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Forests
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Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies
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Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Economics, Policy, and Social Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 15175

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Maria Nijnik

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Head of Land & People Science Group, The Social, Economic and Geographical Sciences Department, The James Hutton Institute, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
Interests: valuation of natural capital/ecosystem services; forests and people; forest policy and governance; social innovation and entrepreneurship; nature-based financing/solutions; multifunctional forestry/land use; forests and climate; sustainability; resilience/adaptation
Dr. Mariana Melnykovych

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Länggasse 85, 3052 Zollikofen, Switzerland
Interests: forest socioecological resilience; forest ecosystem services; innovations in forestry; sustainable forest management; forest policies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forestry worldwide is at a crossroads due to the rapidly changing climate; energy, biodiversity, financial and food security crises; and socioeconomic and political uncertainties that deepen deforestation and forest degradation. Innovation, transition and reconstruction of forestry, oriented by policies at the local level and across scales, are necessary to respond to challenges and build green, healthy, prosperous and resilient futures. Global and national policies and actions to be taken are equally important, as they trigger sustainable governance, management and the use of forests by transforming economic, political and social/cultural relationships across places, countries, regions and continents. In the light of recent policy documents, this Special Issue is planned to address the following questions of high importance (yet it is not limited to only these topics):

  • How could forest policies foster sustainable governance of forests and what are the roles of diverse stakeholders (e.g., businesses, NGOs, local communities, and international organisations) in putting multifunctional forestry (in different spatial and temporary settings/contexts) on sustainable paths?
  • How could bottom-up and top-down approaches in forestry (and their combinations) change “the rules and play of the game” (and promote a sustainable forest bioeconomy, the involvement of businesses in the financing of forest restoration/afforestation projects, the creation of green jobs and improving the well-being of forest-dependent communities and a wider society, etc.)?
  • How can the valuation of forest natural assets and ecosystem services help finance nature-based solutions, help resolve conflicts, and prevent and alleviate forest losses that inflict costs on society?

Submitted manuscripts must be original contributions that have not been previously published or submitted to other journals. Specifically, this Special Issue will also highlight articles presented at relevant sessions of the XXVI IUFRO World Congress 2024.

Prof. Dr. Maria Nijnik
Dr. Mariana Melnykovych
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • institutions
  • governance
  • social innovation
  • transformative changes
  • transdisciplinary approaches
  • stakeholder engagement

