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In the context of the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (LCPB), the socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated pressures on populations dependent on forest resources for their subsistence. This study employs a comprehensive methodological approach, integrating advanced remote sensing techniques, including image classification, mapping, and detailed landscape analysis, to quantify alterations in forest cover within the LCPB during the pandemic period. Our findings reveal a consistent trend of declining forested area, characterized by processes of attrition and dissection observed throughout various study phases, spanning from May 2019 to November 2023. This reduction in forest cover, notably more pronounced in the vicinity of Lubumbashi city and the northern zone of the LCPB, proved to be less pronounced between November 2019 and September 2020, underscoring the influence of COVID-19 pandemic-induced confinement measures on forest management practices in the region. However, subsequent to this period of restriction, deforestation activity intensified, leading to significant landscape transformations within the LCPB, primarily attributable to expanded human activities, consequently resulting in a notable decrease in the proportion of land occupied by these natural ecosystems. Consequently, the size of the largest forest patch declined substantially, decreasing from 14.62% to 8.20% between May 2019 and November 2023, thereby fostering a heightened density of forest edges over time. Our findings provide a significant contribution to understanding the complex interactions between the COVID-19 pandemic and deforestation phenomena, emphasizing the urgent need to adopt adaptive management strategies and appropriate conservation measures in response to current economic challenges.

At the upper tree line, the erect trees of the forest often give way to stunted and twisted trees that continue in a patchy way and these are called Krummholz (crooked woods). Keywords: Mojuntains tree lines; sacred mountains; forests EN Mojuntains tree lines sacred mountains forests 961 966 6 11/10/23 20231101 NES 231101 Mountain forests occur on most of the continents on this planet. The uniqueness of these forests did not stop with their isolation as species have hybridized and continued to adapt (Berlyn et al., [1], [2]; DeLucia & Berlyn, [5]; Richardson & Berlyn, [13]; Richardson et al., [14]). Mountain forests provide mountain peoples with forest products like wood for heat and cooking. [Extracted from the article]

The EU aims at reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and Finland by 2035. We integrated results of three spatially distributed model systems (FRES, PREBAS, Zonation) to evaluate the potential to reach this goal at both national and regional scale in Finland, by simultaneously considering protection targets of the EU biodiversity (BD) strategy. Modelling of both anthropogenic emissions and forestry measures were carried out, and forested areas important for BD protection were identified based on spatial prioritization. We used scenarios until 2050 based on mitigation measures of the national climate and energy strategy, forestry policies and predicted climate change, and evaluated how implementation of these scenarios would affect greenhouse gas fluxes, carbon storages, and the possibility to reach the carbon neutrality target. Potential new forested areas for BD protection according to the EU 10% protection target provided a significant carbon storage (426–452 TgC) and sequestration potential (− 12 to − 17.5 TgCO2eq a−1) by 2050, indicating complementarity of emission mitigation and conservation measures. The results of the study can be utilized for integrating climate and BD policies, accounting of ecosystem services for climate regulation, and delimitation of areas for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphate (Pi) is an important nutrient element for plant growth and development and it plays an important role in the process of plant life activities. Nitrate is also an essential nutrient element for plant growth and a regulator of various metabolic and developmental pathways. Plant requirements for phosphate and nitrate are interdependent, and the acquisition of one of them must be balanced with the acquisition of the other. Maintaining the steady state of phosphate and nitrate content in plants is a key to the normal development of the plants. However, only a few studies have been carried out on the mechanism of how plants nitrate and phosphate homeostasis regulate. In this paper, we summarized the structure and function of an MYB-related transcription factor NITRATE-INDUCIBLE, GARP-TYPE TRANSCRIPTIONAL REPRESSOR1.2 (NIGT1.2) (also known as HHO2), it regulates phosphate and nitrate uptake in plants. Furthermore, we reviewed the molecular mechanism of NIGT1.2 regulating the dynamic balance of phosphate and nitrate in plants. Under phosphate starvation conditions, NIGT1.2 directly regulates the transcription factor of phosphate transporters PHT1.1 and PHT1.4, increasing phosphate absorption. Conversely, under nitrate starvation conditions, the expression of NIGT1.2 is inhibited by NIN-LIKE PROTEIN (NLP), the inhibition of nitrate transporter by NIGT1.2 will be eliminated, and the expression of nitrate transporter NRT1.1 is upregulated, increasing nitrate absorption. The result will provide the potential guidelines to create high phosphate and nitrate balance uptake and utilization in plants variety for sustainable agricultural and forestry development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forestry offsets, recognized for their diverse environmental and social co-benefits, are gaining a growing interest as nature-based