Gerhard Weiss

Public preferences across Europe for different forest stand types as sites for recreation.

A Delphi survey involving experts in forest preference research was carried out to derive scores for the recreational value of 240 forest stand types across Europe. The survey was organized around four regional panels: Great Britain, Nordic Region, Central Europe, and Iberia. In each region, 60 forest stand types were defined according to five forest management alternatives (FMAs) on a continuum of management intensity, four phases of development (establishment, young, medium, and adult), and three tree species types (conifer, broadleaved, and mixed stands of conifer and broadleaved). The resulting scores were examined using conjoint analysis to determine the relative importance of the three structural attributes (FMA, phase of development, and tree species type), and each level or component of the attributes. The findings quantify the extent to which forest visitors prefer a degree of management to unmanaged forest nature reserves across the four regions. Phase of development was shown to make the highest contribution to the recreational value of forests while the contribution of tree species type was shown to be relatively unimportant. While the results are indicative, they provide evidence to support long-term retention and low-impact silviculture in forests where recreation is a primary objective of management.

What is new about new forest owners? A typology of private forest ownership in Austria

With structural changes in agriculture, new types of forest owners have become increasingly important. This article develops an empirically-based typology of forest owners in Austria. Based on a representative survey and by means of cluster analysis, seven types of forest owners are identified. These types form a sequence, ranging from forest owners with a strong agricultural background to forest owners with no agricultural background at all. The latter exhibit markedly different behaviour in various respects, e.g. in their interest in forest-related information. The increasing number of ‘new’ forest owners raises important questions for forest policy, especially how policy instruments can reach these owners and how extension services can address them.

Innovation in forestry : territorial and value chain relationships

Innovation is increasingly recognized as a key factor in environmental protection and balanced sustainable development within the forestry sector.This volume provides a comprehensive theoretical foundation for the analysis of innovation processes and policies in a traditional, rural sector as well as presenting empirical analyses of innovation processes from major innovation areas. Territorial services of the forest sector are examined, including various types of forest ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration or recreation and wood value chains, including timber frame construction and bioenergy.

The impact of Natura 2000 on forest management: a socio-ecological analysis in the continental region of the European Union

Beech forests previously covered substantial areas of the continental region of Europe, however, their current distribution is limited to a small percentage of their former yet still potential range. Many beech forests are now protected under the European Union-wide conservation approach of Natura 2000. We analyse the impact of Natura 2000 on the management of beech forests via social science data on management practices gathered from 73 interviews with local stakeholders within nine case study sites in Austria, France, and Germany, and via an ecological analysis of Natura 2000 management plans (MPs). Our data reveals that the Natura 2000 implementation has had little impact on forest management practices. We found that the Natura 2000 network is well known amongst stakeholders, yet the objectives and measures for beech forest protection are usually vaguely defined in the MPs. According to our interviewees, in many cases this vagueness results in a disregard for the MPs, which hence fail to guide the management of the forests protected under Natura 2000. In addition, when ecological thresholds are included in the MPs, they are often below recommendations based on conservation research. In the case of the structural bio-indicator deadwood, the thresholds given by MPs for a favourable site conservation status were significantly lower than those considered within conservation science to be necessary in order to conserve typical beech forest biodiversity. We conclude that while Natura 2000 has raised awareness of the importance of European beech forests for biodiversity conservation, it needs significant additional efforts to make it an effective policy for forest biodiversity conservation.

Evaluation of policy instruments for protective forest management in Austria.

Abstract This paper is based on a research project studying policy instruments for natural hazards protection in Austria. It discusses two theoretical approaches concerning instruments for political control: policy analysis and systems theory. Because of the stronger empirical basis, policy analysis was applied as the theoretical framework of the study. The findings are discussed for explaining the three essential instruments which are presented in this paper: the regulation of protective forests (ban forests) as a regulatory instrument, a subsidy programme for the restoration of mountain forests as an economic instrument, and the restoration plan for mountain forests as an informational instrument. According to liberal principles, the regulations allocate the costs for mountain forest management to the forest owners and to the beneficiaries of the protective effects of the forest. To avoid conflicts, however, these regulations are not implemented. The forest authority chooses subsidies for the restoration of mountain forests instead. Planning instruments are rather used for legitimizing the subsidies than for rational planning. The evaluation shows that policies can be explained in a better way by the institutional setting and the interests and values of political actors than by the formal characteristics of policy instruments. Three major conclusions are drawn for the analyses of policy instruments: (a) in practical application, the informal functions of policy instruments are more important than their formal characteristics; (b) policy instruments must not be analysed separately as they are not applied independently from each other; (c) in policy research a typology of policy instruments is useful as a model of reference but must not be mistaken for either an explanatory or a normative concept.