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 753 KiB  
Article
Forestry Scenario Modelling: Qualitative Analysis of User Needs in Lithuania
by Daiva Juknelienė, Michailas Palicinas, Jolanta Valčiukienė and Gintautas Mozgeris
Forests 2024, 15(3), 414; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030414 - 21 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1416
Abstract
This paper aims to demonstrate the use of qualitative research methods, specifically in-depth interviews, to explore the intangible and often difficult-to-quantify needs for forestry scenario modelling in Lithuania, which are frequently not adequately perceived. The study involved informants representing key actors in forest [...] Read more.
This paper aims to demonstrate the use of qualitative research methods, specifically in-depth interviews, to explore the intangible and often difficult-to-quantify needs for forestry scenario modelling in Lithuania, which are frequently not adequately perceived. The study involved informants representing key actors in forest policy, forest management, research, and education. A total of 21 informants from 11 different institutions, which hold significant power and expertise in forest decision making, were interviewed. The purpose of these interviews was to gather their perspectives on the potential forest decision support system in the country, aiming to address most of their needs. The interview questions explored various aspects, including the requirements for forestry scenario modelling, the desired level of detail and information content for decision making, and both functional and nonfunctional requirements for the scenario modelling system. It is worth noting that the expected functionality of the planned forest DSSs aligns with modern international standards. Nevertheless, the diversity of perspectives, wishes, visions, and intentions of key Lithuanian forestry actors regarding the aims, objectives, and essential functionality of forestry scenario modelling tools were identified. The understanding of the requirements for modern forest DSSs was greatly influenced by the current forestry paradigms in the country and the professional experiences of individual informants. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the utilization of qualitative research, particularly through in-depth interviews, has proven to be a highly effective tool for accurately specifying the requirements of a modern forest DSS. It helped mitigate preconceived notions and address gaps in the envisioned product, specifically by developing a framework of core solutions for the national forestry and land-use scenario modelling system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies)
27 pages, 1240 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Sustainable Forest Management Performance in Forestry Enterprises Based on a Hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model: A Case Study in China
by Deqiang Deng, Chenchen Ye, Kemeng Tong and Jiayang Zhang
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2267; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112267 - 18 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2999
Abstract
Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) can fully use forest resources and improve the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of forest areas. Forestry enterprises play a crucial role in the implementation of SFM. However, the previous literature on SFM pays little attention to the subject [...] Read more.
Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) can fully use forest resources and improve the economic, environmental, and social sustainability of forest areas. Forestry enterprises play a crucial role in the implementation of SFM. However, the previous literature on SFM pays little attention to the subject of forestry enterprises. This paper aims to extend research on SFM from a macro perspective to the micro level of forestry enterprises. Taking the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) as a theoretical framework and the Montreal Process Criteria and Indicators (MP C&Is) as a basis, this paper constructs an indicator system to evaluate the performance of SFM of forestry enterprises from economic, social, and environmental aspects. Then, we apply the hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, i.e., the Best–Worst Method (BWM) and the VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method, to construct the methodological system for SFM performance evaluation of forestry enterprises. Through a questionnaire survey of 68 academics and researchers, we determine the weights of the SFM indicators and select a representative forestry enterprise as a case study. The effectiveness of this SFM performance evaluation model is then demonstrated through its application to the case study of forestry enterprises in China. Through the application of the model, this paper evaluates the enterprise’s SFM performance over the five-year period 2017–2021 and proposes appropriate policy recommendations and improvements. It is found that environmental factors are the primary factors of SFM in forestry enterprises. Forestry enterprises should not only pay attention to economic benefits but also to the use of forest resources and the protection of forest ecosystems to better achieve SFM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies)
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14 pages, 2205 KiB  
Article
Identifying the Determinants of the Increase in Native Forests in Southern Chile
by Lisandro Roco, José Grebe, Patricia Rosales and Carmen Bravo
Forests 2023, 14(9), 1926; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14091926 - 21 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1394
Abstract
In Chile, the native forest has suffered anthropic pressure that has resulted in the reduction in its surface and increased degradation, which has led to the development of public policies to reverse this scenario and encourage its sustainable management and conservation. This study [...] Read more.
