Metla Project 3430

Management alternatives for biodiversity conservation and their effects on stand-level profitability

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Duration: 2006-2007   Keywords: MOTTI stand simulator, biodiversity, boreal forests, conservation, profitability, threatened species
Research Programme: Safeguarding forest biodiversity - policy instruments and socio-economic impacts

Objectives

Without exception, biodiversity conservation involves stand-level losses with respect to growth and yield as well as finance. When estimating the cost-effectiveness of the biodiversity conservation, the financial loss needs to be compared with the benefits associated with alternative biodiversity conservation measures. New reliable information on the effects of e.g. stand structure, geographic location, forest site type and alternative biodiversity conservation measures are called for. The financial analyses should, at the first stage, be conducted from the private forest owner’s viewpoint. In the decision-making process the cost-effectiveness of alternative biodiversity conservation measures needs to be revealed so that also regional biodiversity conservation targets are taken into account.

The main goal of this research is to find out the financial losses associated with alternative biodiversity conservation measures so that the viewpoint of private forest owner is being emphasized. Existing data as well as new data ( a sample of six forestry centres’ biodiversity conservation areas) are included into the analyses. The alternative biodiversity conservation measures to be studied are: permanent conservation, fixed-term conservation and silvicultural management contributing relevant structural elements of biodiversity. Another goal of this study is to compare the cost-effectiveness of each biodiversity conservation measure relative to regional conservation targets. The third goal is to estimate how accurate and reliable the actual forest management planning data (stand-level information) is in describing the relevant structural elements of biodiversity. The reliability is tested by comparing prevailing practices of forest planning with sample plots in which accurate and detailed measurements have been conducted.

The growth and yield is predicted by MOTTI stand simulator. MOTTI is a stand-level simulator, which includes distance-independent tree-level models for e.g. natural regeneration, growth and mortality. It is designed to simulate stand development under alternative management regimes and growth conditions in Finland. For a single stand MOTTI produces alternative management schedules according to management regimes defined by the user. In addition, MOTTI produces estimates for the structural stand properties, which are important for biodiversity. The system predicts the dead wood dynamics with help of the models for mortality, and the models for decay levels associated with the dead wood in each time step. Further, the probability models applied to predict the richness of some species groups.

The results of this study can be directly applied in the decision-making process which deals with practical measures to cost-effectively conserve biodiversity in a particular region, e.g. in an area of one forestry centre. Furthermore, the results provide basis for developing new measures to conserve biodiversity in Finnish conditions.

Project leader: Hynynen, Jari
The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Unit, PL 18, FI-01301 VANTAA, FINLAND
Phone: +358 29 532 2350
E-mail: jari.hynynen@metla.fi

Other researchers: Ahtikoski, Anssi, RO (2007), Lehtonen, Mika, VA (2006)


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Updated 12.06.2012
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