Using DEA to compare the efficiency of planned forest management actions to actual forest management actions

A guiding principle in the development of forest management plans is that the plan should meet the principles of optimality, and thus efficiency. The resultant plan represents a snapshot in time of the decision makers (DMs) preferences, which can change through time as the DMs life situations changes. Even though the DM undertook the effort of formulating a plan for the forest, the actual decisions taken in the forest may not represent the planned activities. The divergence between these two decisions can be evaluated as the difference between the stated and observed preferences. This measure evaluates how closely the plan was followed, however it does not evaluate how close the actual decisions were to an optimal use of resources. As a method to compute the efficiency of the DMs actual choices, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to evaluate the efficiency of both the planned and actual forest management decisions compared to the production potential frontier. In traditional DEA applications, the evaluation for efficiency is done through a relative comparison of a set of actual decision management units (DMUs). As a method to evaluate the efficiency of the forest management actions, a series of optimized plans, developed from the initial inventory data, serve as the DMUs to provide a relative comparison. The usefulness of this process is highlighted in an analysis of several privately held forest management plans from private owners in Finland. For these cases, the efficiency of the planned and actual management activities are evaluated with a fixed set of input and output criteria. This allows for an evaluation the effectiveness of the planning process, and evaluates the efficiency of the actual forest management actions taken in the forest

Problematics of 3D Documentation and Visualization of Small Objects

Diplomová práce je zaměřena na problematiku v oblasti 3D dokumentace a vizualizace drobných objektů. Začátek práce je zaměřen na teorii z oblasti Fotogrammetrie a laserového skenování. Zbylá část práce se věnuje výběru objektů, metodiky měření, následného vyhotovení 3D modelů a vyhodnocení dosažených výsledků.The diploma thesis is focused on problematics in 3D documentation and visualization of small objects. The first part of the thesis is focused on the brief theory of photogrammetry and laser scanning. The second part deals with the selection of objects, the methodology of measurement, the subsequent creation of 3D models and evaluation achieved results.544 - Katedra geodézie a důlního měřictvívýborn

Management diversification increases habitat availability for multiple biodiversity indicator species in production forests

Context Forest biodiversity is closely linked to habitat heterogeneity, while forestry actions often cause habitat homogenization. Alternative approaches to even-aged management were developed to restore habitat heterogeneity at the stand level, but how their application could promote habitat diversity at landscape scale remains uncertain. Objectives We tested the potential benefit of diversifying management regimes to increase landscape-level heterogeneity. We hypothesize that different styles of forest management would create a diverse mosaic of forest habitats that would in turn benefit species with various habitat requirements. Methods Forest stands were simulated under business-as-usual management, set-aside (no management) and 12 alternative management regimes. We created virtual landscapes following diversification scenarios to (i) compare the individual performance of management regimes (no diversification), and (ii) test for the management diversification hypothesis at different levels of set-aside. For each virtual landscape, we evaluated habitat availability of six biodiversity indicator species, multispecies habitat availability, and economic values of production. Results Each indicator species responded differently to management regimes, with no single regime being optimal for all species at the same time. Management diversification led to a 30% gain in multispecies habitat availability, relative to business-as-usual management. By selecting a subset of five alternative management regimes with high potential for biodiversity, gains can reach 50%. Conclusions Various alternative management regimes offer diverse habitats for different biodiversity indicator species. Management diversification can yield large gains in multispecies habitat availability with no or low economic cost, providing a potential cost-effective biodiversity tool if the management regimes are thoughtfully selected.peerReviewe

Interactive preference elicitation incorporating a priori and a posteriori methods

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