Evaluation of forest management systems under risk of wildfire

Abstract

We evaluate the economic efficiency of evenand uneven-aged management systems under risk of wildfire. The management problems are formulated for a mixed-conifer stand and approximations of the optimal solutions are obtained using simulation optimization. The Northern Idaho variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator and its Fire and Fuels Extension is used to predict stand growth and fire effects. Interest rate and fire risk are found to be critical determinants of the superior stand management system and timber supply. Uneven-aged management is superior with higher interest rates with or without fire risk. Alterations in the interest rate affect optimal stocking levels of uneven-aged stands, but have only minor effects on the long-run timber supply. Higher interest rates reduce rotation length and regeneration investments of even-aged stands, which lead to markedly reduced timber supply. Increasing fire risk increases the relative efficiency of evenaged management because a single age cohort is less susceptible to fire damage over the course of the rotation than multiple cohorts in uneven-aged stands. Higher fire risk reduces optimal diameter limit under uneven-aged management and decreases optimal rotation length and planting density under even-aged management.

Developing post-fire Eucalyptus globulus stand damage and tree mortality models for enhanced forest planning in Portugal

“…In the stand-level damage model, steeper slopes increase the expected mortality. This is in concordance with other studies and may be explained by an easier transfer of heat uphill (Agee 1993, González et al 2007, Hyytiäinen and Haight 2009). In our case, altitude correlates positively with the degree of mortality in burned areas.…”

“…Traditional models always generate some mortality for all plots (Fridman and Ståhl 2001). This research confirmed the potential of the proposed approach to develop mortality models that may be used in forest planning (Reinhardt and Crookston 2003, González et al 2007, Hyytiäinen and Haight 2009.…”

“…Yet, these models used variables that are seldom available for long-term forest planning. This explains why few studies have used post-fire mortality models in forest planning (Reinhardt and Crookston 2003, González et al 2007, Hyytiäinen and Haight 2009. González et al (2007) demonstrated the potential for the development and use of a damage model within a forest planning context.…”

“…Nevertheless, the development and/or use of a mortality model in forest planning has been limited to few studies (Reinhardt and Crookston 2003, González et al 2007, Hyytiäinen and Haight 2009) and none of them related to Portuguese conditions. In this context, this study aims at developing post-fire mortality models for Eucalyptus globulus Labill that may be used for generating optimal management plans taking into account fire risk.…”

Proceedings of the coast redwood forests in a changing California: A symposium for scientists and managers

“…The ecological role of fire in Santa Cruz Mountain coast redwood forests has been and continues to be the subject of a number of recent studies (Brown and Swetnam 1994, Greenlee and Langeheim 1990, Stephens and Fry 2005, Stephens et al 2004. A study by Hyytiainen and Haight (2010) reported that fire had differing effects in even-age stands (decreased optimal rotation lengths and planting densities) as contrasted to uneven-aged managed stands (reduced optimal diameter limits). The occurrence of the Lockheed Fire at Swanton Pacific Ranch in 2009 provided an opportunity to study the impact of fire on a forest under uneven-aged forest management.…”