Toward a Social-Ecological Theory of Forest Macrosystems for Improved Ecosystem Management

Review of the Integrated Development of Ecological and Cultural Forestry

Ecological and cultural forestry need to be integrated for successful rural revitalization. A proper rural revitalization strategy should be linked to the value of the eco-cultural forestry industry. To adjust and optimize the structure of this industry, we need to develop the primary and tertiary industries and structurally optimize the secondary industry. The sustainable development of forestry requires us to promote the unity of the ecological, social, and economic benefits of forestry. By unifying ecological forestry and the cultural industry, we can capture consumer market trends, enhance industrial development policies, and increase the training of high-level talents to better deal with the danger of industrial hollowing out and resolve the embarrassment of the low end of the value chain. By integrating and promoting the two systems of ecological forestry and the cultural industry, we can converge their respective values and allow more nuanced value cognition when exploring the development paths of industry integration. In the period of overall transfer of forestry development strategy, it is of great significance to develop a forestry economy according to the evolution law of forestry industry, give full play to the advantages of forestry ecological culture resources, and vigorously develop forestry ecological culture industry under the background of rural revitalization strategy. Based on the integration of forestry industry, the aim of this study is to summarize the forestry ecological culture industry development mechanism, summarize the value of forestry ecological culture industry development strategy, put forward building a new era forestry ecological culture industry system, capture the consumer market trend, optimize industrial development policy, increase the high-level talent training industry integration development path, improve rural ecological advantages into ecological economic advantages, provide more and better green ecological products and services, promote the ecological and economic virtuous cycle, and realize the sustainable development of the forestry economy.

Effect of Frugality and Cognition on Forest Health Tourism Intention-A Mediating Effect Analysis Based on Multigroup Comparison

At present, the market demand for forest health tourism is weak. The main purpose of this study is to investigate whether frugality inhibits the intention of forest health tourism and whether the positive effect of cognition on the intention of forest health tourism can compensate for the inhibition of frugality. Based on mental account theory and planned behavior theory, this study constructs a structural equation model with intermediary variables-health consumption mental account and forest health consumption attitude. According to the results of the path analysis of the data, which was collected through the questionnaire survey of urban residents, the positive influence of cognition can compensate for the inhibitory effect of frugality. On this basis, mediating effect analysis based on multigroup comparison is further carried out. This study verifies for the first time the inhibitory effect of frugality on the intention for forest health tourism, enriches the theoretical system of tourism consumer behavior, and provides a scientific basis for the market positioning of forest health and the formulation of marketing strategies.

Compatibility of Aerial and Terrestrial LiDAR for Quantifying Forest Structural Diversity

Structural diversity is a key feature of forest ecosystems that influences ecosystem functions from local to macroscales. The ability to measure structural diversity in forests with varying ecological composition and management history can improve the understanding of linkages between forest structure and ecosystem functioning. Terrestrial LiDAR has often been used to provide a detailed characterization of structural diversity at local scales, but it is largely unknown whether these same structural features are detectable using aerial LiDAR data that are available across larger spatial scales. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to quantify cross-compatibility of structural diversity metrics from terrestrial versus aerial LiDAR in seven National Ecological Observatory Network sites across the eastern USA. We found strong univariate agreement between terrestrial and aerial LiDAR metrics of canopy height, openness, internal heterogeneity, and leaf area, but found marginal agreement between metrics that described heterogeneity of the outermost layer of the canopy. Terrestrial and aerial LiDAR both demonstrated the ability to distinguish forest sites from structural diversity metrics in multivariate space, but terrestrial LiDAR was able to resolve finer-scale detail within sites. Our findings indicated that aerial LiDAR could be of use in quantifying broad-scale variation in structural diversity across macroscales.

Examining the vulnerability of localized reforestation strategies to climate change at a macroscale

Climate change is altering the nature and condition of vast areas in the boreal forest of Canada. There are great uncertainties concerning impacts on the forest, along with how policy and economic responses will translate effectively between local and macroscales. In particular, planting tree seedlings with improved characteristics following harvesting is one localized response strategy considered essential by policymakers. However, planting costs limit the macroscale adoption of this strategy which may result in trade-offs between profitability and reducing vulnerability. In this study, we developed a decision support tool (called Q3) that links stand-level decision making to the macroscale and applied this model to investigate the financial attractiveness of planting improved stocks under one climate change threat, drought-induced seedling mortality. Using several scenarios describing planting effort, improved yields and risk to drought-induced seedling mortality, we showed that adopting improved planting stock strategies across a macroscale (i.e., the western Boreal forest of Canada) can be financially attractive when considering stand-establishment constraints and drought risk. In particular, a proactive approach can be less costly than a reactive approach to drought-induced seedling mortality. To maximize profits, the forestry industry would need to prioritize younger stands closer to processing mills that had a smaller percentage of conifer growing stocks prior to harvest. This research improves the linkages between macroscale policies and forest management activities critical for recommending future development paths that the forestry industry could follow to decrease climate change vulnerabilities.