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Forests
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Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources
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Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources

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: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 5121

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Rong Zhao

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Guest Editor
Research Institute of Forestry Policy and Information, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China
Interests: forestry economics and policy; natural resource management; poverty alleviation and rural revitalization; ecological product value assessment and realization; forest products trade and security
Prof. Dr. Changyou Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forestry, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, USA
Interests: international trade of forest products; timberland investment; market price analysis; natural resource policy
Dr. Gang Diao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Business, Lishui University, Lishui, China
Interests: sustainable forest management; forestry carbon sinks; forest products trade and marketing; Life-cycle analysis of wood products; green development policies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate mitigation and sustainable development are the keys to solving the current environmental and socio-economic problems. All countries are committed to incorporating climate goals and sustainable development goals into their national development strategies. Forest resources have been assigned special missions. The realization of the ecological and economic functions of forest resources is closely related to important livelihood issues including climate mitigation, industrial development and rural revitalization. Subject to technical barriers, financial difficulties and incomplete industrial chain, the coordinated development of a forest eco-economic system faces multiple challenges, which calls for major breakthroughs and the formulation of new development models. In this context, the purpose of this Special Issue is to illustrate how to apply emerging solutions in forest resource management to ensure the sustainable supply of forest products, how to innovate forestry economy and reshape rural construction, and how to leverage the economic value of forest carbon sinks to promote the high-quality development of the forestry sector.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Theory and technology innovations in forest management and practices in classified forest management.
  • How to enhance forest management technology to improve forest quality?
  • Whether to implement classified forest management for natural and plantation forests.
  1. Forest products supply security.
  • Supply and demand security and product quality issues in forest food and products.
  1. Poverty governance and common prosperity.
  • Early warning of the return to poverty and rural poverty alleviation path exploration.
  1. Ecological product development and value realization.
  • How to improve the involvement of forest carbon sinks in the carbon market?
  • How to formulate policies to promote the value realization of forest carbon sinks?
  1. High-quality development of forestry sector.
  • Evaluation, influential factors and realization path of the high-quality development of the forestry sector.

Prof. Dr. Rong Zhao
Prof. Dr. Changyou Sun
Dr. Gang Diao
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

  • classified forest management
  • forest products trade and security
  • common prosperity
  • ecological product value
  • forest carbon sinks
  • high-quality development of the forestry sector
  • forest ecosystem