solutions to combat climate change. Despite Canada's extensive forest resources, its potential for carbon credit remains largely untapped. This study aims to unveil the prevailing challenges in developing forestry offsets in Canada and propose potential solutions, drawing on insights from in-depth semi-structured interviews (SSIs) with 23 experts in the field. A qualitative thematic analysis highlighted 14 challenges under four major frequently discussed themes: methodological (37%), social (29%), economic (22%), and implementation challenges (12%). Our findings highlighted the urgency of addressing key obstacles, including the impermanent nature of forestry carbon offsets, substantial public knowledge gaps, uncertainties in the cost-effectiveness impacting financial viability, and the need for enhanced capacity for project implementation. Building on the discussions on the identified challenges, this study further presented a comprehensive analysis of the future directions for Canada, emphasizing the importance of addressing key methodological issues, enhancing public and Indigenous education and engagement, and leveraging advanced technologies and innovative approaches like ton-year accounting for economic viability. This paper delivers pivotal insights that have the potential to shape the direction and integrity of the forestry offset markets in both Canada and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the crucial task of identifying tree species, which is often intricate, time-consuming, and reliant on expert knowledge. To tackle this challenge, it employs cutting-edge technologies such as deep learning, particularly focusing on the convolution mixer model, and leverages unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images for the identification process. The study concentrates on five distinct tree species such as banana, coconut, mango, oil palm, and papaya. The research uses a dataset of 4200 images, with 80% used for training and the remaining 20% used for testing, and compares the performance of the convolution mixer with other well-known deep learning models like VGG16, MobileNetV2, InceptionV3, and ResNet50. The performance of each model is obtained in terms of mean precision, mean recall, mean F1-score, and overall accuracy. Significantly, the convolution mixer emerges as the standout performer, achieving an impressive overall accuracy rate of 98.22%. This remarkable accuracy highlights the convolution mixer's potential to revolutionize the field of tree species identification, especially when applied to UAV images. It not only streamlines the process but also ensures high accuracy, promising to aid conservation efforts, biodiversity studies, and sustainable forestry practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating impact of climate change on global terrestrial ecosystems demands a robust prediction of the trees' growth patterns and physiological adaptation for sustainable forestry and successful conservation efforts. Understanding these dynamics at an intra‐annual resolution can offer deeper insights into tree responses under various future climate scenarios. However, the existing approaches to infer cambial or leaf phenological change are mainly focused on certain climatic zones (such as higher latitudes) or species with foliage discolouration during the fall season. In this study, we demonstrated a novel approach (INTRAGRO) to combine intra‐annual circumference records generated by dendrometers coupled to the output of climate models to predict future tree growth at intra‐annual resolution using a series of supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms. INTRAGRO performed well using our dataset, that is dendrometer data of P. roxburghii Sarg. from the subtropical mid‐elevation belt of Nepal, with robust test statistics. Our growth prediction shows enhanced tree growth at our study site for the middle and end of the 21st century. This result is remarkable since the predicted growing season by INTRAGRO is expected to shorten due to changes in seasonal precipitation. INTRAGRO's key advantage is the opportunity to analyse changes in trees' intra‐annual growth dynamics on a global scale, regardless of the investigated tree species, regional climate and geographical conditions. Such information is important to assess tree species' growth performance and physiological adaptation to growing season change under different climate scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Vital role in Combating Climate Change and Promoting Sustainable Development," we explore the multifaceted role of plantation forestry in environmental and economic contexts. This article delves into how plantation forests aid in carbon sequestration, thereby mitigating climate change effects. It also examines the economic benefits and challenges, particularly regarding biodiversity and soil health. The role of plantation forestry in supporting local communities and maintaining sustainable practices is discussed. The article concludes with future prospects, underscoring the need for innovative management and policy support to maximize the benefits of plantation forestry for sustainable development. It would outline how plantation forestry, through carbon sequestration, contributes significantly to mitigating climate change. The abstract would also touch upon the economic and ecological implications, including biodiversity conservation and sustainable timber production. It would highlight the challenges plantation forestry faces, such as monoculture practices and their impact on local communities, and suggest potential solutions. The summary would conclude by emphasizing the crucial role of plantation forestry in achieving sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers build growth models to predict the growth