Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ONEforest (A Multi-Criteria Decision Support System For A Common Forest Management to Strengthen Forest Resilience, Harmonise Stakeholder Interests and Ensure Sustainable Wood Flows)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-05-31
Within the last decade, forests in all biogeographical regions of Europe have been affected by changing climate conditions and unprecedented natural disturbances. This has major implications for the overarching forest-wood value chain (FWVC), which includes forest management, wood supply, wood processing and rural (socioeconomic) development. However, the forest-based sector can greatly contribute to climate change mitigation trough carbon storage, the substitution of non-renewable resources and the sustainable use of wood-based materials. Apart from climate change mitigation, forests also have an important role in the transition from a fossil-based to a sustainable bio-based society, thus they are important drivers in bioeconomy transformation and realising the EU Green Deal. To support sustainability and bioeconomy, forest systems must be able to cope with the consequences of increased natural disturbances through climate change while providing forest ecosystem services (FES) at consistent or increased levels, considering different interests in, and perceptions of the forest.
ONEforest supports the deployment of regional forest management concepts that strengthen forest resilience and sustainable wood supply levering wood-based products. This is achieved by empowering actors to understand the far-reaching consequences of their decisions in a multi-criteria decision-making environment. ONEforest provides successful solutions for reconciling the provision of various FES, such as the carbon storage potential in environmentally friendly forest-wood value chains based on stakeholder interests to provide optimised management solutions.
The overall objective of ONEforest is the development of a Multi-Criteria Decision Support System (MCDSS) that supports decision-making by assessing sustainable forest management (SFM) synergies and trade-offs of FES, reliable wood supply, and stakeholder interests through FWVC indicators of social, economic, and environmental dimensions. This contributes, through an interdisciplinary approach, to achieving multi-functional resilient forestry and optimisation of the FWVC while considering the interests of participating stakeholders as well as supporting the development of a bio-based society. ONEforest covers different stakeholders of the FWVC, such as forest owners, industries, operators, logisticians, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), recreationists, etc. by multi-level stakeholder participation. ONEforest provides a programme (namely the MCDSS) to support decision-making at various levels.
ONEforest supports the deployment of regional forest management concepts that strengthen forest resilience and sustainable wood supply levering wood-based products. This is achieved by empowering actors to understand the far-reaching consequences of their decisions in a multi-criteria decision-making environment. ONEforest provides successful solutions for reconciling the provision of various FES, such as the carbon storage potential in environmentally friendly forest-wood value chains based on stakeholder interests to provide optimised management solutions.
The overall objective of ONEforest is the development of a Multi-Criteria Decision Support System (MCDSS) that supports decision-making by assessing sustainable forest management (SFM) synergies and trade-offs of FES, reliable wood supply, and stakeholder interests through FWVC indicators of social, economic, and environmental dimensions. This contributes, through an interdisciplinary approach, to achieving multi-functional resilient forestry and optimisation of the FWVC while considering the interests of participating stakeholders as well as supporting the development of a bio-based society. ONEforest covers different stakeholders of the FWVC, such as forest owners, industries, operators, logisticians, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), recreationists, etc. by multi-level stakeholder participation. ONEforest provides a programme (namely the MCDSS) to support decision-making at various levels.
The consortium of ONEforest defined the four case study regions as Estonia (boreal/hemiboreal forest), Hesse and Thuringia, Federal states in Germany (continental forest), Grison, Canton in Switzerland (alpine forest) and Catalonia (Mediterranean forest). The partners collected national forest inventory data and climate data in the four case study regions for simulating the forest development over the next 30-40 years. The results of the simulations and further data (e.g. forest management strategies, forest operations, risk assessment) are the base for the Multi-Criteria Decision Support System (MCDSS). Current and prospective forest operations were analysed to show the different technical options for forest management.
The structure of the MCDSS was created and specific aspects of the FWVC (e.g. different forest management options, different assortments, neighbouring areas) were integrated into the MCDSS.
The MCDSS is available at the prototype-level.
Wood utilisation pathways and ecological impacts were assessed by material flow analyses and life cycle assessments. To analyse social impacts, comprehensive policy analysis and stakeholder analysis were conducted. Together with stakeholders different scenarios were developed for the forest wood value chain (FWVC). This data was used for the Dynamic Value Chain Model (DVCM). The DVCM can show the impacts on the downstream value chain.
Different types of the topsoil cover (TSC) and soil conditioner were engineered. Trial runs of the topsoil cover were conducted on various test sites in Europe and a life cycle assessment of the TSC was conducted to show risks during the implementation of the TSC.