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1083 KiB  
Article
Study on the Influence of Host–Guest Interaction on Tourists’ Pro-Environment Behavior: Evidence from Taishan National Forest Park in China
by Feifei Lu, Bingnan Wang, Juan Bi and Weiya Guo
Forests 2024, 15(5), 813; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050813 - 6 May 2024
Viewed by 320
Abstract
This study explores the influence of host–guest interaction on tourists’ pro-environment behavior. On the one hand, the experience attribute of host–guest interaction’s influence on tourists’ experiential value is sorted out. On the other hand, the relationship attribute of host–guest interaction’s activation effect on [...] Read more.
This study explores the influence of host–guest interaction on tourists’ pro-environment behavior. On the one hand, the experience attribute of host–guest interaction’s influence on tourists’ experiential value is sorted out. On the other hand, the relationship attribute of host–guest interaction’s activation effect on tourists’ personal norms is identified. Based on social exchange theory and normative activation theory, a structural equation model was established to depict the transmission mechanism from host–guest interaction to tourists’ pro-environment behavior. The data were collected from tourists in Taishan National Forest Park (n = 499). The results indicated that host–guest interaction quality activated tourists’ personal norms through consequence awareness, thus promoting tourists’ pro-environment behavior. Meanwhile, the quality of host–guest interaction positively influenced tourists’ pro-environment behavior through emotional experience value. Host–guest interaction quantity promoted tourists’ pro-environment behavior by activating personal norms through responsibility ascription. In addition, although frequent host–guest interactions can enhance the social experience and functional experience value of tourists, the latter two cannot stimulate tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. This study provides practical implications for promoting the sustainable development of national forest parks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources)
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14 pages, 707 KiB  
Article
Forestry Subsidies, Forestry Regulatory Policies, and Total Factor Productivity in Forestry—Plot-Scale Micro-Survey Data from A Heterogeneous Forest Types Perspective
by Lanfang Cao, Cheng Jiang, Qiqi Xiao, Tao Xu, Shuangshuang Lan, Jiali He and Shishi Peng
Forests 2024, 15(4), 692; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040692 - 11 Apr 2024
Viewed by 429
Abstract
Enhancing the total factor productivity in forestry is an important part of deepening the reform of the collective forest rights system. Based on the survey data of 295 forest plots in 12 towns of Liuyang City, Hunan Province, China, the study utilized a [...] Read more.
Enhancing the total factor productivity in forestry is an important part of deepening the reform of the collective forest rights system. Based on the survey data of 295 forest plots in 12 towns of Liuyang City, Hunan Province, China, the study utilized a three-stage DEA model to assess the total factor productivity of forestry at the plot level. The empirical study employs Tobit and fractional regression models to investigate the effects and differences of forestry subsidies and forestry regulatory policies on the heterogeneous total factor productivity of different types of forests. The study found that: (1) the mean value of plot-scale forestry total factor productivity is 0.127, and there are obvious differences in total factor productivity among timber forests, economic forests, and mixed forests; and (2) afforestation subsidies and nurturing subsidies significantly positively influence high-level TFP. Ecological benefit compensation positively affects high-level TFP, but is not significant at any level of TFP. Forestry regulatory policies negatively impact high-level TFP, but are not significant at any level of TFP. This paper puts forward countermeasure suggestions to improve forestry subsidy policies, optimize forestry regulatory policies, and improve forestry total factor productivity from the perspective of heterogeneous forest types. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources)
24 pages, 778 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Forest Development in the Digital Era: The Impact of Internet Use on the Happiness of Forest Farmers’ Families in Ecologically Fragile Ethnic Areas of China
by Xin Zhao, Ke Zhang and Rong Zhao
Forests 2024, 15(3), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15030564 - 20 Mar 2024
Viewed by 736
Abstract
In the policy arena of the rapid development of China’s digital village, understanding how internet use enhances the happiness of forest farmers’ families holds theoretical and practical significance for promoting the protection of the ecological environment and the sustainable development of forests. This [...] Read more.
In the policy arena of the rapid development of China’s digital village, understanding how internet use enhances the happiness of forest farmers’ families holds theoretical and practical significance for promoting the protection of the ecological environment and the sustainable development of forests. This study utilizes survey data from 2023 on forest farmers in ecologically fragile ethnic areas in China. Based on sustainability, a five-dimensional evaluation index system for the happiness of forest farmers’ families has been constructed. First, the CRITIC-TOPSIS model is employed to calculate the happiness scores of forest farming households. Subsequently, the Tobit model and the mediation effect model are applied to examine and analyze the influencing factors and mechanisms of internet usage on the happiness of forest farmers’ families. The study finds that, first, an increase of one unit in terms of internet use is associated with a 0.031-unit increase in the happiness of forest farmers’ families, and that education, social perception, and policy perception all have a positive effect on the happiness of forest farmers’ families. Second, the mechanism of action suggests that internet use significantly increases forest farmers’ families’ happiness through subjective class identity. Third, further heterogeneity analyses revealed that internet use contributed to the happiness of forest farmers’ families in the male group, the low human capital group, and the group with an ecological forest ranger in the family. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the construction of digital rural infrastructure and develop new models such as digital forestry; cultivate and introduce specialized digital talents in rural areas and enhance the digital literacy of forestry farmers; and assist forestry farmers in establishing class identity concepts and social values conducive to the sustainable development of forests and implement ecological values in production practices, thereby improving the happiness of forest farmers’ families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources)
28 pages, 18824 KiB  
Article
Improving Pinus densata Carbon Stock Estimations through Remote Sensing in Shangri-La: A Nonlinear Mixed-Effects Model Integrating Soil Thickness and Topographic Variables
by Dongyang Han, Jialong Zhang, Dongfan Xu, Yi Liao, Rui Bao, Shuxian Wang and Shaozhi Chen
