Forest roads planning and management in terms of Social-Ecological Systems (SES) framework

Abstract

Abstract Adaptation to climate change as well as the increasing demand for a new approach in post fire socioecological resilience and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) in forest management requires a different way of thinking of forest roads planning, in terms of Social-Ecological Systems (SES) Framework. Social-ecological systems are complex, adaptive and emphasize that social and ecological systems are linked through feedback mechanisms, and that both display resilience and complexity. In this frame, it is important to clarify the considerable dynamic elements for the future development of forest roads planning and management that promote natural, socio-economic, and cultural well-being. The main objective of this paper is to identify important new challenges concerning the forest roads planning and management and to propose a conceptual paradigm towards SES in a continuing changing climate, social needs and environmental conditions. Hence, a newly developed concept under the prism of SES forest roads planning, is presented. Eight key performance areas to ensure the forest operations as SES include: (i) nature’s services; (ii) ergonomics; (iii) environmental economics; (iv) quality optimization of products and production based on NBS; (v) the use as evacuation routes; (vi) access to renewable energy sources; (vii) people and society; and (viii) resilience. The conceptual frame of SES provides a close to nature perspective which addresses the ongoing and foreseeable challenges that the global forest ecosystems face, based on harmonized forest operations performance across economic, environmental and social sustainability. In this new concept, we demonstrate how these eight interconnected principles interact to each other and are related to forest operations achieving Nature Based Solutions in forest management and climate change mitigation.