Ying Zhang

Forest management objectives have shifted from timber-only production to multifunctional management. From this, a divergence has emerged between the private and social optimal rotation decisions pursued by forest farmers and the government, respectively. Identifying this divergence and improving eco-compensation mechanisms accordingly are critical to promoting multifunctional plantation management. Based on a constructed multi-service Faustmann–Hartman model, this study uses the examples of Picea asperata, Pinus yunnanensis, and Pinus massoniana in Sichuan Province to compare changes in the optimal rotation period and land expectation value (LEV) across three progressive scenarios: timber management, carbon sink management, and multi-objective management. It also estimates eco-compensation needs based on staged opportunity costs. The results show that incorporating non-market ecosystem services delays the optimal rotation period and increases LEV. These systems’ contribution to rotation extension exceeds that of the carbon sink. Sensitivity analysis indicates that timber price and discount rate are important parameters affecting LEV and the optimal rotation period, with the discount rate exerting the most pronounced effect; by contrast, although carbon price increases LEV, its effect on extending the rotation period is relatively limited. Based on management feasibility boundaries, Picea asperata, Pinus yunnanensis, and Pinus massoniana are classified as ecological value-dependent, carbon-enhanced, and management-robust types, respectively. Staged compensation estimates show that carbon sink revenues cover the opportunity costs of switching from timber management to carbon sink management; however, transitioning further to multifunctional management still requires fiscal compensation. Using the existing compensation standard for eligible non-state-owned public welfare forests in Sichuan Province as a policy benchmark, the estimated annual compensation requirements for Pinus yunnanensis and Pinus massoniana exceed this standard by 81.46 and 12.99 CNY/(ha·year), respectively, whereas the requirement for Picea asperata is lower than the benchmark. Therefore, plantation eco-compensation policies should shift from uniform compensation to differentiated mechanisms that account for species heterogeneity and the transition stages included in management objectives.

Based on six periods of remote sensing image data of land resource utilization from 1995 to 2020, this study conducted an analysis of the carbon balance of land resource utilization in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region of China and proposed spatial optimization strategies for land resource utilization. The results were as follows: (1) Over the 25-year period, the carbon emissions from land use in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region showed a significant “inverted U-shaped” curve pattern. Construction land was the main carbon source, and the spatial distribution presented a “core–edge” gradient emission pattern, with the highest carbon emission intensity in the core area of Beijing–Tianjin–Tangshan, followed by the central area of Jizhongnan, and the ecological area of Jibei maintaining a low-carbon level. (2) Although the total carbon absorption showed a slow growth trend, the regional carbon deficit situation continued to intensify, reflecting the ecological imbalance problem during the rapid urbanization process. (3) Based on the carbon neutrality goal and the main functional zoning, the study optimized and restructured the territorial spatial divisions of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region into six categories, namely, low-carbon maintenance—agricultural product main production area; carbon intensity control—optimized development zone; carbon sink function—key ecological function area; carbon sink function—key development zone; high-carbon optimization—optimized development zone; and high-carbon optimization—key development zone. Resource allocation plans are suggested for each optimized zone, serving as a scientific basis for the coordinated development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region of China via low-carbon transformation and territorial spatial optimization configuration.

Pollinating insects are the most important pollinators in nature; they pollinate vegetables, fruits, oil crops, and wild plants, so that crop yields can be increased, wild plants can live and reproduce, and human food security and ecosystem stability are maintained. To identify the pollination network of plants–insects and the pollination service value in Hanzhong City, the methods of random net capture and transect counting in field work were used. The agricultural statistical data from Hanzhong City in 2023 was combined in the analysis. The results showed that Hanzhong City is rich in pollinator resources, with a total of 80 species of pollinators and 59 species of pollinating crops and wild nectar plants. The abundant pollinator resources provide sufficient pollination services for the production of local vegetables, fruits, and oil crops. The characteristics of the pollination networks are obvious, showing the structural characteristics of low connectivity, medium nesting, and low network specialization. In 2023, the pollination service value of pollinators in Hanzhong City was CNY 3524–4878 billion, accounting for 10.02–13.87% of the city’s agricultural output value of the year. Suggestions for the protection of pollinators in Hanzhong City: Reduce the use of pesticide, support beekeeping, intercrop nectar plants, and rationally plant crops.

Forests in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region have played an important role in wind prevention, sand fixation, and carbon emission reduction in China. This study uses scenario analysis to assess the region’s potential for carbon emission reduction through forest carbon sinks under low-carbon development scenarios. The findings suggest that, by 2030, when carbon emissions are expected to peak, the maximum projected cumulative carbon reduction from forest carbon sinks in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region will be 25.572 million tons, contributing 6.26% to carbon emission reduction. By 2060, when the region aims to achieve carbon neutrality, the maximum projected cumulative carbon reduction from forest carbon sinks will be 366.207 million tons, with a contribution to carbon neutrality exceeding 17%. In the medium-to-long term, the forest carbon sink mechanism is anticipated to become a primary pathway for carbon emission reduction in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. This study expands the analytical framework for carbon emission reduction pathways under various scenarios and recommends that relevant government departments in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region enhance coordination of “carbon-related” policies across cities and actively explore cross-regional ecological compensation models for forest carbon sinks, etc.