of forest stands and propose management measures to improve the overall quality of these stands. In this study, data collected from 91 sample plots from the eighth (2010) and ninth (2015) Chinese National Forest Inventories in Jiangxi Province were used to establish a transition-matrix growth model. Then, 12 potential equilibrium curves were set to guide forest management, and a transition-matrix growth model was used to predict stand growth in Jiangxi Province. In each 10-year management period, trees with diameters that exceeded the equilibrium curve were cut down. The results show that species diversity (H1), size diversity (H2), and basal area (B) have statistically significant influences on growth, mortality, and recruitment. Moreover, the high accuracy of the transition-matrix growth model is demonstrated. According to the simulation results, B = 35 m2/ha, the maximum diameter of retained trees Dmax = 45 cm and the adjacent diameter ratio q = 1.7 constitute the optimal equilibrium curve to guide forest management. The diameter distribution guided by the equilibrium curve is reverse J-shaped and is associated with significant increases in the hardwood stock volume and current annual growth. Under the guidance of the equilibrium curve, the forests in Jiangxi Province can be reasonably managed, produce more high-economic-value timber, and achieve a more stable species composition. This study will help maximize the ecological and economic benefits of forests and provide a reference for the realization of the sustainable development of forestry. Furthermore, the results can be used to improve the facility and accuracy of natural forest harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinus pinaster is a plant species of great ecological and economic importance. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms that govern the growth and branching of P. pinaster is crucial for enhancing wood production and improving product quality. In this study, we describe a simple methodology that enables the discovery of candidate genes in Pinus pinaster by transferring existing knowledge from model species like Arabidopsis thaliana and focusing on factors involved in plant growth, including hormonal and non-hormonal pathways. Through comparative analysis, we investigated the main genes associated with these growth-related factors in A. thaliana. Subsequently, we identified putative homologous sequences in P. pinaster and assessed the conservation of their functional domains. In this manner, we can exclude sequences that, despite displaying high homology, lack functional domains. Finally, we took an initial approach to their validation by examining the expression levels of these genes in P. pinaster trees exhibiting contrasting growth patterns. This methodology allowed the identification of 26 candidate genes in P. pinaster. Our findings revealed differential expression patterns of key genes, such as NCED3, NRT1.2, PIN1, PP2A, ARF7, MAX1, MAX2, GID1, AHK4, AHP1, and STP1, in relation to the different growth patterns analyzed. This study provides a methodological foundation for further exploration of these genes involved in the growth and branching processes of P. pinaster. This will contribute to the understanding of this important tree species and open new avenues for enhancing its utilization in sustainable forestry practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the income and assets of forest farmers is the basis for realizing the sustainable development of forestry. In this paper, we tested the impact of membership in herbal medicine planting cooperatives on forest farmer household income and assets using the propensity score matching (PSM) method and household surveys of the study area. The results showed that cooperative membership can greatly improve forest farmer household income and assets; the higher the accumulation of forest farmer household social capital and human capital, the more farmers were inclined to participate in cooperatives. Householders who were migrant workers were more likely to make the decision to participate in cooperatives compared with those without migrant work experiences. The results of ATT further verified the conclusion that cooperative membership can significantly improve income and assets, which increased by 7.04% and 4.19%, respectively. In addition, according to the survey, the current development of cooperatives in the forestry area experienced problems such as inconsistent quantitative and qualitative development, insufficient driving force, irregular operating mode, inaccurate policy support, and inadequate guidance mechanisms. This paper focused on innovating cooperation mechanisms, enriching joint forms, enhancing driving capacity, stimulating internal driving forces, strengthening system construction, improving standards, enhancing guidance services, and strengthening institutional guarantees. These recommendations have been put forward to guide policy for sustainable forest development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predatory long-legged flies of the genus Medetera are important, but currently understudied, natural enemies of Scolytinae bark beetles such as Ips typographus. Medetera flies lay eggs on beetle-infested trees, where the developing larvae find their prey, but the chemical cues used by Medetera to locate infested trees are currently unknown. To identify odors attracting Medetera signaticornis, a species in Europe, headspace samples were collected at several time-points through different stages of I. typographus attacks on logs of Norway spruce (Picea abies). The headspace samples were analyzed using combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) to determine compounds that stimulate M. signaticornis antennae. Antennae of M. signaticornis