Search Results (290)

Forests mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by capturing CO₂ and storing it as carbon in various forms, including living biomass, dead wood, soil, and forest litter. Importantly, when trees are harvested, a portion of the above-ground biomass is converted into harvested wood products (HWPs), which can retain carbon for decades. With approximately 7 million hectares of forest (30% of its land area), Romania significantly contributes to the country’s carbon budget through the HWP pool. Using country-specific data from 1961 to 2022 and an IPCC method, we tracked HWP carbon storage and projected future scenarios to evaluate the category’s significance in achieving the 2050 climate target. During this period, the carbon stored in Romanian HWPs more than doubled from 28.20 TgC to 60.76 TgC, with sawnwood products as major contributors. Fluctuations were influenced by domestic policies, market dynamics, and industry changes, notably after the 1990s. Annual carbon inflow dipped to 0.65 TgC in 1994 and peaked at 2.54 TgC in 2013. By analyzing the scenarios, we demonstrated that a moderate growth trajectory in carbon inflow, combined with a focus on producing long-lived wood products, could double carbon stock changes by 2050 to 4.4 TgC—roughly 4% of the country’s current total emissions excluding the LULUCF sector. Additionally, based on sustainable forest management practices in Romania, this approach would significantly enhance the carbon pool and its importance in achieving the country’s climate policies. Full article

With rising demand for wood products and reduced wood harvesting due to the European Green Deal, alternative lignocellulosic materials for insulation are necessary. In this work, we manufactured reference particleboard from industrial particles and fifteen different board variants from alternative lignocellulosic plants material, i.e., five types of perennial plant biomass in three substitutions: 30, 50 and 75% of their share in the board with a nominal density of 250 kg/m³. Within the analysis of manufactured boards, the mechanical, chemical and thermal properties were investigated—internal bond, formaldehyde emissions, thermal insulation, heat transfer coefficient and thermal conductivity. In the case of thermal conductivity, the most promising results from a practical point of view (W/mK < 0.07) were obtained with Sida hermaphrodita and Miscanthus, achieving the best results at 50% substitution. The lowest formaldehyde emissions were recorded for boards with Panicum virgatum and Miscanthus, highlighting their positive environmental performance. In terms of mechanical properties, the highest internal bond was noticed in particleboards with a 30% substitution of Spartina pectinata and Miscanthus. Research findings confirm the potential of perennial plants as a sustainable source of raw materials for insulation panel manufacturing. Despite needing improvements in mechanical properties, most notably internal bond strength, these plants offer an ecologically responsible solution aligned with global construction trends, thus lessening reliance on traditional wood products. Thus, long-term benefits may be realized through the strategic combination of diverse raw materials within a single particleboard. Full article

This study assesses and characterizes six woody biomass (WB) species commonly harvested in the Republic of Congo: Millettia laurentii (WB1), Millettia eetveldeana (WB2), Hymenocardia ulmoides (WB3), Markhamia tomentosa (WB4), Pentaclethra eetveldeana (WB5), and Hymenocardia acida (WB6). Characterization was performed using proximate analysis with a Thermo Gravimetric Analyser (TGA), ultimate analysis with a CHNS Analyser, higher heating value (HHV) determination, metal content analysis by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation. The proximate analysis results showed that volatile matter varied between 74.6% and 77.3%, while the ultimate analysis indicated that carbon content ranged from 43% to 46%, with low nitrogen content. XRF analysis revealed low levels of heavy metals in all samples. The HHV results, using three models (Dulong’s equation, Friedl, and proximate analysis), showed higher values with Friedl’s method (17.3–18.2 MJ/kg) and proximate analysis (15.26–19.23 MJ/kg) compared to Dulong’s equation (13.9–14.9 MJ/kg). Savannah biomass (WB6) exhibited high AGB (7.28 t), 14.55 t/ha, and carbon stock (7.28 t). Compared to forest biomass, savannah biomass presents a higher potential for bioenergy production. Minimal statistical analysis of wood biomass showed that parameters such as volatile matter (VM), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and calculated HHV have low variability, suggesting the biomass is relatively homogeneous. However, moisture and nitrogen showed significant standard deviations, indicating variability in storage conditions or sample nature. Statistical analysis of forest biomass estimation revealed different mean values for diameter, AGB (t and t/ha), and carbon stock, with high standard deviations, indicating a heterogeneous forest with both young and mature trees. These analyses and estimates indicate that these WB species are suitable for biofuel and bioenergy production using gasification, pyrolysis, and combustion processes. Among these thermochemical processes, gasification is the most efficient compared to combustion and pyrolysis. Full article

