental indicators relating to forest species, age class, deadwood availability and future timber supply. We further considered risks of reversal for land-based scenarios, by assessing impacts of increasing future wildfires on stands that were not harvested. Results: Our spatially explicit analyses of forest sector mitigation options demonstrated a cost-effective portfolio of regionally differentiated scenarios that directed more of the harvested wood to longer-lived wood products, stopped burning of harvest residues and instead produced bioenergy to displace fossil fuel burning, and reduced harvest levels in regions with low disturbance rates. Domestically, net GHG emissions were reduced by an average of -9 MtCO2e year−1 over 2020–2050 for a portfolio of mitigation activities at a default implementation level, with about 85% of the GHG emission reductions achieved below a cost of $50/tCO2e. Normalizing the net GHG reduction by changes in harvested wood levels permitted comparisons of the scenarios with different ambition levels, and showed that a 1 MtCO2 increase in cumulative harvested stemwood results in a 1 MtCO2e reduction in cumulative emissions, relative to the baseline, for the Higher Recovery scenario in 2070. Conclusions: The analyses conducted in this study contribute to the global understanding of forest sector mitigation options by providing an integrated framework to synthesize the methods, assumptions, datasets and models needed to quantify mitigation activities using a systems approach. An understanding of economically feasible and socio-economically attractive mitigation scenarios along with trade offs for environmental indicators relating to species composition and age, helps decision makers with long-term planning for land sector contributions to GHG emission reduction efforts, and provides valuable information for stakeholder consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical analysis of the economic and social evolution of humanity clearly and consistently shows that it was the result of the progressive process of transformation of natural areas, mostly occupied by forests, agriculture and pasture, which led to a significant reduction, or even to the disappearance of the previously extensive forests. The period from 1966 until mid-1986 was a milestone in Brazilian forest history. More than 7 million hectares have been reforested with pine, eucalyptus, araucaria and fruit trees. This process, which allowed the reduction of personal income tax, was an extremely creative attitude and perhaps the most important forest policy that Brazil has experienced, from its discovery to the present day. Job creation and employability leaves no doubt. Today, by analyzing the spatial distribution of large forest industries, we have the location map of the forest park, which was largely determined by the economic forest zoning. This period was very useful for research in all fields of forest science, especially the technological use of wood, its physical mechanical characteristics, not only those of afforestation, but also materials from the Amazon forest. Planting thousands of hectares of pine and eucalyptus has helped to save thousands of hectares of native forests and continues to play this role. It is also necessary to highlight in this period inclusion of the Amazon for its plant heritage, which has come to play a prominent role in the strategy of the government and, of course, for the national forest economy. Obviously, it was already glimpsed what would be the international pressures for the nation to have a conservationist conduct towards this Brazilian heritage. The scientific and technological developments of the Brazilian forest sector, resulting from actions emanating from universities, research institutions and, especially from the private sector, allow us to state that it was due to this fruitful institutional interaction for the development of forest research that this great success was achieved; and few were the national sectors that had such vast experience. Sustainability in the use of natural resources has conditioned them for current and future generations and has imposed a new dynamic on the planted forest sector, and especially within the Amazon Forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest plantations represent the fourth largest crop by planted area in Brazil. However, leaf-cutting ants can compromise their establishment and development. Atta and Acromyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) ant genera are the main pests in Eucalyptus and Pinus plantations, and their management is fundamental to maintain the forestry sector. Here, we describe biological aspects of leaf-cutting ants in Brazilian commercial forest plantations and the feasibility of different methods to control these insects. Physical and biological control methods are not effective in suppressing leaf-cutting ants nests of any size. Chemical control is the most used method and is based mainly on ant baits with high efficiency, easy application, and low operational cost. Ant baits comprise a carrier, usually citrus pulp, and an active ingredient. Dodecachlor was the first active ingredient used on a large scale in ant baits in Brazil. The use of this chemical was suspended because of its toxicity and persistence and replaced by sulfluramid, which is currently the most used active ingredient in ant baits. Although this compound controls leaf-cutting ants effectively, the raw material used in the manufacture of sulfluramid (perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride) was listed at the Stockholm Convention in 2009 as a persistent organic pollutant. Diverse alternative control methods have been tested without success and for this reason, sulfluramid is still used to control leaf-cutting ants. Regardless of the effectiveness of sulfluramid-based baits, researchers should put more effort into developing control methods safer to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]