males and females were found to detect (–)-cis-verbenol, (+)-trans-verbenol and myrtenol, which are known to be produced by bark beetles. Antennal responses were also observed for verbenene, isoterpinolene, α-pinene oxide, camphor, pinocamphone, terpinene-4-ol, myrtenal, borneol, α-terpineol, geranyl acetone, and verbenone, which are primarily produced by microorganisms, and α-pinene, α-fenchene, β-pinene, camphene, 3-carene, limonene, γ-terpinene, and terpinolene, known spruce tree compounds. In field experiments testing two synthetic blends containing 18 antennal active and two additional compounds 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol and ipsdienol we observed significant attraction of M. signaticornis within 24 h. These attractive blends can form the basis for development of Medetera monitoring lures for use in future forest and pest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A poplar is one of the most important tree species in the northern temperate regions. There is the great difference in the growth state of poplar with different planting density and its response mechanism to climate factors. Tree ting characteristics (TRC) and tree measurement factors can provide the scientific basis for the sustainable management of forestry and the decision-making on countermeasures against meteorological change. This study aimed to clarify the response mechanism of poplar with the different planting densities to climatic factors using non-destructive measurement technology. A systematic analysis was implemented on the tree growth and response to meteorological factors under specific climatic conditions in the northern Jiangsu Plain. The research object was taken as the multi-density poplar plantation in the Chen Wei Forest field of Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, China. Resistograph resistance instrument was used to non-destructively measure the tree ring characteristics of 224 standard trees in four planting plots of poplar plantation. Six parameters were obtained, including ring width (RW), early wood width (EW), late wood width (LW), ring density (RD), early wood density (ED), and late wood density (LD). Five types of models were used to fit the growth model of ring width. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to cluster the ring characteristics of four planting configurations. Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between annual meteorological factors and tree ring metrology characteristics under different planting configurations. The results show that: 1) There was the significant influence in the tree measurement factors. The stand density increased with the decrease of row spacing. The form factors and form quotients of chest height gradually increased, and the stem shape was straight and full. 2) The logistic model was better fitted the radial growth of poplar with four planting configurations. The R² values reached above 0.94 for all models, indicating the better prediction on the growth of tree rings. 3) The principal component analysis showed that the trees with the same planting density but different planting configurations (3m×8m and 5m×5m, 4.5m×8m and 6m×6m) were clustered into the same category, where the contribution rate of tree-ring density and width factor were 49.1% and 28.9%, respectively. 4) Poplars with the similar planting density showed the similar responses to meteorological factors. By contrast, the poplars with the high planting density (400 plants /hm²) were more sensitive to air temperature than those with the low planting density (278 plants /hm²); 5) There were significant differences in the response of radial growth of standing trees to climate factors under the four planting configurations. The growth of ring width was depended on the wind speed YS, indicating a significant positive correlation (the correlation of early wood width EW reached 0.85 in the planting area with configuration of 6m×6m). There was a negative correlation between the ring density and the annual meteorological factors, among which the average annual relative humidity YRH showed a significant correlation in the four planting configurations, and the maximum was −0.82 in the 3m×8m planting configuration. 6) The seasonal response was found in the monthly meteorological factors. In spring, the temperature factor was negatively correlated with the ring characteristics, while the precipitation factor was negatively correlated with ring density, and the humidity factor was positively correlated with ring width. The correlation between wind speed and ring characteristics was the greatest, especially in spring, with the sparse planting configuration, the correlation between wind speed and ring characteristics increased gradually. Nondestructive measurement of tree ring characteristics can provide the radial data of tree-ring of multi-density poplar plantation. The ring width and ring density index of the poplar plantation shared a strong correlation with the meteorological factors under different afforestation densities in the study area. The finding can provide the great potential to reveal the effect of meteorological change on the growth and development of plantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual data on the geographic distribution of carbon storage help policy makers to formulate countermeasures for global warming. However, Taiwan, as an island showing diversity in climate and topography, had lacked valid visual data on the distribution of forest carbon storage between the last two forest surveys (1993–2015). This study established a model to estimate and illustrate the distribution of forest carbon storage. This model uses land use, stand morphology, and carbon conversion coefficient databases accordingly for 51 types of major forests in Taiwan. An