In Chile, the native forest has suffered anthropic pressure that has resulted in the reduction in its surface and increased degradation, which has led to the development of public policies to reverse this scenario and encourage its sustainable management and conservation. This study examines the socioeconomic variables that influence the area increase in native forests in southern Chile, based on the analysis of 154 properties in the regions of Los Ríos, La Araucanía and Los Lagos. Georeferenced information from the 2015 SIMEF program survey and the Cadastre and Evaluation of Native Vegetation Resources of Chile were used. A Probit regression model was implemented, which associates a traceable increase in the native forest area with the variables regarding the owner: location, gender, age, schooling, management plan and technical advisory; and regarding the exploitation: farm size, percentage of native forest, scrub and forest plantations of the property and number of animal units. The econometric results show that smaller farms and those located in Los Lagos presented less probability of increasing their native forests. In the same way, an increase in the share of forest plantations area decreases the probability. Conversely, the scrub area share is related to the recovery of native forests in the sample. No significant effects of the variables associated with the implementation of management plans and technical assistance were found. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies)
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23 pages, 2839 KiB  
Article
Fostering Innovation, Transition, and the Reconstruction of Forestry: Critical Thinking and Transdisciplinarity in Forest Education with Strategy Games
by Patrick O. Waeber, Mariana Melnykovych, Emilio Riegel, Leonel V. Chongong, Regie Lloren, Johannes Raher, Tom Reibert, Muhammad Zaheen, Oleksandr Soshenskyi and Claude A. Garcia
Forests 2023, 14(8), 1646; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14081646 - 15 Aug 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2989
Abstract
Forest education plays a crucial role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and promoting sustainable forest management amidst global challenges. However, existing programs struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving crises and uncertainties that contribute to deforestation and forest degradation. To tackle these [...] Read more.
Forest education plays a crucial role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and promoting sustainable forest management amidst global challenges. However, existing programs struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving crises and uncertainties that contribute to deforestation and forest degradation. To tackle these challenges, integrating innovative approaches into forest education is essential. This paper showcases the transformative use of a strategy game, MineSet, as an innovative teaching method for integrated forest management. The game facilitates deeply engaging experiences that provide unique insights into complex issues like deforestation. By assuming various stakeholder roles, graduate students actively engage with and confront the intricate tradeoffs inherent in forest management. This interactive and immersive role-play game not only fosters critical thinking skills but also promotes collaborative problem-solving, making MineSet a highly innovative and attractive tool in forest education. The importance of extended debriefings, facilitation throughout the game, and ongoing discussions should not be underestimated, as they establish meaningful and necessary connections between in-game events, validated educational material, and published research outcomes. Moreover, the game equips students with practical experience and a comprehensive understanding of landscape approaches, using the Congo Basin as a case study. We emphasize the potential of innovative forest education to foster sustainability, stimulate critical thinking, resolve conflicts, and prevent costly forest losses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies)
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29 pages, 5101 KiB  
Article
Organizational Models in European Forestry: An Attempt of Conceptualization and Categorization
by Francesco Loreggian, Laura Secco and Davide Pettenella
Forests 2023, 14(5), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050905 - 27 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2433
Abstract
The changes and challenges that are tackling the forest sector in recent decades have prompted governments and foresters to work hard to find innovative solutions. Research in the forestry domain has focused on product and process innovation, and more recently on business systems [...] Read more.
The changes and challenges that are tackling the forest sector in recent decades have prompted governments and foresters to work hard to find innovative solutions. Research in the forestry domain has focused on product and process innovation, and more recently on business systems and social innovation. In addition, organizational innovation is recognized and documented. However, while consistent conceptualization work has been conducted for business models and social innovation, the organizational domain in forestry seems less clear, characterized by multiple actors and often overlapping in literature, while a clear framework to describe it is missing. This work proposes a conceptualization of the “organizational model”, a concept embracing different approaches to build an analytical framework used to describe and characterize organizations in the forestry sector. The framework is drafted referring to existing theories, then tested (and further developed) through a semi-systematic literature review on organizations operating in forest management in Europe that are identified, categorized, and characterized. This exercise confirms that forest management organizations can be described with several diverse arrangements and can be complex entities: a holistic and comprehensive approach is more likely to be used by policy initiatives addressing improvement of forest management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies)
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Review

