Sammendrag
Variable retention harvesting is acknowledged as a cost-effective conservation
measure, but previous studies have focused on the environmental value and planning cost. In
this study, a model is presented for optimizing harvesting cost using a high resolution map
generated from airborne laser scanning data. The harvesting cost optimization model is used
to calculate the objective value of different scenarios. By comparing the objective values,
better estimates of the opportunity cost of woodland key habitats are found. The model can
be used by a forest manager when evaluating what silvicultural treatments to implement or
as an input for improving the nature reserve selection problem for woodland key habitats or
retention patches. The model was tested on four real-world cases, and the results indicate
that terrain transportation costs vary more than reported in the literature and that it may be
worthwhile to divide the opportunity cost into its direct and indirect components.
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