Assessing the implications of a carbon market for boreal forest management

2011 ◽  
Vol 87 (03) ◽  
pp. 367-381
Author(s):  
Stewart Elgie ◽  
Geoffrey R. Mccarney ◽  
Wiktor L. Adamowicz

Canada's forests —particularly the boreal—are a major storehouse of carbon. How they are managed could significantly affect Canada's greenhouse gas emissions while also presenting a new revenue source for forest managers. This study attempts to assess how a carbon price could affect forest management, particularly in Canada's boreal plains region. An integrated modelling approach is developed to incorporate both forest carbon and timber supply considerations within an optimal management framework. This modelling approach allows for consideration of alternative market and regula tory scenarios, along with a range of possible management intensity and harvest scheduling options over the landscape. The overall conclusion is that carbon incentives will increase the value of the boreal forest—potentially quite signifi cantly— and will generally encourage management changes consistent with sustainable forest management practices.

2012 ◽  
Vol 88 (03) ◽  
pp. 298-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marine Elbakidze ◽  
Per Angelstam ◽  
Robert Axelsson

The Model Forest is a concept developed to facilitate implementation of sustainable forest management (SFM). The key functions of a Model Forest are to develop innovations and test new ideas related to SFM, driven by the needs, interests and challenges of Model Forest stakeholders and local communities. Russia is an important global actor when it comes to the boreal forest biome and forestry, but also has several challenges related to development of adaptive governance and the introduction of SFM. The purpose of this study is to identify landscape stakeholders—their values, needs and interests— in order to develop and adapt the governance of forest landscapes in the Kovdozersky Model Forest. The location of the Kovdozersky Model Forest in the Barents region presents opportunities for learning between Nordic countries and Russia.


2007 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Bourgeois ◽  
Daniel Kneeshaw ◽  
Louis Imbeau ◽  
Nicolas Bélanger ◽  
Stephen Yamasaki ◽  
...  

In order to receive forest certification and to respond to societal desires, many forest companies are attempting to demonstrate that their forest activities are «sustainable». The main objective of this paper is to qualitatively evaluate the ways in which forestry-related provincial regulations in the three provinces (Alberta, Ontario and Quebec) that contain most of the Canadian boreal forest help forest companies achieve certification with respect to ecological criteria. In the process of continually evolving towards sustainable forest management, we evaluate how these provincial regulations governing forest operations can be helpful in maintaining three criteria: biodiversity, the aquatic environment and soils. This study shows that the regulations evaluated have varied in their approach and thus have different strengths that must be underlined: (1) Ontario's approach is the strongest in terms of biodiversity, (2) Alberta and Ontario provide measures to abandon roads after harvesting, (3) Quebec provides the greatest specific measures for protecting waterways and aquatic species, (4) Alberta shows the greatest consideration for maintaining the most soil properties and functions. Better links between different regulations are necessary in all jurisdictions. The continual improvement of Canadian forest rules is often slow and advances at a different pace depending on regulators but it should be supported in all provinces. Key words: sustainable forest management, biodiversity, aquatic environment, soils, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec


2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (7) ◽  
pp. 1214-1226 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.A. Venier ◽  
J.L. Pearce

We examined a landbird community and its relationship to environmental variables within the boreal forest in north–central Ontario to evaluate its potential usefulness as an indicator of sustainable forest management. Our study had two components. First, we compared bird assemblages in mature forest stands inside Pukaskwa National Park (n = 17) with similar forested stands in a logged landscape (n = 18) over 3 years. We found significant separation of sites in the two treatments based on an ANOSIM (analogue of the standard univariate one-way ANOVA test) of the bird communities (R = 0.238, p < 0.001). We identified four significant indicators of the park landscape (bay-breasted warbler ( Dendroica castanea (Wilson, 1810)), black-throated green warbler ( Dendroica virens (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)), ovenbird ( Seiurus aurocapillus (L., 1766)), and red-eyed vireo ( Vireo olivaceus (L., 1766))) and five indicators of the logged landscape (black-backed woodpecker ( Picoides arcticus (Swainson, 1832)), brown creeper ( Certhia americana Bonaparte, 1838), winter wren ( Troglodytes troglodytes (L., 1758)), white-throated sparrow ( Zonotrichia albicollis (J.F. Gmelin, 1789)), and yellow-bellied sapsucker ( Sphyrapicus varius (L., 1776))). Some relationships were attributable to differences in vegetation, whereas other differences were attributable to the landscape context. Second, we used generalized additive models to examine the relationship of individual species with four sets of environmental data (understorey floristics, forest structure, overstorey composition, and landscape context) using the 35 sites noted above and 18 additional mature forest sites in the logged landscape (n = 53). We found that all four types of variables were frequently included in the best model based on Akaike's information criterion (AIC) (structure in 23 models, landscape in 20 models, overstorey in 19 models, and understorey in 15 models). We discuss our results in terms of their implications to forest management and note that our ability to map habitat for forest birds is substantially compromised by the lack of good spatial estimates of environmental variables that describe bird habitat.


1999 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Mitchell ◽  
C. Lee

The Canadian Forest Service (CFS) has organized a National Forest Ecosystem Research Network of Sites (FERNS). These sites are focussed on the study of sustainable forest management practices and ecosystem processes at the stand level. Network objectives are to promote this research nationally and internationally, provide linkages among sites, preserve the long-term research investments already made on these sites and provide a forum for information exchange and data sharing. The 17 individual sites are representative of six ecozones across Canada and address the common issue of silvicultural solutions to problems of sustainable forest management. While the CFS coordinates and promotes FERNS, the network consists of local autonomous partners nationwide who benefit from the FERNS affiliation through increased publicity for their sites. Key words: long-term, silviculture, network, interdisciplinary, ecozone, ecosystem processes


2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 322-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
David T. Price ◽  
R.I. Alfaro ◽  
K.J. Brown ◽  
M.D. Flannigan ◽  
R.A. Fleming ◽  
...  

Canadian boreal woodlands and forests cover approximately 3.09 × 106 km2, located within a larger boreal zone characterized by cool summers and long cold winters. Warming since the 1850s, increases in annual mean temperature of at least 2 °C between 2000 and 2050 are highly probable. Annual mean temperatures across the Canadian boreal zone could be 4–5 °C warmer than today’s by 2100. All aspects of boreal forest ecosystem function are likely to be affected. Further, several potential “tipping elements” — where exposure to increasing changes in climate may trigger distinct shifts in ecosystem state — can be identified across the Canadian boreal zone. Approximately 40% of the forested area is underlain by permafrost, some of which is already degrading irreversibly, triggering a process of forest decline and re-establishment lasting several decades, while also releasing significant quantities of greenhouse gases that will amplify the future global warming trend. Warmer temperatures coupled with significant changes in the distribution and timing of annual precipitation are likely to cause serious tree-killing droughts in the west; east of the Great Lakes, however, where precipitation is generally nonlimiting, warming coupled with increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide may stimulate higher forest productivity. Large wildfires, which can cause serious economic losses, are expected to become more frequent, but increases in mean annual area burned will be relatively gradual. The most immediate threats could come from endemic forest insect pests that have the potential for population outbreaks in response to relatively small temperature increases. Quantifying the multiple effects of climate change will be challenging, particularly because there are great uncertainties attached to possible interactions among them, as well as with other land-use pressures. Considerable ingenuity will be needed from forest managers and scientists to address the formidable challenges posed by climate change to boreal ecosystems and develop effective strategies to adapt sustainable forest management practices to the impending changes.


ICR Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-229
Author(s):  
Muhammad Adha Shaleh

Community forestry offers many perspectives on the forest management system. It has become an avenue for special collaboration between state, scientific communities, social enterprises, businesses, and local communities, as well as a means of promoting practical solutions in forest conservation. Furthermore, it becomes an arena where forest people can participate in forest conservation projects, improve their livelihoods and manage forest projects via their own traditional knowledge. Inspired by its unique features, the researcher carried out a qualitative research study of community forestry with the hope of exploring its possibilities in the South East Pahang Peat Swamp Forest (SEPPSF). In this regard, the researcher employed research methods that consisted of interviews, focus group discussions and field observations. The interviewees were asked to reflect on current forest management practices in SEPPSF. Other participants included government officials, social activists and researchers. This study found that the SEPPSF offers a unique opportunity for collaborative forest care. To achieve this vision, however, there is a need to resuscitate the following three important elements of community forestry in SEPPSF: community empowerment in forest care; community land security; and community consultation for forest related activities. In addition, this study recommends two contemporary models to prompt effective forest governance: a short-term community forestry project in SEPPSF and a long-term community forestry project for the Orang Asli. It is anticipated that this paper will provide a fresh perspective on collaborative forest management. Furthermore, it is hoped that its findings parallel increasing calls for holistically sustainable forest management in Malaysia.


1999 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 793-798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Treseder ◽  
Naomi T. Krogman

This paper provides an overview of three approaches to forest management being applied by First Nations in Canada: industrial forestry, forest co-management and community forests. Industrial forestry, involving large-scale harvesting of timber, has been successful in increasing employment levels for some First Nations. However, industrial forestry is difficult to pursue due to the significant financial and timber resources it requires, and it may result in social conflicts between timber harvesters and traditional users of the forest. Forest co-management refers to shared management of forest resources by First Nations, government and/or industry. Benefits of co-management for First Nations can include better decision-making, increased employment opportunities, and cultural sensitivity toward First Nation forestry concerns. Disadvantages can include inequality of the partners in co-management arrangements and lack of public involvement in decision-making. Community forests often include local control, local investment of profits, and greater attention to the long term returns from the forest. The community forest approach may be hindered by a lack of profit, an absence of alternative tenure arrangements and other models to follow, and difficult access to financial resources and adequate land bases. The current state of institutional reform offers hope for the incorporation of Aboriginal objectives in sustainable forest management. New institutions can contribute to sustainability in forest-dependent Aboriginal communities by increasing commitment to and support of local forest management practices. Key Words: forest sociology, sustainable forest management, First Nations, social institutions, industrial forestry, forest co-management, community forests


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Muigg ◽  
Georgios Skiadaresis ◽  
Willy Tegel ◽  
Franz Herzig ◽  
Paul J. Krusic ◽  
...  

AbstractTo satisfy the increasing demand for wood in central Europe during medieval times, a new system of forest management was developed, one far superior to simple coppicing. The adoption of a sophisticated, Coppice-with-Standards (CWS) management practice created a two-storey forest structure that could provide fuelwood as well as construction timber. Here we present a dendrochronological study of actively managed CWS forests in northern Bavaria to detect the radial growth response to cyclical understorey harvesting in overstorey oaks (Quercus sp.), so-called standards. All modern standards exhibit rapid growth releases every circa 30 years, most likely caused by regular understorey management. We further analyse tree-ring width patterns in 2120 oak timbers from historical buildings and archaeological excavations in southern Germany and north-eastern France, dating between 300 and 2015 CE, and succeeded in identifying CWS growth patterns throughout the medieval period. Several potential CWS standards even date to the first millennium CE, suggesting CWS management has been in practice long before its first mention in historical documents. Our dendrochronological approach should be expanded routinely to indentify the signature of past forest management practices in archaeological and historical oak wood.


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