A1 Journal article (refereed)
Sectoral policies as drivers of forest management and ecosystems services : A case study in Bavaria, Germany (2023)

Toraño Caicoya, A., Poschenrieder, W., Blattert, C., Eyvindson, K., Hartikainen, M., Burgas, D., Mönkkönen, M., Uhl, E., Vergarechea, M., & Pretzsch, H. (2023). Sectoral policies as drivers of forest management and ecosystems services : A case study in Bavaria, Germany. Land Use Policy, 130, Article 106673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106673

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Toraño Caicoya, Astor; Poschenrieder, Werner; Blattert, Clemens; Eyvindson, Kyle; Hartikainen, Markus; Burgas, Daniel; Mönkkönen, Mikko; Uhl, Enno; Vergarechea, Marta; Pretzsch, Hans

Journal or series: Land Use Policy

ISSN: 0264-8377

eISSN: 1873-5754

Publication year: 2023

Publication date: 07/04/2023

Volume: 130

Article number: 106673

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2023.106673

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/86402

Publication is parallel published: http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2023041235978

Abstract

European countries have national sectoral polices to regulate and promote the provision of a wide range of forest ecosystems services (FES). However, potential incoherencies among these policies can negatively affect the efficient provision of FES. In this work, we evaluated the coherence among three national policies from Germany and their ability to effectively provide FES in the future: the Forest Strategy 2020 (FS), the National Strategy on Biological Diversity (BDS), and the German National Policy Strategy on Bioeconomy (BES). Using forest inventory data from the Federal State of Bavaria, we simulated a range of forest management options under three climate trajectories for 100 years into the future (2012–2112). Then, with multi-objective optimization, we translated each policy into a specific scenario and identified the best combination of management regimes that maximizes the targets defined in each policy scenario. The three policies were vague in the definition of FES. The FS was the most comprehensive policy aiming for a higher degree of multifunctionality, whereas the BES and BDS focused on less FES. The FS and the BDS showed the highest coherence, while the BES showed a stronger focus on timber production. As a result, the optimal management programs of FS and BDS showed high integration, with a dominance of Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF), and certain shares of set asides. Climate change led to an increase of set aside areas due to increased productivity. In the BES, the share of land among management regimes was strongly segregated between CCF and rotation forestry. Our policy coherence analysis showed that achieving a multifunctional provision of FES requires policy coherence, fostering a diverse management of the landscape that mainly takes advantage of integrative management, like CCF, but also segregates important parts of the landscape for intensive use and set asides. Nevertheless, the current high standing volumes in Bavaria will pose an additional risk to implement such management.

Keywords: forest policy; biodiversity; forest management; ecosystem services; climate changes; multi-objective optimisation; scenarios

Free keywords: biodiversity; multi-objective optimization; forest management; climate change; forest policy; scenario analysis

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2023

JUFO rating: 2