Forest Owners Associations in the Central and Eastern European Region

Abstract The restitution and privatization in Central and Eastern European countries in the early 1990s predisposed a heterogeneous ownership structure, a large number of forest owners and a variety of types of property ownership modes. Furthermore, development of governance in these countries posited a new framework for interest representation in the forestry sector, mainly through organised forms of private forest owners, i.e. formation of forest owners’ associations (FOAs). In this region, FOAs were one of the opportunities for interest representation in the land restitution processes. Later on these associations gained more competency and importance not only in influencing forest policy-making, but also in offering services to their members. The aim of the paper is to improve the understanding of the origins, evolution and current situation of FOAs in Central and Eastern Europe by describing the factors that influenced the FOAs’ creation and development. On the basis of their similar history seven Central Eastern European countries were selected for FOAs analysis: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia. The main findings of the study include that FOAs in Eastern and Central Europe, though being the result of the same socio-political changes, differ between countries in terms of their organisational forms. However, they face similar challenges, including the limited motivation of owners to join associations. Also, they undertake similar activities for their successful development, including the provision of information services for their members. Despite not having any legal competence for the direct management of their member’s forests, these FAOs do have strong representative and demonstrative effects in their countries.

Innovation Processes in Forest-related Recreation Services: The Role of Public and Private Resources in Different Institutional Backgrounds

This article examines innovation processes in forest recreational services on the basis of case studies in five European countries with differing institutional backgrounds of forest ownership and access rights. The analysis reveals that forest-related recreation services are developed under varying institutional conditions and on public as well as private land. Ideas for innovations in recreational services may come from within but often outside the forestry sector. Financing is provided from public and private sources. Both public and private spheres have important roles in providing natural, human and financial resources and usually a network of public and private actors are involved in innovation processes. Of particular importance are cross-sectoral interactions between forestry and tourism. Greater institutional support is needed for the development of forest-related recreation services because the field is at an early stage of development. It is concluded that support should focus on providing ideas and financial resources for product development and on facilitating cross-sectoral interaction between forestry and tourism actors. A particular need is seen for development of models for durable interaction between land owners and tourism operators on a regional scale.

Mountain forest policy in Austria: a historical policy analysis on regulating a natural resource.

Employing a policy analysis framework, this paper inquires into the role institutions played in regulating mountain forests in different political-institu tional eras in Austria. Theories from political sciences and environmental history are used for a critical re-analysis of forest historical literature. The analysis finds that the Austrian forest policy is better explained by the historical importance of fuel wood and timber production (pre-industrial time and early industrialisation) than by the goal of securing the multiple values of mountain forests for the public. Since the mid-nineteenth century the forest administration has been aware of those values, but the formulation and imple mentation of forest regulations rather serves the interests of powerful groups. This is the case for the sustained yield doctrine which promotes economic development, and likewise for the regulation of protective forests in the interest of railways. The installation of a strong forest authority in the mountainous provinces was justified by the protective effects of mountain forests (in politics as well as in the scientific literature). However, it seems that the small forest owners were simply unable to organise effectively against supervision. Forest uses have been governed by local commons, by absolutist regimes and by the market economy, together with State regulations. The changes in forest regulation over time show that institutional settings shape the perception of problems and the conception of solutions. However, institutional transitions do not take place overnight: different institutional concepts may coexist at the same time and institutions may adapt to problem situations.

Fiscal Policy and its Implication for Community Forestry in Nepal

SUMMARY This paper reviews the existing forest policies in Nepal mainly focussing on the fiscal policy of Community Forestry (CF), and discusses some of the existing and potential issues on the implication of fiscal policy. The review shows that Nepalese CF has some unclear and inconsistent legal provisions related to fiscal policy. The semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with individuals from governmental and non-governmental organizations, Community Forest User Groups (CFUGs) from Parbat, Baglung and Dolakha districts of Nepal, and forest product traders from these districts demonstrate that there are a number of issues and challenges related to fiscal policy that have affected the promotion of sustainable and market-oriented management of forest resources. These issues and challenges have a direct impact on CFUGs to optimally benefit from their forest resources. As several stakeholders (including non-governmental organizations) are involved in implementation of CF program and yet do not have a direct influence on policy formulation, good coordination among government units, CFUGs and non-governmental organizations and their active involvement in the policy-making process could help to address the practical issues and challenges related to CF policy. This in turn would help to develop the policy consistent and unambiguous.

Natura 2000 et les forêts de l’Europe : comprendre et relever les défis de la mise en oeuvre

The BiodivERsA-funded BeFoFu project has investigated both ecological challenges related to management of protected forests and governance challenges related to the implementation of Natura 2000. This Policy Brief describes these socio-ecological challenges, presents key research results, and outlines policy solution pathways towards improving the effectiveness of Natura 2000 with regards to the conservation and sustainable management of Europe’s forests.