Moreover, ONEforest established several dissemination channels with a website and social media accounts. First publications are available and presentations were held at various occasions (conferences, workshops etc.). At a final conference, key results were presented to a wide audience.
The structure of the MCDSS was created and specific aspects of the FWVC (e.g. different forest management options, different assortments, neighbouring areas) were integrated into the MCDSS.
The MCDSS is available at the prototype-level.
Wood utilisation pathways and ecological impacts were assessed by material flow analyses and life cycle assessments. To analyse social impacts, comprehensive policy analysis and stakeholder analysis were conducted. Together with stakeholders different scenarios were developed for the forest wood value chain (FWVC). This data was used for the Dynamic Value Chain Model (DVCM). The DVCM can show the impacts on the downstream value chain.
Different types of the topsoil cover (TSC) and soil conditioner were engineered. Trial runs of the topsoil cover were conducted on various test sites in Europe and a life cycle assessment of the TSC was conducted to show risks during the implementation of the TSC.
Moreover, ONEforest established several dissemination channels with a website and social media accounts. First publications are available and presentations were held at various occasions (conferences, workshops etc.). At a final conference, key results were presented to a wide audience.
ONEforest encompasses several innovative elements contributing to increased forest resilience and the development of sustainable and robust FWVCs. ONEforest developed the MCDSS based on methods from operations research, for direct and immediate use by stakeholders. The MCDSS includes ecological, economic and social target indicators. It can make the interlinkages detected in the system dynamics approach visible for stakeholders as trade-offs between the target indicators, ultimately presenting and aligning regionally prioritised management goals with suitable silvicultural concepts while visualising the impact of stakeholder decision-making on the FWVC. The MCDSS which is delivered as a software application allows stakeholders to understand the consequences of their decisions. From a stakeholder perspective, this is highly informative and can support currently challenged communication pathways between various interest groups along the FWVC. Impacts of silvicultural management concepts, wood supply and wood processing is linked with wood flows, carbon emissions, costs and benefits, work effort and labour provision by developing a unique combination of MFA and streamlined LCAs/S-LCAs. This allows the comprehensive evaluation of value-adding networks, forming an unprecedented information basis for (i) regional development managers (politicians), (ii) company managers from the wood processing industry, (iii) forest managers and (iv) green financing companies by providing powerful support for decision making.
ONEforest developed a topsoil cover (TSC) which allows seeding of trees on bare or devastated land (e.g. after forest fires) while simultaneously minimising surface water run-off and keeping the nutrient-rich topsoil on site. The TSC also serves to increase the survival rate of planted trees, in particular in regions subject to droughts, by enlarged water storage and reduced evaporation. In the past, silvicultural approaches were developed to tackle such climate induced challenges, sometimes aided by fertilisation or the addition of organic amendments. However, the increasing severity of disturbances and increasingly dry conditions call for additional help to ensure successful forest regeneration and afforestation. The TSC can contribute to (re-) plant and seed trees on degraded land to increase soil stability against landslides and erosion (high relevance for expected heavy rain events), to additionally sequester carbon during forest growth and to increase the portfolio for wood supply for a bioeconomy.
Overall, ONEforest delivers pioneer work by evaluating and demonstrating methods to bring together different interest groups (e.g. forest owners, society, industry) to agree on common forest management within a specific region. The ONEforest partners formulated recommendations on methods and joint decision-making that can be applied all across Europe and worldwide.
ONEforest developed a topsoil cover (TSC) which allows seeding of trees on bare or devastated land (e.g. after forest fires) while simultaneously minimising surface water run-off and keeping the nutrient-rich topsoil on site. The TSC also serves to increase the survival rate of planted trees, in particular in regions subject to droughts, by enlarged water storage and reduced evaporation. In the past, silvicultural approaches were developed to tackle such climate induced challenges, sometimes aided by fertilisation or the addition of organic amendments. However, the increasing severity of disturbances and increasingly dry conditions call for additional help to ensure successful forest regeneration and afforestation. The TSC can contribute to (re-) plant and seed trees on degraded land to increase soil stability against landslides and erosion (high relevance for expected heavy rain events), to additionally sequester carbon during forest growth and to increase the portfolio for wood supply for a bioeconomy.
Overall, ONEforest delivers pioneer work by evaluating and demonstrating methods to bring together different interest groups (e.g. forest owners, society, industry) to agree on common forest management within a specific region. The ONEforest partners formulated recommendations on methods and joint decision-making that can be applied all across Europe and worldwide.