How do we assess non-market values of our world’s plantation forests?
It is not always possible to distinguish between forest plantations and forest plantings of native species grown in long-rotation, mixed-species, particularly in temperate and boreal regions—previously classified as “semi-natural” forests.
Recent international dialogue suggests that a more inclusive concept be used to better reflect overall investments and returns of planted forests, as well as related social and environmental concerns.
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Responsible investors recognize the need to take into account all
dimensions, including the non-market values. Planted forests have an
increasingly important role in providing social, cultural and
environmental benefits as well as the economic values.
These include the recognition and the maintenance of social and cultural services, including the welfare and empowerment of adjacent communities, workers and other stakeholders and adopting planning, management, utilization and monitoring mechanisms to avoid adverse impacts.
Planted forests also impact the provision of ecosystem services, so planning,
management, and utilization and monitoring mechanisms should be adopted to maintain and enhance the conservation of environmental services by adopting watershed management, soil erosion protection and landscape proaches to maintain water, soil, forest health, nutrient and carbon balances and restore degraded landscapes. Furthermore, an indirect benefit of planted forests, if planned and managed responsibly, is to take some pressure for wood for industrial purposes away from native forests to allow them to be managed for conservation, protection and recreation purposes.
