The usefulness of Decision Support Systems in participatory forest planning: a comparison between Finland and Italy

Meo, I. De; Ferretti, Fabrizio; Hujala, Teppo; Kangas, Annika

doi:10.5424/fs/2013222-02953

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Our results showed that the use of DSSs during the Intelligence phase is critical, as confirmed by previous reports (Raggad 1996, De Meo et al 2013). According to respondents, Intelligence seems the step with the lesser usefulness for DSSs.…”

Section: Dss Usefulness In Participatory Forest Planningsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…The present study has a dual purpose. Firstly, it will extend the research of De Meo et al (2013) to a wider geographical area. Secondly, it will focus not only on analyzing final users' point of view on the Usefulness of DSSs in participatory forest planning, but also on the Perceived Usefulness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The final users' PU and the way they see the Usefulness of forest DSSs are affected by several elements, such as the local socio-cultural and territorial context, the availability and culture of using DSSs, the final users' background, and their profession (Amoako-Gyampah 2007, Inman et al 2011, De Meo et al 2013). Italian and Finnish researchers' and practitioners' perception of DSS Usefulness in participatory forest planning has been analyzed by De Meo et al (2013). The present study has a dual purpose.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Usefulness and perceived usefulness of Decision Support Systems (DSSs) in participatory forest planning: the final users’ point of view

Pastorella¹,

Borges²,

Meo³

2016

iForest

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, Isabella De Meo (3)In recent decades, the focus of forestry Decision Support Systems (DSSs) has expanded to consider the social dimension of forestry and to support participatory decision-making. A large number of models and tools have become available to solve forest management planning problems. The Usefulness of a DSS depends on the range of tools that it incorporates, and many researches have been developed to evaluate DSSs using Usefulness as parameter. The assessment of Usefulness concerns the effectiveness of a DSS. Furthermore, most assessments take into account the degree of Perceived Usefulness, which is considered an indicator of the impact a system has on job performance. The present study focuses on the analysis of final users' point of view on the Usefulness and Perceived Usefulness of DSSs in participatory forest planning. The research investigates how forest users' characteristics and context influence their views on the potentialities of DSSs to enhance both the various phases of the participatory planning process (Usefulness) and job performance (Perceived Usefulness). The study is based on quantitative data collected through two questionnaires e-mailed to a sample of 150 DSSs end users. The questionnaires focused on Usefulness and on Perceived Usefulness topics, respectively. Results indicate that special attention must be given to motivating respondents with a clear explanation of the survey objectives when e-mailing questionnaires. Moreover, results show that, in general, respondents consider DSSs useful at each step of the participatory process, despite differences emerge among steps. The research also shows that respondents' Perceived Usefulness of DSSs was higher before actually engaging with DSSs. Furthermore, the results highlight differences in Perceived Usefulness to improve job performance, suggesting that the use of DSSs may actually improve job performance more than expected. Specifically, results indicate that improving the technical descriptions of methodologies incorporated in a DSS may contribute to increasing the Perceived Usefulness. The information provided within this research contributes to the advancement of knowledge regarding the Usefulness of DSSs as perceived by forest stakeholders, which in turn supports the improvement of DSS architectures and the development of participatory processes in forest management planning.

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Section: Dss Usefulness In Participatory Forest Planningsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Usefulness and perceived usefulness of Decision Support Systems (DSSs) in participatory forest planning: the final users’ point of view

Pastorella¹,

Borges²,

Meo³

2016

iForest

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“…Thus, the way the methods are applied may actually be a more relevant factor than which methods are applied (see also De Meo et al 2013).…”

Section: Recommendations For Mixing Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Mixing methods – assessment of potential benefits for natural resources planning

Myllyviita

Hujala

Kangas

et al. 2013

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research

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Multi-objective forest planning is a multi-methodological endeavor whose success largely depends on how well the combined use of different methods contributes to the goals of the planning. This review assessed the benefits of mixing methods in natural resources planning. A sample of 30 peer-reviewed research articles was analyzed using an evaluation framework, designed based on democracy and planning theories, and participatory planning literature, including four dimensions: transparency, flexibility, consensus building, and operability. According to analyses, mixing different types (i.e. qualitative and quantitative) of methods generally yields greater benefits than the combination of similar methods. The subsample of 12 planning cases that utilized simulation-optimization software (SOS) appeared operable and moderately transparent, whereas flexibility and consensus building were often lacking. In comparison to the wide scholarly discussion on multi-methodology and mixing methods, it was observed that successful mixing examples in natural resource planning are still scarce and there are weaknesses in bridging the methods together. There is an evident need to pursue and to better communicate the benefits of mixing. Some good mixing examples utilizing SOS provided evidence that forest planning processes would make an excellent venue for studying the benefits and caveats of using mixed methods.

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“…Similarly, the implementation of scenario-based solutions (i.e., models and tools) at the operational scale for maximizing FES provision in forest management planning contexts is still lacking in many parts of Italy. Although several studies have attempted to combine decision support systems with participatory processes (Basilicata region; [26]) and addressed the multi-functionality of forest landscapes (Molise region; [27]), many more efforts are still needed to consider FES in a spatially-explicit way and their related trade-offs in forest management planning in Italy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The MIMOSE Approach to Support Sustainable Forest Management Planning at Regional Scale in Mediterranean Contexts

et al. 2017

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In recent decades, Mediterranean landscapes have been affected by human-induced drivers,\ud such as land use and climate change. Forest ecosystems and landscapes have been particularly\ud affected in mountainous regions due to limited management and stewardship, especially in\ud remote areas. Therefore, there is a need to set up new strategies to enhance ecosystem services\ud in forested areas which, in turn, will benefit local communities and economies. In this study,\ud we implemented a new approach—Multiscale Mapping of Ecosystem Services (MIMOSE)—to assess\ud ecosystem services in Mediterranean forests located in a mountainous region of Italy. We spatially\ud assessed timber provision and carbon sequestration according to three forest management strategies:\ud business-as-usual, maximizing economic values, and prioritizing conservation. Sustainable strategies\ud for forest planning were identified at the landscape scale. We found that (i) timber provision is\ud a conflicting service, especially when adaptation strategies are promoted; (ii) the most balanced set of\ud forest ecosystem services is achieved through prioritizing conservation; and (iii) the ecosystem\ud services availability is enhanced by optimizing the spatial allocation of different management\ud strategies. Our approach is suitable to support landscape planning for balancing forest ecosystem\ud potentialities while respecting local community needs and promoting sustainable development goals\ud in the Mediterranean area

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The usefulness of Decision Support Systems in participatory forest planning: a comparison between Finland and Italy

Cited by 9 publications

References 17 publications

Usefulness and perceived usefulness of Decision Support Systems (DSSs) in participatory forest planning: the final users’ point of view

Usefulness and perceived usefulness of Decision Support Systems (DSSs) in participatory forest planning: the final users’ point of view

Mixing methods – assessment of potential benefits for natural resources planning

The MIMOSE Approach to Support Sustainable Forest Management Planning at Regional Scale in Mediterranean Contexts

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