Timber harvesting operations, including manual and motor-manual activities, require workers who are in good health to be able to work effectively. The aim of our paper was to introduce a simplified index methodology for workload assessment. Generally available wearable technology, namely Garmin, Biostrap, and Whoop devices, were used. The dependence of the heart rate (HR) on physical workload was examined to calculate the Heart Rate Index. The case study was performed with several variations of chainsaw devices cutting the poplar wood. It was proved that the use of a heavier work tool, MS 500i/90 cm 9.3 kg, contributes both to the creation of a non-ergonomic working position and to an increase in the energy required to perform work, which was represented by an increase in heart rate. With a lighter work tool and a shorter cutting blade, both a decrease in heart rate and a reduction in the working time performed in a non-ergonomic position were achieved. The results can be used in common practice for workers’ self-assessment to increase safety and health protection at work or work productivity, not only in forestry-related professions. Full article

Forest disturbance is one of the main drivers of forest carbon flux change. How to accurately estimate the carbon flux caused by forest disturbance is an important research problem. In a previous study, the authors proposed a Grid-based Carbon Accounting (GCA) model that used remote sensing data to estimate forest carbon fluxes in North Carolina from 1986 to 2010. However, the original model was unable to track legacy emissions from previously harvested wood products and was unable to consider forest growth conditions before and after forest disturbance. This paper made some improvements to the original GCA model to enable it to track fluxes between all major aboveground live carbon pools, including pre-disturbance growth and growth of undisturbed forests, which were not included in the initial model. Based on existing timber product output (TPO) survey data and annual TPO records inversed from remote sensing data, we also worked to clarify the distribution ratios of removed C between slash and different wood product pools. Specifically, the average slash ratio for North Carolina was calculated from the difference between the C removed and the C flowing into the wood product as calculated from TPO survey data. County- and year-specific ratios were then calculated using the annual TPO records obtained from remote sensing and TPO survey data, dividing the removed remaining C into pools P1, P10, and P100, which were then applied to each 30 m pixel based on the county and year to which the pixel belonged. After compensating for these missing legacy emissions and adjusting forest growth rates from Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data, we estimated a net carbon sink of 218.1 Tg of the flux associated with live aboveground biomass and harvested wood products from North Carolina woodlands over the 25-year study period (1986–2010). This estimate is close to the greenhouse gas emission and sink data provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for North Carolina and is comparable to estimates reported by several other studies. Full article

Forests are valuable for a wide variety of reasons, including biodiversity and carbon sequestration and storage. As such, in the U.S., various parties have proposed large-scale forest management efforts to enhance biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration. Others, in contrast, argue that forests should not be harvested and have used legal action to prevent timber harvest on public lands. However, given that modern forests in the U.S. are reduced in extent compared to pre-settlement times, are subject to a reduced rate of natural disturbances but experience novel disturbances such as invasive pests and elevated fire risk, and are out of ecological balance due to past human activities, we suggest that active management is not only aligned with forest sustainability but necessary to conserve the maximum feasible range of forest biodiversity. In many areas of the U.S., species most in need of conservation depend on open canopy or early seral forest conditions, both of which can be created or maintained by forest harvest. We suggest that forest management for wood products simultaneously produces these needed conditions, whereas setting aside forests from management only benefits a subset of biodiversity. Although areas not subjected to forest harvest are important landscape components, active management is also needed to restore once-common forest types such as oak (Quercus spp.) woodland, mitigate invasive pests, reduce fire risk, and manage for species that need early seral or disturbed conditions, which are declining on the landscape. We document the current unbalanced conditions and the need for management with a focus on the eastern U.S. to demonstrate the issues. Full article