estimation in 2006 was conducted and shows an overall carbon storage of 165.65 Mt C, with forest carbon storage per unit area of 71.56 t C ha−1, where natural forests and plantations respectively contributed 114.15 Mt C (68.9%) and 51.50 Mt C (31.1%). By assuming no change in land use type, the carbon sequestration from 2006 to 2007 by the 51 forest types was estimated to be 5.21 Mt C yr−1 using historical tree growth and mortality rates. The result reflects the reality of the land use status and the events of coverage shifting with time by combining the two forest surveys in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Within dynamic ecosystems, research into how land use changes and patterns affect species diversity has led to a suite of ecological hypotheses to assess species-landscape associations. The Habitat Amount Hypothesis suggests that it is the total amount of habitat, regardless of configuration, whereas the Multi-dimensional Hypothesis suggests it is the suite of local, landscape, and landform characteristics that have the greatest influence on species diversity within its local landscape. Objectives: Our study aims to understand how landscape pattern influences species abundance, in the context of these two competing hypotheses on priority avian species in working forest landscapes of the southeastern United States. Methods: To examine these hypotheses, we conducted bird point counts and vegetation surveys in short-rotation loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests in east-central Mississippi during 2019–2020 and used abundance and richness models to assess avian species associations to amount vs. configuration of habitat in a 2 km2 landscape. Results: We found that habitat amount alone did not exhibit consistent positive associations with species abundance for both early-successional and mature forest associated avian communities. Most target species exhibited positive associations with patch proximity, measured by Euclidean distance, and proximity-area index. However, measures of species richness showed no association with amount or proximity. Associations with landform features generally had positive influences on early-successional species than mature-pine priority species. Conclusions: The dynamic mosaic of forest stand ages may be sufficient in providing habitat needs such that measures of richness are not driven by amount and proximity at the 2 km2 scale in this working landscape. However, influences of proximity and landform on priority species abundance warrant further research to assess potential drivers of associations with stand proximity and effects of amount and proximity on measures of species diversity across scales. Given the growing demand for forest products, sustainable forestry guidelines that consider proximity of stands in similar age classifications could enhance landscape suitability for some target species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation and utilization of forest resources, profit distribution, and sustainable development of forestry all contribute to clarifying the forest ownership and establishing a reasonable and effective forest right system. Anhui Province, with its vast territory and complex terrain, had a relatively low forest coverage rate before 1949. To improve the ecological environment and promote the sustainable development of forestry resources, various regions in Anhui started large-scale afforestation and forest nursery activities during the land reform period after the founding of New China. They undertook reforms to establish a forest tenure system, allocating forests to households and granting forest farmers ownership, usage rights, income rights, and disposal rights over the forests and timber. Though the issue of forest rights was extremely complex and involved a wide range of considerations, leading to continuous contradictions and disputes, under the correct leadership of the provincial party committee and various levels of party organizations, Anhui relied on the masses and adopted various effective measures to mediate forest disputes, clarify forest ownership, and form a diverse forestry system comprising state-owned forests, rural collectively-owned forests, and individual private forests owned by farmers. These efforts aimed to facilitate the recovery and development of forestry production, promote effective forestry management, and foster unity and mutual assistance among the people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Trunk-boring insects have emerged as one of the most threatening forest pests globally, causing significant damage to forests. Certain groups of larvae reside within tree trunks without any observable external signs indicating their presence. This poses a significant challenge for pest detection. To tackle this issue, acoustic techniques are frequently utilized, which involve embedding a vibration probe into the tree trunk to capture the vibrations produced by larvae and using a model to distinguish whether the tree is infested. However, this approach requires the acquisition of the purest possible vibrations signal. Thus, to ensure accurate analysis, a noise suppression process is crucial, since the signals collected in real-world environments are often subjected to varying degrees of environmental noise interference. In this study, we employed artificial intelligence techniques to develop a boring vibration enhancement model. The training data utilized in this study comprise boring vibrations captured from trunk sections and typical environmental noise present in the trees' habitat. The experimental results demonstrate that the enhancement method proposed by our model significantly boosts the performance of an established classification model. Overall, this study promotes the development of sustainable