Sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential

Abstract Over the last fifty years, management plans have become more descriptive with regard to the potential sustainability of forest systems, raising questions about the feasibility of implementing management activities and ensuring the sustainability of a wide variety of ecosystem services. To a...

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Main Authors: Can Vatandaslar, Pete Bettinger, Krista Merry, Alba Rocio Gutierrez Garzon, Kevin Boston, Taeyoon Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2024-12-01
Series:Discover Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00738-w
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author Can Vatandaslar
Pete Bettinger
Krista Merry
Alba Rocio Gutierrez Garzon
Kevin Boston
Taeyoon Lee
author_facet Can Vatandaslar
Pete Bettinger
Krista Merry
Alba Rocio Gutierrez Garzon
Kevin Boston
Taeyoon Lee
author_sort Can Vatandaslar
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Over the last fifty years, management plans have become more descriptive with regard to the potential sustainability of forest systems, raising questions about the feasibility of implementing management activities and ensuring the sustainability of a wide variety of ecosystem services. To assess this issue, we conducted a survey among forest planning and operation research communities in the United States to understand their perceptions regarding the potential of a sample of sustainability statements currently used in national forest plans to be incorporated into optimization models or other mathematical operations. A total of 65 people responded to the survey, resulting in a response rate of 16.5%. Almost 70% of the respondents reported having over 30 years in their specified fields. The results revealed that only 3 out of 15 statements from the sample were deemed to have relatively mature or firm methodologies and data to enable inclusion in modern mathematical models for land use optimization. Of the three statements, two were related to economic sustainability, offering quantifiable information such as a non-declining flow of wood products over time and limits on the amount of timber harvested per decade. In contrast, sociocultural and, to some extent, ecological statements regarding sustainability were generally perceived to be more difficult to translate into mathematical modeling efforts. Particularly challenging were statements corresponding to sustaining natural or scenic characteristics of a forest. These findings may be attributed to various factors, including a lack of measurable indicators for sustainability and a potential lack of understanding about the modeling components and their interactions with planned management activities.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2662-9984
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publishDate 2024-12-01
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series Discover Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-182f5c6c528b4d8495a6f4ee0127bfd92024-12-22T12:08:15ZengSpringerDiscover Sustainability2662-99842024-12-015111610.1007/s43621-024-00738-wSustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potentialCan Vatandaslar0Pete Bettinger1Krista Merry2Alba Rocio Gutierrez Garzon3Kevin Boston4Taeyoon Lee5Faculty of Forestry, Artvin Coruh UniversityWarnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of GeorgiaWarnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of GeorgiaIndependent ResearcherCollege of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Arkansas at MonticelloDepartment of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M UniversityAbstract Over the last fifty years, management plans have become more descriptive with regard to the potential sustainability of forest systems, raising questions about the feasibility of implementing management activities and ensuring the sustainability of a wide variety of ecosystem services. To assess this issue, we conducted a survey among forest planning and operation research communities in the United States to understand their perceptions regarding the potential of a sample of sustainability statements currently used in national forest plans to be incorporated into optimization models or other mathematical operations. A total of 65 people responded to the survey, resulting in a response rate of 16.5%. Almost 70% of the respondents reported having over 30 years in their specified fields. The results revealed that only 3 out of 15 statements from the sample were deemed to have relatively mature or firm methodologies and data to enable inclusion in modern mathematical models for land use optimization. Of the three statements, two were related to economic sustainability, offering quantifiable information such as a non-declining flow of wood products over time and limits on the amount of timber harvested per decade. In contrast, sociocultural and, to some extent, ecological statements regarding sustainability were generally perceived to be more difficult to translate into mathematical modeling efforts. Particularly challenging were statements corresponding to sustaining natural or scenic characteristics of a forest. These findings may be attributed to various factors, including a lack of measurable indicators for sustainability and a potential lack of understanding about the modeling components and their interactions with planned management activities.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00738-wSustainable forest managementEconomic sustainabilityEcological sustainabilitySociocultural sustainability
spellingShingle Can Vatandaslar
Pete Bettinger
Krista Merry
Alba Rocio Gutierrez Garzon
Kevin Boston
Taeyoon Lee
Sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential
Discover Sustainability
Sustainable forest management
Economic sustainability
Ecological sustainability
Sociocultural sustainability
title Sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential
title_full Sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential
title_fullStr Sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential
title_full_unstemmed Sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential
title_short Sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential
title_sort sustainability language found in forest plans and its mathematical modeling potential
topic Sustainable forest management
Economic sustainability
Ecological sustainability
Sociocultural sustainability
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00738-w
work_keys_str_mv AT canvatandaslar sustainabilitylanguagefoundinforestplansanditsmathematicalmodelingpotential
AT petebettinger sustainabilitylanguagefoundinforestplansanditsmathematicalmodelingpotential
AT kristamerry sustainabilitylanguagefoundinforestplansanditsmathematicalmodelingpotential
AT albarociogutierrezgarzon sustainabilitylanguagefoundinforestplansanditsmathematicalmodelingpotential
AT kevinboston sustainabilitylanguagefoundinforestplansanditsmathematicalmodelingpotential
AT taeyoonlee sustainabilitylanguagefoundinforestplansanditsmathematicalmodelingpotential