The Effects of Spatial Harvest Scheduling Constraints on the Value of a Medium-Sized Forest Holding in the Southeastern United States
Authors: Bettinger, Pete1; Batten Jr., Wise H.2; Zhu, Jianping3
Source: Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, Volume 29, Number 4, November 2005 , pp. 185-193(9)
Abstract:
Forest plans related to a number of spatial harvest scheduling scenarios were developed for a medium-sized forest holding using a heuristic forest planning technique (tabu search). Green-up periods of 2 to 7 years were assessed in conjunction with the two types of adjacency constraints. The results indicate for this one property that a short green-up period (2–3 years) did not significantly affect the economic value of the forest holding studied. Longer green-up periods and smaller maximum clearcut sizes could reduce the net present value of this forest holding by as much as 5 to 15% depending on the clearcut adjacency rules used. In a validation of the heuristic solutions, we found that the best solution generated with the heuristic (for three separate problems) was within 0.25% of the integer programming solution. South. J. Appl. For. 29(4):185–193.Keywords: Spatial forest planning; adjacency; green-up; environmental management; forest; forest management; forest resources; forestry; forestry research; forestry science; natural resources; natural resource management
Document Type: Regular article
Affiliations: 1: Center for Forest Business, Warnell School of Forest Resources University of Georgia Athens GA 30602 Phone: (706) 542-1187;, Fax: (706) 542-8356, Email: pbettinger@forestry.uga.edu 2: Wise Batten, Inc. Estill SC 29918 3: Center for Forest Business, Warnell School of Forest Resources University of Georgia Athens GA 30602
