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Where to restore – an approach to spatial prioritization of connectivity forests for forest landscape restoration

Jonsson, Bengt Gunnar ; Wang, Xiaoming ; Svensson, Johan ; Singh, Navinder J. ; Lopéz-Peinado, Andrés ; Bubnicki, Jakub W. ; Angelstam, Per ; Mikusiński, Grzegorz and Ardö, Jonas LU orcid (2024) ECCB 2024 - 7th European Congress of Conservation Biology p.152-152
Abstract
With two centuries of forestry, natural forests in boreal Sweden are rare and strongly fragmented. Hence, restoration aiming to improve conditions for forest biodiversity is needed. However, to ensure landscape connectivity – where to restore is a critical concern.
Our study objective was to identify connectivity forest that through restoration support connectivity and biodiversity. The study area covers the 1.3 million ha Vindelälven river mountain to coast watershed and represent gradients of forest types and conservation status. We 1) quantified the distribution of connectivity forests, 2) identified where these are situated relative to known high conservation value forests (HCVF), 3) determined sub-regional and 4) forest-type... (More)
With two centuries of forestry, natural forests in boreal Sweden are rare and strongly fragmented. Hence, restoration aiming to improve conditions for forest biodiversity is needed. However, to ensure landscape connectivity – where to restore is a critical concern.
Our study objective was to identify connectivity forest that through restoration support connectivity and biodiversity. The study area covers the 1.3 million ha Vindelälven river mountain to coast watershed and represent gradients of forest types and conservation status. We 1) quantified the distribution of connectivity forests, 2) identified where these are situated relative to known high conservation value forests (HCVF), 3) determined sub-regional and 4) forest-type differences along the watershed. We used a model that predicts the relative likelihood of single hectares being HCVF. We assessed the potential to enhance connectivity by inserting forest areas with different probabilities of being HCVF and identified suitable areas for restoration.
Existing HCVF in the mountain region has high functional connectivity while for the inland and coastal regions, increasing connectivity require that substantial areas become restored. Only pine forests demonstrate a potential for functional connectivity across the watershed. For other forest types, the low abundance of connectivity forests strongly limits the potential for functional connectivity. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
With two centuries of forestry, natural forests in boreal Sweden
are rare and strongly fragmented. Hence, restoration aiming to
improve conditions for forest biodiversity is needed. However,
to ensure landscape connectivity – where to restore is a critical
concern.
Our study objective was to identify connectivity forest that
through restoration support connectivity and biodiversity. The
study area covers the 1.3 million ha Vindelälven river mountain
to coast watershed and represent gradients of forest types and
conservation status. We 1) quantified the distribution of
connectivity forests, 2) identified where these are situated
relative to known high conservation value forests (HCVF), 3)... (More)
With two centuries of forestry, natural forests in boreal Sweden
are rare and strongly fragmented. Hence, restoration aiming to
improve conditions for forest biodiversity is needed. However,
to ensure landscape connectivity – where to restore is a critical
concern.
Our study objective was to identify connectivity forest that
through restoration support connectivity and biodiversity. The
study area covers the 1.3 million ha Vindelälven river mountain
to coast watershed and represent gradients of forest types and
conservation status. We 1) quantified the distribution of
connectivity forests, 2) identified where these are situated
relative to known high conservation value forests (HCVF), 3) determined sub-regional and 4) forest-type differences along
the watershed. We used a model that predicts the relative
likelihood of single hectares being HCVF. We assessed the
potential to enhance connectivity by inserting forest areas with
different probabilities of being HCVF and identified suitable
areas for restoration.
Existing HCVF in the mountain region has high functional
connectivity while for the inland and coastal regions, increasing
connectivity require that substantial areas become restored.
Only pine forests demonstrate a potential for functional
connectivity across the watershed. For other forest types, the
low abundance of connectivity forests strongly limits the
potential for functional connectivity.
Bibliography
Angelstam, P., Manton, M., Green, M., Jonsson, B. G.,
Mikusiński, G., Svensson, J., & Maria Sabatini, F. (2020).
Sweden does not meet agreed national and international forest
biodiversity targets: A call for adaptive landscape planning.
Landscape and Urban Planning BECC: Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services in a Changing Climate, 202.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2020.103838
Mikusinski, G., Orlikowska, E. H., Bubnicki, J. W., Jonsson, B.-
G., & Svensson, J. (2021). Strengthening the Network of High
Conservation Value Forests in Boreal Landscapes. Frontiers in
Ecology and Evolution, 8.
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-41230
Svensson, J. et al. (2023). Boreal forest landscape restoration
in the face of extensive forest fragmentation and loss. In:
Sustainable forest management of the boreal forest in the face
of climate change. Ed: Girona, M.M, H. Morin, S. Gaulthier &
Y. Bergeron. Springer Nature, Switzerland (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
pages
2 pages
conference name
ECCB 2024 - 7th European Congress of Conservation Biology
conference location
Bologna, Italy
conference dates
2024-06-17 - 2024-06-21
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cbe37e0b-e718-4551-bb6d-438eb2d362bb
alternative location
https://eccb2024.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/BOOK-OF-ABSTRACTS-ECCB-2024-3.pdf
date added to LUP
2025-12-05 10:36:10
date last changed
2025-12-05 14:34:10
@misc{cbe37e0b-e718-4551-bb6d-438eb2d362bb,
  abstract     = {{With two centuries of forestry, natural forests in boreal Sweden are rare and strongly fragmented. Hence, restoration aiming to improve conditions for forest biodiversity is needed. However, to ensure landscape connectivity – where to restore is a critical concern.<br/>Our study objective was to identify connectivity forest that through restoration support connectivity and biodiversity. The study area covers the 1.3 million ha Vindelälven river mountain to coast watershed and represent gradients of forest types and conservation status. We 1) quantified the distribution of connectivity forests, 2) identified where these are situated relative to known high conservation value forests (HCVF), 3) determined sub-regional and 4) forest-type differences along the watershed. We used a model that predicts the relative likelihood of single hectares being HCVF. We assessed the potential to enhance connectivity by inserting forest areas with different probabilities of being HCVF and identified suitable areas for restoration.<br/>Existing HCVF in the mountain region has high functional connectivity while for the inland and coastal regions, increasing connectivity require that substantial areas become restored. Only pine forests demonstrate a potential for functional connectivity across the watershed. For other forest types, the low abundance of connectivity forests strongly limits the potential for functional connectivity.}},
  author       = {{Jonsson, Bengt Gunnar and Wang, Xiaoming and Svensson, Johan and Singh, Navinder J. and Lopéz-Peinado, Andrés and Bubnicki, Jakub W. and Angelstam, Per and Mikusiński, Grzegorz and Ardö, Jonas}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  pages        = {{152--152}},
  title        = {{Where to restore – an approach to spatial prioritization of connectivity forests for forest landscape restoration}},
  url          = {{https://eccb2024.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/BOOK-OF-ABSTRACTS-ECCB-2024-3.pdf}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}