Bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.), blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.) and cowberries (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) are the most important forest berries collected in the Czech Republic (CZ). The average annual value of these collected berry species is estimated to be worth more than EUR 86 million at 2018 prices. The data concerning the collection and use of forest fruits have been systematically collected in a highly detailed structure since 2008, which enables the application of the advanced statistical methods used in this paper. The results of the analyses inter alia demonstrate that collecting forest berries is not only an important recreational activity, but it has an important economic effect. Therefore, this article also deals with the collection of forest fruits, especially bilberries, as a potentially important non-wood forest product (NWFP) for sustainable forest management and also analyses the external factors influencing the total annual amount of collected forest berries. A deeper knowledge of the customer and his or her behaviour—customer insight—are prerequisites for the proactive management of forest ecosystems. The first step to “berry picker insight” is to learn more about the demand, its structure and factors which influence this demand. Thus, one of the research questions concentrates on the analysis of the sociodemographic characteristics of the berry picker that are relevant for explaining the amount of collected forest berries in the Czech Republic. Knowledge of these factors can contribute to a more effective application of marketing methods for shaping and influencing the demand so that, in terms of time and place, it is more in line with the supply, which is limited by the natural conditions, growing season and production potential of forest ecosystems.

This paper introduces the KABADA (Knowledge Alliance of Business Idea Assessment: Digital Approach) tool, together with the opinions of young people about entrepreneurship, their skills, and their experience with this tool. The focus is on non-business students who study natural sciences, engineering, and other areas at the Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology at Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic. The KABADA tool has been developed and tested by a team of international experts. It can be used by a wide audience, including forester management specialists. This structured, web-based platform is based on theoretical research, relevant statistics, and artificial intelligence insights. It guides entrepreneurs through business idea assessment including challenges and opportunities. The research included survey answers from 60 university students before and after using the KABADA tool. The results show that students are interested in entrepreneurship but do not have the knowledge or experience, or support from the curriculum. The majority of the students had no or very low experience with entrepreneurship, no entrepreneurship training, and had not studied entrepreneurship. After using the tool, students declared that they had a higher knowledge of entrepreneurship and the number of students who intended to become an entrepreneur increased. The tool is available online, free of charge.

Forestry, nursery, and planting tasks involve repetitive trunk flexion, squatting, and kneeling, as well as manual handling, increasing musculoskeletal load, and the need for mobility-related safety measures. Passive exoskeletons could mitigate postural exposure and reduce the overall body workload. We conducted a preliminary study (n = 14) to test the feasibility of a protocol and estimated model- and task-specific trends during standardized simulated nursery activities in a laboratory setting. Participants simulated planting and seeding tasks (loads of 0.5–2 kg) and material handling and preparation tasks (loads of 5–15 kg) without an exoskeleton (No-EXO) and with three passive models (EXO 1–EXO 3). EXO 3 was excluded from the planting tasks for feasibility reasons. Whole-body kinematics were recorded using an IMU-based motion capture system and converted into time-based ergonomic exposure outcomes (OWAS and RULA). Physiological load was monitored via heart-rate (HR) measurements. Compared to the No-EXO condition, exoskeleton use shifted posture exposure towards lower-risk categories. The largest improvements were observed with EXO 2 and EXO 3 during material handling (OWAS: −18%/−20%; RULA action-level reduction: −25%/−39%) and with EXO 2 during planting/seeding (OWAS: −15%; RULA: −26%). HR_max did not increase across tasks or conditions and HR tended not to rise with higher workload when exoskeletons were used. Overall, the results suggest positive ergonomic and workload trends related to the model and tasks. Field validation on uneven terrain with full personal protective equipment and harness integration is needed to confirm usability and support and to define implementation requirements (fit, compatibility with PPE, and safe-use conditions).

The study aims to quantify, categorize, and analyse the implemented projects to develop supported effects and ecosystem services of suburban recreational forests. Due to its recent intensive development, Recreational Forest Chrudim – Podhůra was selected as the case study area. After gathering information on the implementation, the projects were categorized according to their purpose, namely infrastructure, recreational, sports, and educational projects, and three categories were created according to their financial volume. The results of the categorizations were analysed. For project owners and operators, conducting proper economic analyses is essential for future development planning. Due to the work’s universality, the established procedures and results can serve not only recreational forest owners and operators. Presented information should help quantify, categorize, and plan development projects and other forest ecosystem services. The results can also be used to address the valuation and quantification of payments for forest ecosystem services.

Research, development and innovation are generally formulated as priority attributes of economic growth, competitiveness and, therefore, improvement of living standards and social conditions all over the world. According to the Czech Statistical Office, the main source of funding for research, development and innovation in the Czech Republic are domestic and foreign enterprises. The emergence and history of forestry research in the Czech Republic has a remarkable and deep tradition, enhanced by the longevity of natural and production processes in forestry, not least because of the accentuated social importance of forest and forestry functions. The paper focuses on the research and development activities of selected forestry companies in the Czech Republic. The analysis included the state enterprise Lesy České republiky (Forests of the Czech Republic, s.e.), enterprises in the position of so-called contractual partners (in the outsourcing business model) and companies carrying out management activities in municipal forests. The basic methodological approach was the analysis of publicly available information on research and development reported by the enterprises concerned as so-called non-financial information in their annual reports for the years 2014–2020, on the basis of Act No. 563/1991 Coll., on accounting.

Whereas agroforestry has emerged as a vital Nature-Based Solution (NBS) in the face of climate change, it is yet to be fully embraced in many parts of the world including Uganda. Therefore, understanding the various dynamics surrounding agroforestry adaptation such as the associated benefits and drivers is equally important. The study aimed to explore perceptions and preferences for agroforestry benefits from both ecological and socioeconomic aspects in Uganda. The study employed a non-probability convenience online survey and a total of n = 1138 responses were collected and subjected to descriptive and binary regression analysis. Assessment of agroforestry benefits demonstrated very high ecological preferences. The socioeconomic factors of wood fuel, forest incomes, and forest food and fruits ranked moderately. The models showed a consistent cluster of positive relations among provisioning/protection outlooks of forest food and fruits, water protection and soil conservation services. Moreover, the trade-offs between livelihood dependency for wood fuel/firewood energy, forest income and conservation attitudes (saving nature) were observed. The demographics characteristics (age and gender) were mainly not significant across most models. The efforts of the government of Uganda had a positive and very significant correlation with a preference for wood fuel, indicating policy problems. The study outcomes not only provide a strong case for future studies regarding agroforestry benefits but also offer insights for policy advice such as integrated approaches in agroforestry systems in Uganda.