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25 pages, 1695 KiB  
Review
A Classification and Interpretation of Methodological Approaches to Pursue Natural Capital Valuation in Forest Research
by Simone Martino, Stanislav Martinat, Katy Joyce, Samuel Poskitt and Maria Nijnik
Forests 2024, 15(10), 1716; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15101716 - 28 Sep 2024
Viewed by 744
Abstract
This paper reviews natural capital (NC) valuation approaches in the context of woodland, forest, and riparian ecosystems, emphasising the need for participatory methods to take priority over neoclassical economics approaches. Focusing on research carried out in Scotland, the study analyses findings according to [...] Read more.
This paper reviews natural capital (NC) valuation approaches in the context of woodland, forest, and riparian ecosystems, emphasising the need for participatory methods to take priority over neoclassical economics approaches. Focusing on research carried out in Scotland, the study analyses findings according to a classification of natural capital initiatives that we have developed, building on ideas proposed by the UK ENCA initiative, a guideline proposed to help researchers and practitioners understand NC and take it into account in valuation, decision-making and policy. We have found that landscape-scale initiatives that address the relationships between people and place to inform value and decision-making beyond the economic (monetary) benefits generated by ecosystem services (ES) are becoming popular. For instance, recent methods employed to capture stakeholders’ non-utilitarian preferences include the use of participatory GIS mapping, scenario planning, and other participatory methods to identify, explore and quantify less tangible cultural ecosystem services (CES). The review shows that many studies provide information relevant to the formulation of a place-based NC approach, working towards the integration of contextual and relational values into land management decisions to help formulate management strategies that maximise ES delivery. Conversely, we have not found evidence of the integration of shared values arising from an eco-centric perspective of nature valuation into the more classical, instrumental value lens. Such an approach would help inform broader, overarching aspects of woodland and forest management that may foster more effective conservation and help to manage conflicts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies)
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22 pages, 2588 KiB  
Review
Rethinking Public Participation in Forest Policies: A Literature Review of Participatory Techniques
by Sofia Baldessari, Alessandro Paletto and Isabella De Meo
Forests 2024, 15(9), 1514; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15091514 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1189
Abstract
Recently, the concept of participatory democracy developed in the early 1970s has come back into fashion to revitalize the public involvement in political decision-making processes. Public participation in forest policy has been fully conceptualized by the scientific community in the late 1990s and [...] Read more.
Recently, the concept of participatory democracy developed in the early 1970s has come back into fashion to revitalize the public involvement in political decision-making processes. Public participation in forest policy has been fully conceptualized by the scientific community in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but in many contexts, the practical application remains unfulfilled. The aim of this study is to identify and analyse the participatory techniques used in the literature to increase knowledge and facilitate its transferability into forest policies and strategies. A literature review was carried out to offer an overview of the participatory techniques adopted in the decision-making process. At the end of the literature review, 24 participatory techniques were identified based on over 2000 publications. Afterwards, the participatory techniques were assessed using seven indicators (degree of participation, type and number of participants, type of selection, time scale, cost, and potential influence on policy). The results showed that the type of actors involved in the participatory technique is a key variable for the complexity and usefulness of the process, while the number of participants influences how information is disseminated. The Correspondence Analysis highlighted that the participatory techniques can be divided into four groups: the first group includes those techniques with a high degree of participation (i.e., collaborate) and a contextual high potential influence on policies (e.g., citizens’ juries and wisdom council); the second one includes techniques with a low degree of participation (inform) and influence on policies (e.g., social media, adverting, surveys, and polls); while the third and fourth groups consist of those with a medium–high degree of participation (consult or involve), but a variable type of selection and number of participants, and consequently of time and costs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation, Transition and Reconstruction of Forestry Oriented by Policies)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: A classification and interpretation of methodological approaches to pursue natural capital valuation in forest research
Authors: Simone Martino; Stanislav Martinát; Katy Joyce; Samuel Poskitt; Maria Nijnik
Affiliation: the James Hutton Institute
Abstract: This paper reviews natural capital (NC) valuation approaches in the context of woodland, forest, and riparian ecosystems, emphasizing the need for participatory methods to take priority over neoclassical economics approaches. Focusing on research carried out in Scotland, the study analyses findings according to a classification of natural capital initiatives that we have developed building on ideas proposed by the UK ENCA initiative, a guideline proposed to help researchers and practitioners understand NC and take it into account in valuation, decision-making and policy. We have found that landscape scale initiatives that address the relationships between people and place to inform value and decision making beyond the economic (monetary) benefits generated by ecosystem services (ES), are becoming popular. For instance, recent methods employed to capture stakeholders’ non-utilitarian preferences include the use of participatory GIS mapping, scenario planning, and other participatory methods to identify, explore and quantify less tangible cultural ecosystem services (CES). The review shows that many studies provide information for the formulation of a place-based NC approach working towards the integration of contextual and relational values into land management decisions to help formulate management strategies that maximise ES delivery. Conversely, we have not found evidence of integration of shared values arising from an eco-centric perspective of nature valuation into the more classical, instrumental value lens. Such an approach would help inform broader, overarching aspects of woodland and forest management that may foster more effective conservation and help to manage conflicts.

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