Reconciling biodiversity conservation with the demand of natural resources in boreal forest landscapes

Authors and Affiliations: 

Mikko Mönkkönen1, Maria Triviño1, Adriano Mazziotta1, Artti Juutinen2,3,4, Kaisa Miettinen5, Dmitry Podkopaev1,5, Pasi Reunanen1, Olli-Pekka Tikkanen6

1Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland.

2Department of Economics, POB 4600, 90014 University of Oulu, Finland

3Thule Institute, University of Oulu, Finland

4Finnish Forest Research Institute, Northern Unit, Eteläranta 55, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland

5Department of Mathematical Information Technology, P.O. Box 35 (Agora), FI-40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland

6School of Forest Sciences, POB 111, 80101 University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland

Email: 
m.trivinocal@gmail.com
Abstract: 

For reconciling biodiversity conservation with increasing demands of natural resources in production landscapes, it is essential that the ecological, economic and functional values of the landscape are taken into account in planning and decision-making. Here we present a methodological approach on how to deal with these conflicts. By comparing alternative management regimes we first assessed the capacity of a boreal forest landscape to simultaneously produce different landscape values: suitable habitats for a set of species (representing several social and conservation values), economic returns (from timber extraction) and ecosystem services (climate regulation through carbon sequestration). Then, we analyzed the trade-offs among the landscape values using multi-objective optimization for alternative forestry management regimes. Our results showed that with carefully and informed forest management planning at landscape level it is possible to achieve win-win situations among the landscape values. This requires adequately targeted and diversified management regime.