TY - JOUR
T1 - Application of climate-smart forestry – Forest manager response to the relevance of European definition and indicators
AU - Bowditch, Euan
AU - Santopuoli, Giovanni
AU - Neroj, Boyżdar
AU - Svetlik, Jan
AU - Tominlson, Mark
AU - Pohl, Vivien
AU - Avdagić, Admir
AU - del Rio, Miren
AU - Zlatanov, Tzetvan
AU - Maria, Höhn
AU - Jamnická, Gabriela
AU - Serengil, Yusuf
AU - Sarginci, Murat
AU - Brynleifsdóttir, Sigríður Júlía
AU - Lesinki, Jerzy
AU - Azevedo, João C.
N1 - Funding Information:
Thanks to the support of the COST Action CLIMO “Climate-smart Forestry in Mountain regions – CA15226” for supporting the research and providing the networks and collaboration. We are grateful to all people who took part at survey providing answers and helpful comments.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND licence
PY - 2022/8/3
Y1 - 2022/8/3
N2 - Climate change impacts are an increasing threat to forests and current approaches to management. In 2020, Climate-smart Forestry (CSF) definition and set of indicators was published. This study further developed this work by testing the definition and indicators through a forest manager survey across fifteen member European countries. The survey covered topic areas of demographics, climate change impacts, definition and indicators assessment, as well as knowledge and communication. Overall, forest managers considered the threat of climate change to their forests as high or critical and 62% found the CSF definition clear and concise; however, the minority suggested greater simplification or nuance. Indicators were viewed as comprehensive but too numerous to integrate into management activities. Two highest ranking indicators were ‘Trees species composition’, and ‘Erosion protection and maintenance of soil condition’. Many managers were aware of suitable alternative species, but also stressed that greater resources should focus on exploring adaptable provenances. Demonstration sites and interactive guides were ranked highest for communication and dissemination; however, online multimedia tools and workshops were also ranked highly. Local perspectives on providing more relevant CSF ranged from silviculture systems, finance and funding, education and training, and social awareness, to tree species mixes and development of protective functions. In summary, forest managers were generally open to CSF, but required greater guidance and proof of application.
AB - Climate change impacts are an increasing threat to forests and current approaches to management. In 2020, Climate-smart Forestry (CSF) definition and set of indicators was published. This study further developed this work by testing the definition and indicators through a forest manager survey across fifteen member European countries. The survey covered topic areas of demographics, climate change impacts, definition and indicators assessment, as well as knowledge and communication. Overall, forest managers considered the threat of climate change to their forests as high or critical and 62% found the CSF definition clear and concise; however, the minority suggested greater simplification or nuance. Indicators were viewed as comprehensive but too numerous to integrate into management activities. Two highest ranking indicators were ‘Trees species composition’, and ‘Erosion protection and maintenance of soil condition’. Many managers were aware of suitable alternative species, but also stressed that greater resources should focus on exploring adaptable provenances. Demonstration sites and interactive guides were ranked highest for communication and dissemination; however, online multimedia tools and workshops were also ranked highly. Local perspectives on providing more relevant CSF ranged from silviculture systems, finance and funding, education and training, and social awareness, to tree species mixes and development of protective functions. In summary, forest managers were generally open to CSF, but required greater guidance and proof of application.
KW - Climate change
KW - Communication
KW - Forest management
KW - Forestry Indicators
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135722218&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85135722218&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.tfp.2022.100313
DO - 10.1016/j.tfp.2022.100313
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85135722218
SN - 2666-7193
VL - 9
JO - Trees, Forests and People
JF - Trees, Forests and People
M1 - 100313
ER -