The spatial structure of forests in the optimization calculations of forest planning - a landscape ecological perspective

This article reviews an array of forest planning approaches where spatial objectives are taken into account in optimization. According to ecological arguments, factors at the level of landscape affect ecological processes and the abundance of species, as a result of which the related objectives, such as those that are quantitative, are also spatial. This article is concerned with the ability of the studies under review to respond to the ecological goals at the level of landscape, especially to the negative effects of habitat fragmentation. Three factors were included in the studies reviewed: reduction in the area of certain habitats, reduction in the size of habitat patches, and weakening connections between them. The fragmentation of habitats has been approached from a landscape perspective and also from that of species-specific habitat needs. Although optimization can become very complicated. it is technically possible to include spatial objectives in planning where several private forest owners are involved simultaneously. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.