Wood from reforestation gains market value due to its sustainable and legal origin. Planted forests in Brazil play a crucial role in economic, social and environmental aspects, with Eucalyptus and Pinus dominating the timber sector. However, non-majority species, such as those of the Khaya genus, have attracted great commercial interest due to the quality of their wood, being seen as an alternative to Brazilian mahogany. This study aimed to evaluate the biomass production of Khaya spp. stands and the nutrient uptake impacts in different harvesting scenarios. The research area is in Reserva Natural Vale (RNV) in Sooretama, Espírito Santo state, Brazil. The study was conducted 9.5 years after the planting of the Khaya spp. monoculture at a spacing of five m × five m, and the base fertilization consisted of 150 g of yoorin thermophosphate and 15 g of FTE BR 12 per seedling. The seedlings were of seminal origin, coming from different regions of Brazil and corresponding to three species: Kkaya grandifoliola C.DC (Belém-PA), Khaya ivorensis A. Chev. (Linhares-ES) and Khaya senegalensis A. Juss. (Poranguatu-GO). K. senegalensis exhibited the highest percentage of bark, while K. ivorensis was found to have the highest percentage of leaves. The biomass of the stems and branches did not vary by species. The relative biomass proportions had the following order: branches > stems > bark > leaves. The stocks of Ca and Mg were higher for K. grandifoliola, exceeding those for K. senegalensis (22.1%) for Ca and for K. ivorensis (42.3%) for Mg. The lowest nutrient uptake occurred in the scenario in which only the stem was removed, with averages of 44.17, 10.43, 21.93, 52.59 and 9.97 kg ha⁻¹ for N, P, K, Ca and Mg, respectively. Compared to total biomass harvesting, this represents a reduction in export levels by 91.34% for N, 79.31% for P, 94.66% for K, 94.29% for Ca and 93.28% for Mg. The nutrient uptake assessment demonstrated that more conservative harvest scenarios resulted in lower nutrient losses, indicating the importance of forest management practices that prioritize soil and nutrient conservation. In summary, the findings of this study provide a solid basis for the sustainable management of Khaya spp., highlighting implications for productivity and nutrient dynamics on a small or medium scale. Full article

The Andean–Patagonian forests of South America offer a great variety of wild edible mushrooms, many with ancestral use and others linked to new mycogastronomic offers. However, their sensory properties and detailed characterizations have not yet been deeply explored and described, nor have their alterations due to cold storage. The aims of this work were to perform a sensory characterization through a trained panel evaluation, perform target volatile compounds analysis and evaluate post-harvest preservation methods effects on nine species of wild edible mushrooms with different trophic habits (Cortinarius magellanicus, Panus dusenii, Fistulina antarctica, F. endoxantha, Gloeosoma vitellinum, Grifola gargal, Lepista nuda, Ramaria patagonica, and Cyttaria hariotii). The sensory description of dehydrated specimens through quantitative descriptive analysis showed that panelists were a significant source of variation; F. antarctica and R. patagonica registered distinct sweet flavor/spice odor and wood/sweet flavor, respectively, and different textures. Refrigeration produced a rapid loss of sensory characteristics, whereas freezer conservation satisfactorily maintained the characteristics in F. anctartica, R. patagonica, G. vitellinum, and C. hariotti for at least four months. A total of 60 target volatile organic compounds were detected, corresponding to grass, mushroom, alkane, and pungent odors in F. anctartica, R. patagonica, and G. vitellinum. The detailed sensory characterization and post-harvest conservation options of these novel products constitute crucial information to promote their sustainable use and local development through innovative activities linked to tourism, such as mushroom gastronomy and mycotourism. Full article

