Ökonomische Gedanken zum Wald

Depending on the prevailing rate of interest, forestry economics in the tradition of Martin Faustmann demands relatively short rotation periods and low standing stocks. As already observed by 19th century foresters, this is at variance with objectives of nature conservation. Modern economic thought allows for the inclusion of amenities offered by forests, such as recreation, climate change mitigation and nature conservation. Taking these performances into account, forest management would be able to meet society's demands efficiently, incuding demands for old-growth forests. Unfortunately, in practice wood production continues to take precedence because wood is a commodity valued by the market while the neglected amenities are public goods requiring collective decisions.

Autor: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hampicke