Modeling alternative zoning strategies in forest management

TLDR: In this paper, the authors compare the traditional two-zone land allocation framework which includes ecological reserves and integrated forest management zones with the triad a three-zone scheme which adds a zone dedicated to intensive timber production.

About: This article is published in International Transactions in Operational Research.The article was published on 2003-09-01 and is currently open access. It has received 17 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Forest management & Forest inventory.

Figures

Table 2: Alternative Management Scenarios

Figure 1: Study area divided into ten units.

Table 1: Area (ha) by unit and ecosystem

Figure 2: Land allocation under: (a) Two–Zone Low; (b) Two–Zone Medium; and (c) Two–Zone High Emphasis scenarios.

Table 4: Land-use Allocation under Triad Scenarios

Table 3: Land-use Allocation under Two-Zone Scenarios

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What are the contributions mentioned in the paper "Modeling alternative zoning strategies in forest management" ?

In this paper, the authors compare the traditional twozone land allocation framework, which includes ecological reserves and integrated forest management zones, with the triad ( three-zone ) scheme that adds a zone dedicated to intensive timber production. Under realistic conditions characteristic of Coastal British Columbia, the authors show that higher environmental demands may be satisfied with the triad regime without increasing the financial burden on the industry or reducing its wood supply The authors compare the solutions of mixed-integer linear programs formulated under both land allocation frameworks and, through sensitivity analysis, explore the conditions under which the triad regime can offset the negative impact on timber production from increased environmental demands. 

Q2. What have the authors stated for future works in "Modeling alternative zoning strategies in forest management" ?

The argument is that such an approach can push out the forest production possibilities frontier, enabling society to achieve greater environmental protection without a loss in wood supply and accompanying financial benefits. Whether these options indeed push out the production possibilities frontier depends on the extent of economies of scale resulting from reduced regulatory transaction costs, and the costs and effectiveness of the specific silvicultural strategies used. The authors also examined the impact on land allocation and the economic performance of planting fast growing species within the timber production zone. Smaller scale units may allow for greater flexibility in meeting economic and environmental targets at the strategic level, but the cost may be a loss of economies of scale.