![]() The study analyses the changes in the structure and species composition of a temperate forest excluded from the commercial silvicultural management for 50 years, and since then protected as a nature reserve. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of traditional methods of conservation of silver fir forests. Knowledge of the vegetation and the monitoring of its changes in preserved areas is an essential part of effective conservation policy and management. The results presented in this dissertation illustrate that careful planning is required to accommodate the need for protection of biodiversity, the expected growing demand for wood, as well as the provisioning of forest ecosystem services. Larger social benefits could potentially be obtained if biodiversity protection is enhanced in European forests. An economic valuation showed that intensifying biomass removals could lead to a net economic benefit measured by the aggregated value of five ecosystem services, as compared to projections without measures to intensify use of forest biomass. Carbon storage in forest biomass, as well as the amount of deadwood, was projected to decline due to measures to intensify the use of forests. Mobilising these potentials would imply drastic changes in the management of European forests.Īccording to articles III-V intensified biomass removals could involve trade-offs with other forest ecosystem services. In article II, the realisable woody biomass potential was estimated at 741 million m3 yr-1 in 2010, including woody biomass from stems, residues, stumps and other biomass, ranging from 620 to 891 million m3 yr-1 in 2030. Despite these restrictions, wood harvesting is allowed to a fair extent in these protected forests.Īrticles II-V assessed the future woody biomass potentials and impacts of different scenarios on forests using the European Forest Information SCENario model (EFISCEN). Felling restrictions applied to currently protected forest areas reduce the longterm potential supply of wood by 35 million m3 yr-1. The objective of this dissertation was to analyze and evaluate impacts of intensified biomass production and biodiversity protection on ecosystem services provided by European forests.Īrticle I assessed to what extent forests are protected and how felling restrictions affect the potential annual wood supply. Careful planning is required to accommodate both the protection of biological and landscape diversity and demand for wood, while not forgetting all other services that forests provide.įorests provide many benefits to society and it is important to understand if, and how, policies affect the provisioning of ecosystem services. ![]() Hence, the question could be raised whether biodiversity and landscape diversity within designated areas are sufficiently protected. On the other hand, wood harvesting is allowed to a fair extent in many protected areas. ![]() However, if demand for wood from European forests for material and energy use significantly increases, the impact of existing protected forest networks may become significant after all. Protected forests do not necessarily affect wood supply given the current demand for wood in Europe. Consequently, 73 million m(3) (10 % of the annual theoretical potential supply from the total forest area) of wood cannot be felled from the protected forests in Europe. Within the protected areas, on average 48 % of the volume cannot be harvested in forests protected for biodiversity and 40 % in forests protected for landscapes. Protected forests covered 33 million ha (20 % of total forest area) in 2005, of which 16 million ha was protected for biodiversity and the remaining area for landscape diversity. This study aimed to assess to what extent forests are currently protected and how felling restrictions affect the potential annual wood supply within 27 European Union member states, Norway, and Switzerland and to discuss trade-offs between intensified use of forest biomass and forest protection efforts. Forest protection is one of the main measures to prevent loss of biological and landscape diversity. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |