Spatially explicit sustainability analysis of long-term fiber supply in Georgia, USA

Cieszewski, Chris J.; Zasada, M.; Borders, Bruce E.; Lowe, Roger C.; Zawadzki, Jarosław; Clutter, Michael L.; Daniels, Richard F.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2003.08.001

Cited by 16 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The minimum final harvest age constraint was 20 years, where stands of trees had to be at least 20 years old before a final harvest could be scheduled. This assumption is consistent with the intentions of landowners who manage pine plantations in Georgia (Cieszewski et al, 2004). In fact, all of the above mentioned conditions comprise an example of a typical planning problem for an average southern U.S. forest products company.…”

supporting

confidence: 74%

“…We developed ten alternative management regimes (Table 1) using the SiMS forest stand growth simulator (SiMS, ForesTech International, 2006) for the southern United States. In addition to an assumed discount rate of 6%, we developed a number of other assumptions (Table 2) to make the planning problem specifications as realistic as possible in accordance with the current private landowner practices observed in the southern United States (Cieszewski et al, 2004).…”

Section: Case Study Forest Planning Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pitfalls and potential of particle swarm optimization for contemporary spatial forest planning

Shan¹,

Bettinger²,

Cieszewski³

et al. 2012

For. syst.

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We describe here an example of applying particle swarm optimization (PSO) -a population-based heuristic technique -to maximize the net present value of a contemporary southern United States forest plan that includes spatial constraints (green-up and adjacency) and wood flow constraints. When initiated with randomly defined feasible initial conditions, and tuned with some appropriate modifications, the PSO algorithm gradually converged upon its final solution and provided reasonable objective function values. However, only 86% of the global optimal value could be achieved using the modified PSO heuristic. The results of this study suggest that under random-start initial population conditions the PSO heuristic may have rather limited application to forest planning problems with economic objectives, wood-flow constraints, and spatial considerations. Pitfalls include the need to modify the structure of PSO to both address spatial constraints and to repair particles, and the need to modify some of the basic assumptions of PSO to better address contemporary forest planning problems. Our results, and hence our contributions, are contrary to earlier work that illustrated the impressive potential of PSO when applied to stand-level forest planning problems or when applied to a high quality initial population.Key words: mathematical programming; heuristic; modeling technique; forest management. ResumenDificultades y posibilidades del algoritmo de optimización de enjambre de partículas para la planificación contemporánea espacial del bosque Se describe aquí un ejemplo de la aplicación de la optimización de enjambre de partículas (PSO) -una técnica heurís-tica basada en la población -para maximizar el valor presente neto de un moderno plan de gestión del bosque del sur de los Estados Unidos, que incluye limitaciones espaciales y restricciones del flujo de madera. Cuando se inicia con condiciones iniciales factibles definidas aleatoriamente, y en sintonía con algunas modificaciones adecuadas, el algoritmo PSO converge gradualmente sobre su solución final y suministra los valores de la función objetivo. Sin embargo, sólo el 86% del valor global óptimo podría lograrse usando la heurística PSO modificada. Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que bajo condiciones de arranque aleatorio de la población inicial, la heurística PSO puede tener una aplicación más bien limitada a los problemas de planificación forestal con objetivos económicos, restricciones de flujo de madera y consideraciones espaciales. Las dificultadas incluyen la necesidad de modificar la estructura de PSO para abordar tanto las limitaciones espaciales como para reparar las partículas, y la necesidad de modificar algunos de los supuestos básicos de PSO para abordar mejor los problemas contemporáneos de la planificación forestal. Nuestros resultados, y por lo tanto nuestra aportación, son contrarios a trabajos anteriores que ilustran el impresionante potencial de PSO cuando se aplica a problemas de planificación forestal a nivel de rodal o cuando se aplic...

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supporting

confidence: 74%

Section: Case Study Forest Planning Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pitfalls and potential of particle swarm optimization for contemporary spatial forest planning

Shan¹,

Bettinger²,

Cieszewski³

et al. 2012

For. syst.

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“…Observations made in this study and previous research (Miller, 1984;Van Lear et al, 1985;and Arthur et al, 1998) indicate that substantial erosion occurs only in the first two years after harvest. Timber rotation lengths in the Piedmont are in the range of 22 to 35 years (Weyerhaeuser, 2002, unpublished report;Plum Creek Timber Company, 2002, unpublished report;Cieszewski et al, 2003;Johnson et al, 2003). There is no available dataset with which to calculate a mean or median rotation length.…”

Section: Breakthrough Rate and Contributing Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

CONCENTRATED FLOW BREAKTHROUGHS MOVING THROUGH SILVICULTURAL STREAMSIDE MANAGEMENT ZONES: SOUTHEASTERN PIEDMONT, USA¹

Rivenbark¹,

Jackson

2004

J American Water Resour Assoc

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Geomorphic characteristics and spatial frequency of ephemeral concentrated flow paths entering streamside management zones (SMZs) were evaluated to determine the efficiency of best management practices (BMPs) in preventing concentrated overland flow and associated sediment from reaching stream channels. Specifically, SMZs of 30 recently clearcut and site prepared commercial forestry units in the Georgia Piedmont were surveyed to find two types of locations: those where flow and/or sediment from the adjacent silvicultural site entered and moved through SMZs into stream channels (breakthroughs), and those where either flow and/or sediment entered SMZs without reaching stream channels or where no overland flow entered SMZs (successes). A total of 187 breakthroughs were identified on 3,773 total acres. On average, sites featured one breakthrough for every 20 acres of clearcut or site prepared area. The average hydrologic contributing area to a breakthrough was 1 acre. The percentage of the total clearcut or site prepared area contributing to breakthroughs was 5 percent. Approximately 50 percent of all breakthroughs occurred in areas of convergence (swales) and gullies, while 25 percent of all breakthroughs occurred where runoff from roads or skid trails was concentrated. Breakthroughs tended to occur in areas with large contributing area, low litter cover, and steep slopes. However, individually these variables did not differentiate well between breakthroughs and successes. The variables that discriminated best between successes and failures were the product of contributing area and percent bare ground, and the same variable multiplied by average slope. Fourteen percent of the breakthroughs traveled more than 100 feet through SMZs before reaching streams. Results imply that reduction of bare ground, better dispersal of road runoff, introduction of hydraulic resistance to likely flow paths, and targeted extensions of SMZ width may be warranted in improving BMPs on Piedmont forests.

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“…Based on a methodology framework for analysis of various management practices and regulatory constraints and their impacts on resource and harvesting sustainability [13,14,27] investigated the impact of the rotation age, intensive management practices, and harvesting limits on wood production, harvesting opportunities, and long-term resource sustainability via long-term simulation analysis in a spatially explicit estate management simulation software called OPTIONS.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the data need to be cleaned, verified, and checked for quality purposes, it takes more than a year to make the surveying data from each cycle available to the public. The FIA data were strengthened with other data, available publicly and privately, as described in [26][27][28].…”

Section: Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatially Explicit Biomass Supply Sustainability Analysis for Bioenergy Mill Siting in Georgia, USA

Cieszewski¹

2011

TOFSCIJ

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Forest production sustainability is a broad and controversial subject that is frequently argued but rarely computed. Especially in the context of private forest ownership the results of erroneous assessment of forest production sustainability, such as in the case of woody biomass production for local mill operations, may result in economical losses, in lower regional employment rates, and decreased prosperity and competitiveness. We describe in this article a simulation-based quantitative approach to sustainability analysis of forest biomass production and utilization in the context of new bioenergy mill siting. The analysis is based on the best available forest inventory data and on the most upto-date knowledge of natural resource growth and yield dynamics as modelled by various studies available in the literature. The data used includes the USDA Forest Service FIA forest survey data as well as an enhanced analysis of data indicating locations of Intensive Management Plantations (IMP) at a county level, since such information, while not publicly available, has a significant impact on biomass production expectations. Using these data, simulated according to the state-of-the-art knowledge of regional growth and yield characteristics, we determine sustainable harvest levels (SHLs) for the purpose of siting bioenergy mills for 10-to 20-year production cycles. The simulations are conducted for each individual county of Georgia for four radii of procurement areas. The derived county level information on sustainable levels of biomass production, which vary for different units of analysis, can be used as a reference for effective forest utilization planning and for mill siting.

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Spatially explicit sustainability analysis of long-term fiber supply in Georgia, USA

Cited by 16 publications

References 13 publications

Pitfalls and potential of particle swarm optimization for contemporary spatial forest planning

Pitfalls and potential of particle swarm optimization for contemporary spatial forest planning

CONCENTRATED FLOW BREAKTHROUGHS MOVING THROUGH SILVICULTURAL STREAMSIDE MANAGEMENT ZONES: SOUTHEASTERN PIEDMONT, USA¹

Spatially Explicit Biomass Supply Sustainability Analysis for Bioenergy Mill Siting in Georgia, USA

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Spatially explicit sustainability analysis of long-term fiber supply in Georgia, USA

Cited by 16 publications

References 13 publications

Pitfalls and potential of particle swarm optimization for contemporary spatial forest planning

Pitfalls and potential of particle swarm optimization for contemporary spatial forest planning

CONCENTRATED FLOW BREAKTHROUGHS MOVING THROUGH SILVICULTURAL STREAMSIDE MANAGEMENT ZONES: SOUTHEASTERN PIEDMONT, USA1

Spatially Explicit Biomass Supply Sustainability Analysis for Bioenergy Mill Siting in Georgia, USA

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Product

Resources

About

CONCENTRATED FLOW BREAKTHROUGHS MOVING THROUGH SILVICULTURAL STREAMSIDE MANAGEMENT ZONES: SOUTHEASTERN PIEDMONT, USA¹