Recreation values of boreal forest
stand types and landscapes resulting
from different silvicultural systems:
An economic analysis
In this study, data from a contingent valuation survey was used to estimate the recreation value, in economic
terms, of various stand types within boreal forest landscapes, given by four different silvicultural systems. In a
model, using recreation value functions and a maximum likelihood procedure, recreation value contributions
in monetary terms were estimated for each stand type, or phase of the rotation period. Further, the shares
of the different stand types were modified in the estimated value functions to analyse the potentials for
increasing the recreation value of the forest landscapes. The shelterwood system yielded the forest landscape
with the highest recreation value and the clearcutting system the lowest, both for equal and modified stand
type shares. The results indicate that the choice of silvicultural strategy is very important in order to produce
timber and forest recreation environments in an economically efficient way
Introduction
In recent decades, the awareness of the forest
as an environmental resource, not only
a timber resource, has increased. Accordingly,
a considerable amount of research has
been carried out on environmental aspects of
forests. For example, Daniel and Schroeder
(1979) developed a scenic beauty estimation
model on forest landscapes. Savolainen and
Kellomaki (1981) as well as Pukkala ¨ et al.
(1988) also contribute to the knowledge on
how to estimate and predict scenic beauty
and amenities of the forest. Public opinions
regarding the appearance of forests
managed in different ways have been studied
by e.g. Hultman (1983) and Lindhagen
(1996). Concerning the problem of maintaining
the biological diversity in forests, important
research is reported by e.g. Franklin
(1993) and Haila (1994)
In Sweden, the new Forestry Act of 1994
states that timber production and environmental
qualities should be given equal importance
(National Board of Forestry, 1994). One
problem is, however, that it is difficult to
quantitatively compare the two. While the
importance of timber can be measured via
market prices and volumes, corresponding
economic measurement of the forest environment
is more problematic because, among
other things, environmental goods and services
are seldom priced in a market.
Economic research on forest environmental
aspects is therefore needed, besides noneconomic
research. Examples of the economic
research in the field are Boman and Bostedt
(1999) and Fredman (1995), who analysed
the economic values of saving endangered
species in the forest, as did Duffield and
Neher (1996). Other examples are Kristrom¨
(1990) and Mattsson and Li (1993), who
studied the economic value of saving fragile
forests and the economic value of forests for
recreation, respectively, as well as studies bySodal (1989) and Ovaskainen et al. (1992) on
the economic value of forest game species for
hunting.
The scientific basis for combining timber
production and environmental quality in
an efficient manner is, however, far from
complete. Nevertheless, a consequence of
the new Forestry Act in Sweden is that
environmental consideration has gained in
importance in Swedish forestry activities in
the last few years. A more varied forest
environment can be achieved e.g. by mixed
stands rather than monocultures, by leaving
buffer zones unaffected by logging activities,
and by leaving some dead and living trees
after harvesting. Furthermore, modifications
of the dominating clearcutting system and
increased use of alternative silvicultural
systems, including natural regeneration, are
desirable from an environmental point of
view (e.g. Fries et al., 1997).
One system that is considered successful
on certain site types from a silvicultural as
well as an environmental point of view is the
shelterwood system (Hanell, 1993; Hannerz ˚
and Hanell, 1997). At present, this system ˚
is used mainly in localities with regeneration
problems, e.g. where the seedlings are
likely to suffer from early summer frosts,
rising water-tables and competing vegetation
after logging. Shelterwoods can also be
expected to have positive effects on ecological
maintenance and biological diversity since
the ground is never left bare and exposed
to extreme wind, temperature and moisture
conditions (see for example, Hannerz and
Hanell, 1997).
A shelterwood system, where a portion
of tall trees are left after logging with
regeneration beneath, can be more valuable
compared to a clearcutting system from
another aspect, namely recreation. This was
found in a study by Mattsson and Li (1994a)
that was based on data collected by means
of a questionnaire sent to a sample of
individuals in the county of Vasterbotten ¨
in northern Sweden In the questionnaire,
the contingent valuation method (cf. Mitchell
and Carson,