Spatial stratification per district to obtain regulated forest in Brazil

Abstract

The classic forest regulation model considers the total forest area in order to regulate production to maximize revenue. However, frequently the forest area covers more than one political or socio-economic zoning, such as a district. Taking into account the continuous operation in every one of these zones when optimizing wood harvest and revenue may result in social-economic benefits such as job maintenance and tax collection. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess a regulated forest structure model using the planted area per district as spatial stratification criterion. Three modeling scenarios were established: spatial stratification per district, annual volumetric production per district and the classic total area regulation. All models were formulated under the model 1 of linear programming. An area of 2,191 ha of eucalypt stands, from one to seven years of age, located in three districts in southeastern Brazil, was used to evaluate the proposed scenarios. The optimal solution of the proposed model met the imposed constraints (area, demand and regulation). The stratification per district, under the conditions of the present study, did not reduce net revenue, guaranteed the annual timber supply and resulted in smaller variation in the annual timber volume per district.