Risks and intensification in planted forests: abiotic risks

The global demand for wood is rising and projected to increase by between 1.3 % and 1.8 % up to 2030. This increased demand can only be satisfied by plantation forests and the challenge is to intensify the productivity of such forests in a sustainable and resilient manner. This means using our best understanding of forest ecosystems to design management systems that ensure the long-term productivity of the forests and their ability to survive shocks caused by damaging events. In this paper we discuss the potential risks to plantation forests from abiotic hazards such as wind, drought, and fire and how these are likely to change with increasing intensification. We then discuss how these risks can be mitigated through choice of species and changes in management. In particular the paper will focus on the impact of using mixed species and mixed structure forests on risk and the potential benefits and disadvantages of such a management approach.