Human Health and Sustainable Forest Management
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Human Health and Sustainable Forest Management Edited by: Ľudmila Marušáková and Markus Sallmannshofer Human Health and Sustainable Forest Management Edited by: Ľudmila Marušáková and Markus Sallmannshofer Published by: FOREST EUROPE – Liaison Unit Bratislava T.G. Masaryka 22, 960 92 Zvolen, Slovak Republic [email protected] www.foresteurope.org Recommended citation: FOREST EUROPE, Liaison Unit Bratislava, 2019: Human Health and Sustainable Forest Management by, Marušáková Ľ. and Sallmannshoferet M., et al. FOREST EUROPE Study. ISBN 978 - 80 - 8093 - 266 - 4 © FOREST EUROPE List of authors: Ľudmila Marušáková (FOREST EUROPE – Liaison Unit Bratislava) Markus Sallmannshofer (Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Austria) Liisa Tyrväinen (LUKE - Natural Resources Institute Finland) Liz O’Brien (Forest Research, United Kingdom) Nicole Bauer (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Switzerland)) Dirk Schmechel (Bavarian State Institute of forestry, Germany) Jan Kašpar (Czech University of Life Sciences) Matej Schwarz (National Forest Centre, Slovakia) Franziska Krainer (Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Austria) Editors: Ľudmila Marušáková and Markus Sallmannshofer Design: Seesame Communication Experts Disclaimer The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and position of FOREST EUROPE signatories. Acknowledgments The study “Human Health and Sustainable Forest Management” was prepared by the team of authors led by the FOREST EUROPE Expert Group on Human Health and Well-being established in the framework of the FOREST EUROPE Work Programme 2016-2020. Members of the Expert group helped to shape scope and focus of the publication as well as to collect good practise examples from several European countries. Implementation of the Work Programme is supported mostly by governments of Slovakia, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Turkey, but also by voluntary financial or in-kind contribution of other countries and organisations who nominated their experts to the Expert Group. Special thanks go to the authors of the publication: Ľudmila Marušáková (FOREST EUROPE –Liaison Unit Bratislava), Markus Sallmannshofer and Franziska Krainer (Austrian Research Centre for Forests, Austria), Liisa Tyrväinen (LUKE - Natural Resources Institute Finland), Liz O’Brien (Forest Research, United Kingdom), Nicole Bauer (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Switzerland)), Jan Kašpar (Czech University of Life Sciences), Matej Schwarz (National Forest Centre, Slovakia), Dirk Schmechel (Bavarian State Institute of forestry, Germany). In addition to that, technical support of the Liaison Unit Bratislava members, namely assistance provided by Igor Viszlai and Lucia Ambrušová, contributed significantly to the finalization of the study. Contents Executive summary...................................................................................................................12 Why the question of human health is so critical today?.............................................................13 Challenge or an opportunity for the forest sector?....................................................................13 What the scientific review revealed about the health benefits of forests?....................................15 What are the concepts and approaches of using the health benefits of forest?.............................16 Recommendations for the integration of human health aspects into..........................................17 Sustainable forest management...............................................................................................17 Encouragement of public participation and inclusivity..............................................................17 Enhancement of cross-sectoral cooperation.............................................................................18 Mechanisms and funding of provision of forest ecosystem services............................................19 Monitoring and necessary data acquisition...............................................................................19 Investment into research, innovation and development of new skills.........................................20 Better accessibility of forests...................................................................................................20 Communication is a key .........................................................................................................20 Chapter 1. Introduction.............................................................................................................22 European forests in a nutshel..................................................................................................24 Non-Wood Goods...................................................................................................................27 Forest Services.......................................................................................................................28 Social well-being....................................................................................................................29 Chapter 2. Impacts of forests on human health and wellbeing.............................30 2.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................31 2.2 How forests affect human health and wellbeing...................................................................32 2.3 Forest contribution to human health and wellbeing.............................................................35 2.3.1 Impact of forests on mental health..................................................................................35 2.3.2 Physiological and physical health effects.........................................................................39 2.3.3 Social benefits................................................................................................................42 2.4 Conditions influencing health effects of forests ..................................................................45 2.5 Conclusions and policy implications...................................................................................48 2.6 References........................................................................................................................50 Chapter 3. Human Health and Sustainable Forest Management..........................58 3.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................59 3.2 Sustainable Forest Management.........................................................................................60 3.2.1 International political framework of Sustainable Forest Management................................60 3.3 Forest Management Planning.............................................................................................63 3.3.1 Factors influencing forest management planning and practices.........................................65 3.3.1.1 Forest ownership and accessibility of forests..................................................................65 3.3.1.2 Societal demands.........................................................................................................69 3.3.1.2.1 Forest ecosystem services..........................................................................................69 3.3.1.2.2 Conflicts of interest..................................................................................................72 3.4 Forest landscape planning inclusive of social aspects...........................................................74 3.4.1 Inventory and monitoring of recreation demands.............................................................74 3.4.2 Forest preferences and shaping forests to enhance health benefits.....................................75 3.4.2.1 Different forests and land cover types............................................................................75 3.4.2.2 Forest and landscape preferences..................................................................................76 3.4.2.3 Environmental quality and facilities..............................................................................77 3.4.2.4 Preferences on forest management and human interventions.........................................78 3.4.3 Recreational infrastructure, facilities and services............................................................79 3.4.4 Valuation of and payments for forest ecosystem services...................................................82 3.4.5 Participatory decision.....................................................................................................84 3.4.5.1 Approaches for decision supporting..............................................................................85 3.5 Conclusions and policy implications...................................................................................87 3.5.1 Key conclusions..............................................................................................................90 3.6 References.........................................................................................................................91 Chapter 4. Health benefits of forests: opportunities for the forest sector.........98 4.1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................99