The aim of the study is to quantify the impacts of a possible transition to close-to-nature forestry in Slovakia and to compare the expected development of the total volume production, growing stock, merchantable wood increment and harvesting possibilities of forests in Slovakia with current conventional management using the FCarbon forest-growth model and available data from the Information System of Forest Management. The subject of the study was all forest stands available for wood supply (FAWS). The simulations were run in annual iterations using tree input data aggregated over 10-year-wide age classes. The calculation of wood increments was based on available growth models. In the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, stock losses were based on the actual intensity of wood harvesting in the reference period 2013–2022. In the scenario of the transition to close-to-nature forest management, the losses were specifically modified from the usual harvesting regime at the beginning, to the target harvesting mode in selective forest at the end of the simulated period. With the modelling method used, a gradual increase in forest stocks occurred in both evaluated scenarios in the monitored period, namely by 10% in the case of BAU and by 23% in the case of close-to-nature forest management until 2050. In absolute mining volume, CTNF is by 5–10% lower than BAU management, with the difference gradually decreasing. The results show that the introduction of close-to-nature forest management will temporarily reduce the supply of wood to the market, but this reduction will not be significant and will be compensated by a higher total volume production, and thus also by increased carbon storage in forests. Full article

Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook accounts for 12% of the total forest area in southern China, second only to Masson pine forests, and is an important part of the forest landscape in this region, which has a significant impact on the overall forest structure in southern China. In this study, we used kernel density analysis, landscape index calculation, variance test, and Markov prediction to analyze and forecast the evolution trend of landscape pattern in the central area of C. lanceolata in ten years. The objective is to investigate the change trend of the spatial pattern of C. lanceolata landscape in the long time series and its possible impact on zonal vegetation, as well as the macro-succession trend of C. lanceolata under the current social and economic background, and to make a scientific and reasonable prediction of its future succession trend. The current and future forecast results show that the landscape fragmentation degree of C. lanceolata is intensified, the erosion of bamboo forest is continuously intensified, and the landscape quality is continuously low. These results provide a reference for the future development direction of C. lanceolata and emphasize the need for targeted C. lanceolata management strategies in the future development of C. lanceolata, emphasizing the strengthening of monitoring, controlling harvesting, and managing bamboo competition in order to balance wood production with landscape quality and ecosystem stability. Full article

According to most energy demand forecasts, woody biomass has the potential to become an important source of renewable energy, especially during the transitional period of energy transition. The aim of this article was to estimate the energy potential of the biomass from the forest and the biomass generated by the mechanical processing of wood raw material and also to show the spectrum of possibilities for the potential use of the biomass for energy production in Poland. This research used available statistical and literature data on the species structure of harvested wood and the qualitative and assortment structures of woody biomass. The basic parameters of the raw material were evaluated in accordance with the EU classification of energy wood. This study confirmed the relationship between the energy potential of woody biomass and energy demand in Poland. The correlation coefficient for these variables was r = 0.984. This correlation was reflected in the significant shares of biomass in the production of electricity (more than 9%) or heat (almost 14%). Energy wood resources in Poland are smaller than in other European Union countries, which affects the scale of the potential use of woody biomass for energy purposes. Nevertheless, the use of such a biomass is fully justified from the point of view of possible development. Full article

Wood, as the main product of the forest, must be brought from the forest to various beneficiaries by various vehicles. The choice of a particular type of vehicle should consider the characteristics of the area from which the wood is loaded, the wood-storage yard, and the availability of a certain model. Besides this, the assortments and quantities of wood to be transported influence, to a large extent, the type of vehicle, which has consequences for transport efficiency and productivity. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the wood-loading process in various types of transport vehicles in terms of time consumption for each working phase and the factors that can affect productivity. The research was carried out in four counties of Romania and addressed the loading of wood in different forestry trucks and platforms, with or without trailers. Transport distances were documented in Brasov County based on 200 transport documents. To evaluate the transport distances in the case of wood intended for contractors, field measurements were carried out in three different are as managed by the private Lignum Forest District (Bacău County). The study of the loading process and productivity estimation at loading was carried out in three locations, namely Bacău County, Sibiu County, and Caraș-Sever in County. To observe whether there are differences in the loading of tree lengths from the harvesting area in various types of vehicles (forestry trucks—ATF—and forestry platforms—APF), research was carried out in Caraș-Sever in County. After processing the data, it was found that in the forests managed by the state and in the forests owned by the local public administrations, the fuelwood reaches mainly locals, and the working wood reaches some wood processing companies. For forestry trucks (ATFs), the loading time was somewhat constant, while for forestry platforms (APF), it varied, with differences observed from the first to the last loading. Following the evaluation of the work-element phases specific to the operation of loading round wood into vehicles, it was found that, sometimes, significant importance is given to the working elements as phases of preparation of the wooden material that can be carried out before the loading process, in order to load it. To eliminate delays in the loading process, it is recommended that logs are prepared before loading, which will increase productivity and it will decrease the risk of accidents for workers who perform these tasks during the loading process. Full article

