Reduced-impact logging practices reduce forest disturbance and carbon emissions in community managed forests on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Ellis, Edward A.; Armenta-Montero, Samaria; Gómez, Irving Uriel Hernández; Montero, José Arturo Romero; Ellis, Peter W.; Rodríguez-Ward, Dawn; Reyes, Pascual Blanco; Putz, Francis E.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2019.01.040

Cited by 36 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Due to differences in market acceptability and commercial species stocking, logging intensities also vary substantially among regions (e.g., Putz et al, 2001;Ellis P. W. et al, 2019). For example, in the forest management enterprises (FMEs) analyzed in this study, logging intensities ranged from 0.3 and 1.1 m 3 ha −1 in two Mexican ejidos (i.e., community-based FMEs; Ellis E. A. et al, 2019) to 53.3 and 56.5 m 3 ha −1 in two industrial concessions in Indonesia (Griscom et al, 2019). Understanding how the intensity of timber trees removal affects the intactness of forest within a logging block is critical for future management planning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intact Forest in Selective Logging Landscapes in the Tropics

Putz

Baker

Griscom

et al. 2019

Front. For. Glob. Change

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The selective logging that characterizes most timber extraction operations in the tropics leaves large patches of logging blocks (i. e., areas allocated for harvesting) intact, with no direct impacts of the harvest. For example, in the ∼10,000 ha we sampled in 48 forest management enterprises in Africa (Gabon, Republic of Congo, and the Democratic Republic of Congo), Indonesia, Suriname, and Mexico, an average of 57% (range 22-97%) of the area in logging blocks was not directly affected by timber harvests. The proportion of intact forest within logging blocks decreased very slightly with increases in harvest intensity in the accessed portion of the logging blocks (9-86 m 3 ha −1) but decreased strongly with harvest intensity in entire logging blocks (0.3-48.2 m 3 ha −1). More forest was left intact in areas farther from roads, on slopes >40%, and within 25 m of perennial streams, but the effect sizes of each of these variables was small (∼8%). It is less clear how much of the intact forest left after one harvest will remain intact through the next. Conservation benefits without reductions in timber yields will derive from better management planning so that sensitive and ecologically critical areas, such as steep slopes and riparian buffers, constitute permanent reserves of intact forest in selectively logged landscapes in the tropics.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intact Forest in Selective Logging Landscapes in the Tropics

Putz

Baker

Griscom

et al. 2019

Front. For. Glob. Change

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“…In other studies where degradation caused from selective logging was identified and mapped, logging intensities were much higher, such as in Malaysia (50 to 150 m 3 ha -1 : Bryan et al 2013) and Brazil (23 m 3 ha -1 : Asner et al 2005;Asner 2009); whereas in our study site, the ejidos with the highest logging intensities, Nohbec and Petcacab, were only 7 and 5 m 3 ha -1 respectively. Thus, the use of CLASlite by forest managers and conservation organizations to monitor degradation by selective logging on the Yucatan Peninsula would not be feasible in this region with very low logging intensities (Ellis et al 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Besides very low logging intensities in the Selva Maya, ejidos tend to utilize and maintain old logging roads, minimizing forest impacts from new roads. Moreover, they conduct improved management practices such as directional felling and use of modified agricultural tractor that also reduce biomass impacts (Ellis et al 2019). The rapid recovery of photosynthetic vegetation after logging in the region (Martínez and García 2007; Toledo 2009) may further complicate monitoring selective logging disturbance using Landsat images (Broadbent et al 2006) with the CLASlite monitoring system.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the CLASlite forest monitoring system in detecting disturbance from selective logging in the Selva Maya, Mexico

Hernández-Gómez¹,

Cerdán²,

Navarro-Martínez³

et al. 2019

Silva Fenn.

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Detecting and monitoring forest disturbance from selective logging is necessary to develop effective strategies and polices that conserve tropical forests and mitigate climate change. We assessed the potential of using the remote sensing tool, CLASlite forest monitoring system, to detect disturbance from timber harvesting in four community forests () of the Selva Maya on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Selective logging impacts (e.g. felling gaps, skid trails, logging roads and log landings) were mapped using GPS in the 2014 annual cutting areas (ACAs) of each ejido. We processed and analyzed two pre-harvest Landsat images (2001 and 2013) and one post-harvest image (November 2014) with the CLASlite system, producing maps of degraded, deforested and unlogged areas in each ACA. Based on reference points of disturbed (felling and skidding), deforested (log landings and roads) and unlogged areas in each ACA, we applied accuracy assessments which showed very low overall accuracies (<19.1%). Selective logging impacts, mainly from log landings and new logging road construction, were detected in only one ejido which had the highest logging intensity (7 m ha).ejidos3â1

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“…The role of community forest management in the Selva Maya in conserving forest cover has been discussed in other LULCC research (Bray et al, 2004;Ellis & Porter-Bolland, 2008). The delimitation of permanent forest areas with low intensity of logging (<7 m 3 ha À1 ), low impact silvicultural practices, minimal construction of logging roads, and large forest areas left intact in harvested areas explain reduced degradation and deforestation from community forestry (Ellis et al, 2019;Putz et al, 2019). However, legal timber extraction by itself does not explain reduced deforestation (Blackman & Villalobos, 2020) and in northern Mexico, forest value in communities increased deforestation (Perez-Verdin et al, 2009).…”

Section: Community (Ejido) Scale Driversmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drivers of forest cover transitions in the Selva Maya, Mexico: Integrating regional and community scales for landscape assessment

2021

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Tropical forest disturbance contributes to global climate change from increased carbon emissions, and causes loss of biodiversity. Thus, identifying its direct causes and underlying drivers are necessary for effective land use, climate change control and conservation strategies. We integrated remote sensing forest cover data from 2000 to 2018 with georeferenced national socioeconomic and field‐collected household data to determine underlying drivers behind forest cover transitions (e.g., deforestation, degradation, and recovery) in the Selva Maya (‘Mayan Forest’) of southeast Mexico. Spatial and statistical models (multinomial logistic regression, log‐linear regression, and analysis of variance) and social science methods (household surveys and qualitative comparative analysis) were applied to evaluate and identify socioeconomic, institutional, and environmental drivers intervening at landscape and community scales. Forest cover transitions varied geographically, and associated drivers differed by scale of analysis. Using multiple methods improved the understanding of drivers. Population growth, poverty, and roads are major drivers influencing forest cover transitions (e.g., deforestation, degradation, and recovery) in the landscape. Community scale analysis identified more drivers and offered greater detail of causal relationships. Besides population and poverty, less off‐farm employment, agriculture and cattle production, immigrant population, and private property were related to deforestation and degradation. Indigenous populations, forest dependence, off‐farm employment, and common property were associated with forest conservation. Sustainable rural development should include poverty alleviation through diversification of economic activities and increased off‐farm employment opportunities. Conservation measures should pursue the enhancement of forest value for local subsistence and economic benefits by strengthening community forest management and enterprises.

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Reduced-impact logging practices reduce forest disturbance and carbon emissions in community managed forests on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Cited by 36 publications

References 52 publications

Intact Forest in Selective Logging Landscapes in the Tropics

Intact Forest in Selective Logging Landscapes in the Tropics

Assessment of the CLASlite forest monitoring system in detecting disturbance from selective logging in the Selva Maya, Mexico

Drivers of forest cover transitions in the Selva Maya, Mexico: Integrating regional and community scales for landscape assessment

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