The establishment of national parks is a critical measure for natural ecological protection in China, significantly contributing to biodiversity conservation and regional sustainable development. However, the analysis of temporal-spatial variations in ecosystem services within national parks, along with the factors influencing these variations, remains largely overlooked. This gap limits the effectiveness of ecological protection and refined management in these parks. Using Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park (HTRNP) as a case study, this study integrates geospatial analysis ArcGIS with the InVEST model to evaluate the regulating ecosystem services (RESs) from 2000 to 2020 at 5-year intervals. The analysis examines the temporal evolution patterns and spatial distribution of RESs, utilizing LightGBM to identify the primary driving factors of these services. The findings reveal the following: (1) Temporally, the RESs exhibit significant fluctuations, with a trend of “initial decline followed by a subsequent rise”. Climate regulation services accounted for the highest proportion at 61.4%, followed by water conservation and soil retention. (2) Spatially, the RESs in the eastern and central regions are slightly higher than those in the western region, demonstrating consistency across different years. The RESs in HTRNP show a strong spatial clustering effect (Moran’s I > 0.5, Z > 2.58), with spatial hotspots (H-H) in the eastern and central regions, and spatial cold spots (L-L) in the western and northern regions. (3) In terms of driving factors, natural factors, including annual precipitation (PRE) and annual potential evapotranspiration (PET) alongside socio-economic factors such as land use and land cover (LULC) and the Human Footprint Index (HFI), make the highest marginal contributions to RESs. Specifically, RESs demonstrate the strongest correlation with LULC, a positive correlation with PRE, and negative correlations with PET and HFI. This study explores the dynamic changes and influencing factors of RESs, providing a scientific guideline for future ecological planning and effective management decisions within HTRNP.

Hainan Island has rich water resources and unique lake ecosystems. Organically connecting lakes and wetlands with forest ecosystems should be considered in order to strengthen biodiversity protection, form a continuous green corridor to promote species migration and gene exchange, and enhance the stability and resilience of the overall ecological system and maximize its benefits. The method of linear programming was used in this study to analyze the forest ecosystem on Hainan Island in China in order to provide a scientific basis for the integration, protection and management of lakes, wetlands and forests. This study points out that the ratio of the area of timber forest, protection forest, special-purpose forest and bamboo forest should be adjusted from the current 68:22.9:7.1:1.8 to 24:72.8:2.5:0.6. The average shadow price of the reasonable use of different forest lands on Hainan Island is 2512.46 CNY/ha and the optimal value of special-purpose forest is 4376.04 CNY/ha, rather than the current 6888.50 CNY/ha. This study also shows that the timber forest, special-purpose forest and bamboo forest on Hainan Island are short-term products, while protection forest, wood-fuel forest, economic forest, open forest land, shrub land, young afforested land and non-forest land are long-term products, for which it is not easy to obtain benefits in the short-term. A combination of long- and short-term forest ecological planning should be considered to maintain the various long-term benefits. This study finally proposes that Hainan Island should reduce its proportion of timber forest area; increase its proportion of protection forest area; focus on the integrated development of lakes, wetlands and forests and biodiversity conservation goals; and pay close attention to the adjustment of forest type structure in order to meet the needs of ecological province construction and sustainable development.

Ecosystem services serve as a bridge between the ecological environment and human society. The quantitative analysis and forecasting of ecosystem services can provide references for regional eco-environmental assessments and land-use planning for the future. In this study, taking Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park (HTRNP) as an example, the value of regulating ecosystem services (RESs) in 2020 was assessed via ArcGIS 10.1 and the InVEST 3.5 model, and the per-unit value of RESs was calculated for different LULC types. In addition, in accordance with the Overall Planning for HTRNP and the objective of optimizing RESs, the value of RESs in short-term (to 2030) and long-term (to 2050) scenarios was forecast via a linear programming model. The results are as follows: (1) The RES value of HTRNP in 2020 was CNY 2090.67 × 10⁸, with climate regulation accounting for the largest proportion; the spatial distribution of RESs in the eastern and central areas was higher than that in the western area, but different indicators of RESs differed in their spatial patterns in varied geographic units. (2) The natural forest ecosystem in HTRNP accounts for 76.94% of the total area but 84.82% of the total value of RESs. The per-unit value is ranked from highest to lowest as follows: montane rainforests > wetlands > lowland rainforests > lowland secondary rainforests > tropical coniferous forests > deciduous monsoon rainforests > tropical cloud forests > shrub forests > timber forests > economic forests > rubber forests > grasslands > farmlands > settlements. (3) In the short-term scenario, the value of RESs is CNY 2216.64 × 10⁸, an increase of CNY 118.97 × 10⁸ compared to 2020, with an increase rate of 5.67%. In the long-term scenario, the value of RESs is CNY 2472.48 × 10⁸, an increase of CNY 374.81 × 10⁸ compared to 2020, with an increase rate of 17.87%. The results reveal the significance of ecosystem services in the national park and can inform more targeted and scientifically sound decision-making in the future.

The forest carbon sink is a cornerstone in Vietnam's strategy to combat climate change, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050 as pledged during COP26. Assessing the economic benefits of Vietnam's current forest carbon sinks is crucial for initiating a domestic forest carbon trading market. Following protocols set by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change in 2006, market valuation techniques to approximate the economic value of the forest carbon reservoir were employed. Results show Vietnam's forest ecosystems sequester about 1,401.52 million tons of carbon, equivalent to 5,143.60 million tons of CO2. The estimated economic value is approximately 25,717.95 million USD, with natural forests valued at about 87.44 million USD annually and planted forests at 63 million USD annually. These findings underscore Vietnam's capacity to establish and expand its forest carbon trading market. However, currently the establishment of Vietnam's forest carbon sink market is still in the preparatory phase and has not yet developed into an independent and complete trading system. Therefore, to optimize this potential, Vietnam needs to improve forest quality, promote sustainable forestry economics, and conduct scientific research to provide persuasive and reliable evidence, to support policies for the establishment and development of the forest carbon sink market. Keywords: Biomass, economic value, forest carbon sink, market value method, stock volume, Viet Nam.