Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties
Continuous-cover forestry (CCF) is increasingly argued as an alternative to clear-cut harvesting in managed boreal forests to improve water quality and quantity, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. We review the empirical evidence for the potential benefits of CCF on drained forested peatlands i...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Trees, Forests and People |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719322001698 |
| _version_ | 1797894417532583936 |
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| author | Hjalmar Laudon Eliza Maher Hasselquist |
| author_facet | Hjalmar Laudon Eliza Maher Hasselquist |
| author_sort | Hjalmar Laudon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Continuous-cover forestry (CCF) is increasingly argued as an alternative to clear-cut harvesting in managed boreal forests to improve water quality and quantity, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. We review the empirical evidence for the potential benefits of CCF on drained forested peatlands in boreal ecosystems as an alternative to conventional clear-cut harvesting. We also discuss possible risks and uncertainties that need further consideration and highlight unanswered questions that need to be resolved before large-scale implementation. In general, we found that the ability to maintain forest production on drained forested peatlands primarily depends on water regulation of the groundwater (GW) table. Currently, the problem with high GW is typically solved using ditch cleaning, but if CCF is adopted, it could be an alternative approach to manage GW without the need of disturbing this already extensive artificial channel network. Implementation of CCF could lower the risk of extreme flooding and droughts, in addition to maintaining water quality and potentially enhancing the carbon sequestration conditions. Furthermore, it could provide a compromise between industrialized forestry and peatland restoration to better meet these targets. However, several important uncertainties remain regarding the potential for natural regeneration in northern latitudes, the net effect of different types of soil damage due to repeated use of heavy machinery, and consequences of climate change that could result in enhanced storm felling. We primarily focus on Swedish conditions, but also evaluate implications in an international context and propose ways to close remaining knowledge gaps. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:08:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b58a7e02b22643728c1438a03a7c1071 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-7193 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:08:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trees, Forests and People |
| spelling | doaj.art-b58a7e02b22643728c1438a03a7c10712023-02-27T04:07:36ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932023-03-0111100363Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertaintiesHjalmar Laudon0Eliza Maher Hasselquist1Corresponding author.; Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SwedenForest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, SwedenContinuous-cover forestry (CCF) is increasingly argued as an alternative to clear-cut harvesting in managed boreal forests to improve water quality and quantity, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. We review the empirical evidence for the potential benefits of CCF on drained forested peatlands in boreal ecosystems as an alternative to conventional clear-cut harvesting. We also discuss possible risks and uncertainties that need further consideration and highlight unanswered questions that need to be resolved before large-scale implementation. In general, we found that the ability to maintain forest production on drained forested peatlands primarily depends on water regulation of the groundwater (GW) table. Currently, the problem with high GW is typically solved using ditch cleaning, but if CCF is adopted, it could be an alternative approach to manage GW without the need of disturbing this already extensive artificial channel network. Implementation of CCF could lower the risk of extreme flooding and droughts, in addition to maintaining water quality and potentially enhancing the carbon sequestration conditions. Furthermore, it could provide a compromise between industrialized forestry and peatland restoration to better meet these targets. However, several important uncertainties remain regarding the potential for natural regeneration in northern latitudes, the net effect of different types of soil damage due to repeated use of heavy machinery, and consequences of climate change that could result in enhanced storm felling. We primarily focus on Swedish conditions, but also evaluate implications in an international context and propose ways to close remaining knowledge gaps.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719322001698 |
| spellingShingle | Hjalmar Laudon Eliza Maher Hasselquist Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties Trees, Forests and People |
| title | Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties |
| title_full | Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties |
| title_fullStr | Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties |
| title_full_unstemmed | Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties |
| title_short | Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties |
| title_sort | applying continuous cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands water regulation biodiversity climate benefits and remaining uncertainties |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719322001698 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hjalmarlaudon applyingcontinuouscoverforestryondrainedborealpeatlandswaterregulationbiodiversityclimatebenefitsandremaininguncertainties AT elizamaherhasselquist applyingcontinuouscoverforestryondrainedborealpeatlandswaterregulationbiodiversityclimatebenefitsandremaininguncertainties |