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ISSN : 1229-3857(Print)
ISSN : 2288-131X(Online)
Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology Vol.39 No.5 pp.497-507
DOI : https://doi.org/10.13047/KJEE.2025.39.5.497

Sustaining European Beech Forests: Multi-criteria Evaluation of Management Regimes in the Eifel Region Using Long-Term Simulation

Jae-Gyun Byun2*, Richard Ottermanns3, Martina Roß-Nickoll4
2Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen Univ., Worringerweg 1, Aachen 52074, Germany
3Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen Univ., Worringerweg 1, Aachen 52074, Germany
4Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen Univ., Worringerweg 1, Aachen 52074, Germany

Abstract

This study compared and evaluated the long-term sustainability of three forest management regimes - conventional shelterwood cutting (Bk), near-natural selective cutting (Bn), and unmanaged reserves (Bt) - in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests located in the Eifel region of Germany through a 500-year simulation. Three key sustainability evaluation criteria were assessed: ecological stability (based on volume variability), economic efficiency (based on annual timber yield), and model predictability (based on GAM model fit). Using a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework, each management regime was compared through a weighted composite index. Results showed that Bn management achieved the highest overall performance, while maintaining a balance between ecological resilience and appropriate productivity. On the other hand, Bt forests showed high ecological stability but low economic feasibility, and Bk forests showed high productivity and predictability but the lowest ecological stability. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that, although rankings may vary depending on the weight factor of evaluation criteria, the Bn showed relatively consistent performance under various scenarios. This study provides a quantitative basis for developing sustainable forest management policies and suggests the importance of a balanced management strategy that considers ecological and economic values and long-term predictability.

독일 아이펠 지역 유럽 너도밤나무 숲의 미래: 장기 시뮬레이션을 통한 산림 관리 방식의 다기준 평가

초록

 

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