The advancement of mechanization in forestry has increased productivity in the forestry sector, bringing positive and negative impacts that require a deeper understanding for sustainable forest management. This study aimed to apply a simplified instrument for assessing damage and environmental impacts in forest harvesting of commercial eucalyptus plantations, using a combination of methodologies. The methodology used combined interaction networks and impact assessment matrices, carrying out field surveys, transposing them to interaction networks and weighting them through assessment matrices, resulting in environmental indices (ES) for prioritizing actions. The study was conducted on a commercial eucalyptus plantation in the municipality of São Pedro, São Paulo, Brazil. The mechanized harvesting of the area consists of the structure of a module with a mobile unit consisting of a harvester and forwarder. The results indicated that wood transport presented the highest ES, both positive and negative. The most significant negative impacts (ES) were the depletion of water resources and erosion, while the positive impacts included regional development and job creation. The most notable changes, positive and negative, were observed in the physical and anthropic environment, with a lesser impact on the biotic environment. Full article

The productivity of forests in sub-Saharan Africa is often summarized into large compartments or site classes. However, the classification of forest productivity levels based on the original site index model in Tanzania and the techniques applied to generate the model did not include the micro-toposequence variations within compartments. This may create false expectations of wood supply and hinder the estimation of sustainable harvesting processes. This study analyzed variations in forest productivity and the site index in P. patula stands in two forest plantations of Tanzania to assess the applicability and generality of the present site classification system. We used dominant height as a proxy for forest productivity in 48 plots at the Sao Hill forest plantation (SHFP) and 24 plots at the Shume forest plantation (SFP). We stratified the sampling plots in each site class along the soil catena and recorded the elevation, slope, and slope positions (summit, mid, and lower). Our results showed that the site classes did not generally match the previously assigned site classes and the productivity of a given site class varied between the two plantations. We found a consistently higher productivity than that implied by the original site index in SFP, while in SHFP, the productivity was both higher and lower than estimated in different compartments. Both elevations and slope significantly contributed to predicting the productivity variations within site classes. Overall, the results indicate that physiographic factors affect variations in forest productivity within the assigned site classes. We recommend a more comprehensive site productivity assessment that takes into account physiographic variations and hence provides more accurate information for sustainable forest plantation management in Tanzania and in the region at large. Full article

Natural substrates used in horticultural practice quickly degrade during plant cultivation. Methods to extend their service life are sought using natural materials, the acquisition and disposal of which do not burden the natural environment. The paper presents a sustainable method for modifying the coconut fiber substrate by impregnation with a wood-based isolate activated for polymerization and the addition of biochar pellets with retention-increasing properties. The modifications applied to the substrates were shown to have an impact on some of their physical properties, which directly impacted their usefulness in the horticultural production of dessert raspberries. It was found that after a year of operation, the modified substrates showed significantly lower levels of degradation markers. The shrinkage of the impregnated substrate was ~50% lower than that of the control sample, while the substrate with the addition of biochar pellets resulted in similar shrinkage and the lowest plant root mass (25.47%). The usefulness of these substrates was also verified by measuring the physiological parameters of the plants, which determined the ability to photosynthesize and build biomass, as well as susceptibility to stress potentially caused by substrate modifications. The recorded values of these parameters indicate, in most cases, that there is no disturbance of the homeostasis of raspberry plants grown using these substrates. However, plant productivity (measured by the yield of harvested raspberry fruit) indicates that the use of impregnated coconut fiber substrate with the addition of biochar pellets allows for obtaining the highest fruit yields (fruit yield—2.43 kg plant⁻¹). The yields obtained in combination with the extended durability of the modified substrates during operation recommend this solution for use in horticultural practice and make the production more sustainable. Full article