Forests 2024, 15(2), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020394 - 19 Feb 2024
Viewed by 762
Abstract
Forest carbon sinks are vital in mitigating climate change, making it crucial to have highly accurate estimates of forest carbon stocks. A method that accounts for the spatial characteristics of inventory samples is necessary for the long-term estimation of above-ground forest carbon stocks [...] Read more.
Forest carbon sinks are vital in mitigating climate change, making it crucial to have highly accurate estimates of forest carbon stocks. A method that accounts for the spatial characteristics of inventory samples is necessary for the long-term estimation of above-ground forest carbon stocks due to the spatial heterogeneity of bottom-up methods. In this study, we developed a method for analyzing space-sensing data that estimates and predicts long time series of forest carbon stock changes in an alpine region by considering the sample’s spatial characteristics. We employed a nonlinear mixed-effects model and improved the model’s accuracy by considering both static and dynamic aspects. We utilized ground sample point data from the National Forest Inventory (NFI) taken every five years, including tree and soil information. Additionally, we extracted spectral and texture information from Landsat and combined it with DEM data to obtain topographic information for the sample plots. Using static data and change data at various annual intervals, we built estimation models. We tested three non-parametric models (Random Forest, Gradient-Boosted Regression Tree, and K-Nearest Neighbor) and two parametric models (linear mixed-effects and non-linear mixed-effects) and selected the most accurate model to estimate Pinus densata’s above-ground carbon stock. The results showed the following: (1) The texture information had a significant correlation with static and dynamic above-ground carbon stock changes. The highest correlation was for large-window mean, entropy, and variance. (2) The dynamic above-ground carbon stock model outperformed the static model. Additionally, the dynamic non-parametric models and parametric models experienced improvements in prediction accuracy. (3) In the multilevel nonlinear mixed-effects models, the highest accuracy was achieved with fixed effects for aspect and two-level nested random effects for the soil and elevation categories. (4) This study found that Pinus densata’s above-ground carbon stock in Shangri-La followed a decreasing, and then, increasing trend from 1987 to 2017. The mean carbon density increased overall, from 19.575 t·hm−2 to 25.313 t·hm−2. We concluded that a dynamic model based on variability accurately reflects Pinus densata’s above-ground carbon stock changes over time. Our approach can enhance time-series estimates of above-ground carbon stocks, particularly in complex topographies, by incorporating topographic factors and soil thickness into mixed-effects models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources)
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28 pages, 2756 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Collective Forest Tenure Reform on Timber Production in China: An Empirical Analysis Based on Provincial Panel Data
by Guang Yang, Hui Wang, Yanyu Hou, Xuemei Jiang and Mingxing Hu
Forests 2024, 15(2), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020312 - 7 Feb 2024
Viewed by 747
Abstract
China initiated a new collective forest tenure reform (CFTR) in 2003, which transferred the use rights of collective forest land and the ownership of collective trees to farmers. To assess the impact of the CFTR on timber production and to understand its underlying [...] Read more.
China initiated a new collective forest tenure reform (CFTR) in 2003, which transferred the use rights of collective forest land and the ownership of collective trees to farmers. To assess the impact of the CFTR on timber production and to understand its underlying mechanisms, this study first conducted a theoretical analysis on how CFTR affects the production of commercial and non-commercial timber, leading to the provided hypotheses. Then, based on a panel dataset for 28 provinces from 1998 to 2018, a Time-varying Difference-in-Differences model was employed for empirical analysis. The results show that the CFTR led to an increase of 24.18% in commercial timber production and 34.37% in non-commercial timber production. The CFTR boosted the production of both types of timber initially, but the incremental effects were weakened over time. The incremental effects of the CFTR on commercial timber production was larger in regions with more collective forests. After the CFTR, the proportion of economic forest land in total forest land increased, contributing to a short-term rise in commercial timber production. In regions with higher timber market prices, reforms have a greater effect on increasing timber production, implying that farmers are more sensitive in their response to market values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources)
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17 pages, 1600 KiB  
Article
The Status, Trend, and Global Position of China’s Forestry Industry: An Anatomy Based on the Global Value Chain Paradigm
by Yeheng Jiang and Haiying Su
Forests 2023, 14(10), 2040; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14102040 - 12 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1061
Abstract
This study aims to systematically examine the developmental attributes and trends within China’s forestry sector through the lens of a global value chain (GVC) framework. To this end, this research analyzes the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Inter-Country Input–Output (OECD-ICIO) database, using [...] Read more.
This study aims to systematically examine the developmental attributes and trends within China’s forestry sector through the lens of a global value chain (GVC) framework. To this end, this research analyzes the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Inter-Country Input–Output (OECD-ICIO) database, using a cohesive set of GVC methods, including the forward decomposition of industry value-added, an assessment of industry upstream and downstream positions, the decomposition of export values, and analysis of trade competitiveness indicators. The trajectory of China’s forestry industry hinges upon the interplay between foreign demand and domestic demand. The results reveal a transition in China’s forestry sector development model from export-focused to a domestically driven approach. The proportion of value-added that is devoted to meeting domestic demands within the wood processing and papermaking industries has surged to 76% and 82%, respectively. Among the major economies, China has the highest output upstream index and input downstream index in the forestry industry, playing a vital role in propelling and pulling other industries into the global value chain system. The proportion of domestic added-value in China’s forestry industry exports ranks among the top, reflecting strong self-sufficiency in export production. Although China’s forestry industry possesses a high world market share, its overall international competitiveness is weak, especially with clear signs of weakening comparative advantages in the wood processing industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economy and Sustainability of Forest Natural Resources)
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