Simulating Forest Dynamics, Disturbance, and Management in the Elliott State Research Forest, Oregon: A Comparative Study of Land Sharing, Land Sparing, and Triad Management
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Date
2024-08-07
Authors
Mast, Colin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Forests serve as critical reservoirs for carbon, provide habitat for a significant proportion of terrestrial species, and provision renewable building materials in the form of timber. However, forests are increasingly at risk due to increased demand for forest products and forested land, necessitating new forest management strategies that lessen the impacts of resource production on carbon storage and biodiversity. The recent management plan for the Elliott State Research Forest (ESRF) outlines the experimental comparison three strategies: land sparing (separates timber production from conservation), land sharing (integrates timber production with conservation), and Triad management (divides forests into intensive, extensive, and reserve areas). However, the long-term results from implementing these strategies will not emerge for decades. Therefore, we used LANDIS-II to simulate the proposed management plan under natural disturbances (i.e. windthrow and wildfire) and climate change. Results indicate that while all management strategies ensured sustainable timber production, land sharing promoted the highest diversity of trees and shrubs, whereas Triad management maximized carbon storage. However, under extreme climate change projections, carbon storage was compromised and there was a further shift towards Douglas-fir. Managers must therefore evaluate tradeoffs and choose the strategy best suited to management objectives. This study represents the first modelled comparison of land sharing, land sparing, and Triad management under climate change and natural disturbance and highlights the potential use of LANDIS-II in adaptive forest management.
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Keywords
Biogeography, Climate change, Disturbance ecology, Ecosystem Modeling, Forest ecology, Muliple-use management