Assessing the Dynamics of Forest Ecosystem Services to Define Forest Use Suitability

Abstract

Adopting a multi-criteria approach in forest management is essential for maintaining or improving specific benefits while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Determining the appropriate long-term management approach for a forest requires considering heterogeneous environmental and social factors, as well as over-time changes in forest characteristics. Conducting a strategic assessment of forest use suitability (FUS) (namely productive, protective, conservation-oriented, social and multifunctional) at the national level, taking into account the dynamins in provision of forest ecosystem services and the trade-offs between FUS alternatives, can guide the development of customized management strategies and policies that align with the specific requirements and conditions of the forest. In this study, we evaluate the supply and over-time changes of diverse ecosystem services of Pinus sylversitris stands in Spain and utilize a decision model to determine the most suitable forest use alternative (FUS) that maximizes the provision of these services. To achieve this, we utilize the last version of Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system, a spatially focused decision support tool capable of generating precise results for multi-criteria assessment. We simulated forest growth over a 100-year period and evaluated changes in forest ecosystem services over the studied period. According to the results, the dominant FUS is protective. Nevertheless, for the final assignment of FUS, an exhaustive trade-off analysis between all alternatives is required, resulting in flexible outcomes and increased multifunctionality.