and efficient forestry protection approaches by improving the accuracy of pest detection. Recording vibration signals induced by larvae activity in the trunk has proven to be an efficient method for detecting trunk-boring insects. However, the accuracy of the detection is often limited because the signals collected in real-world environments are heavily disrupted by environmental noises. To deal with this problem, we propose a deep-learning-based model that enhances trunk-boring vibration signals, incorporating an attention mechanism to optimize its performance. The training data utilized in this research consist of the boring vibrations of Agrilus planipennis larvae recorded within trunk sections, as well as various environmental noises that are typical of the natural habitats of trees. We mixed them at different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) to simulate the realistically collected sounds. The SNR of the enhanced boring vibrations can reach up to 17.84 dB after being enhanced by our model, and this model can restore the details of the vibration signals remarkably. Consequently, our model's enhancement procedure led to a significant increase in accuracy for VGG16, a commonly used classification model. All results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach for enhancing the detection of larvae using boring vibration signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention is drawn to scientifically based theoretical and practical approaches to the implementation of the concept of sustainable forest management and, accordingly, to ensuring the principles of sustainable forestry aimed at the adequate protection, use, and regeneration of forest resources in Ukraine during Russia's war against Ukraine. The main socio-economic and ecological aspects that influence the implementation of the concept of sustainable forest management at the national and regional level in the current conditions of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine are considered. The changes in the forest sector in the conditions of war are reflected, which must be considered from the point of view of understanding the principles of sustainable development, sustainable forestry, and the concept of sustainable forest management. It is proposed to develop and implement a theoretical, methodological, and practical approach to the implementation of the concept of sustainable forest management in Ukraine which would take into account the regional differences regarding the organisation and development of forestry in Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Close-to-nature forestry is a promising approach for satisfying the criteria of sustainable forestry. This draws attention to natural forests as a comprehensive source of information for forest management. The purpose of this study is to investigating the structure of mosaics of developmental phases and to determine their area based on structural parameters as identification keys in oriental beech virgin forests, which are rarely studied. To this aim, one 10 hectare area in parcel 513, series 5, Eshkateh-Chal forestry project was selected and the location, species type, stem number, gap area, diameter at breast height and tree height of all trees taller than 7.5 centimeters were measured. We also measured standing and lying dead trees (snags and logs). Based on our results, five developmental phases of innovation, regeneration, optimal, aging and degradation were identified in the study area. The results showed that the highest and lowest number of trees were related to the innovation phase (393 trees perhectare) and the aging phase (148 ha-1) respectively. In the study area the phases of innovation, regeneration, optimal, aging, and degradation covered 30.5%, 18.8%, 14.0%, 10.8% and 25.9%, respectively. The highest number of dead trees (41 ha-1) was observed in the degradation phase. Except for the optimal phase, where the abundance of snags was higher, in all developmental phases the abundance of logs was higher than that of snags. 2.5% of the study area were covered with canopy gaps and 7.7% with expanded gaps. Our results on tree dimensions and deadwood presence suggest that the studied intact stands were old growth and their structure deviated considerably from managed forests. Silvicultural interventions can be designed to emulate the developmental phases of virgin forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the roles of various actors in sustainable forest governance in south-eastern Ethiopia, focusing on the Bale Eco-Region. The study used a descriptive design with qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The findings indicate that all critical actors have the opportunity to participate in forest governance, but this has not led to desired outcomes. The government and organized forest communities have a crucial role in jointly governing the forests through participatory forest management. The government, specifically the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Authorities, regulates and controls all forests, while Oromia Forest and Wildlife is responsible for protecting and managing forests in the Oromia Regional State. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), such as FARM Africa and SOS Sahel Ethiopia, indirectly influence government decisions and implement them in the Bale Eco-Region. Research institutions and media have a limited role in influencing government decisions and implementation. Despite these efforts, deforestation and forest degradation persist, and there has been insufficient improvement in the lives of forest-dependent communities. Therefore, it is crucial to empower these actors to effectively contribute to sustainable forest governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]