The present study is an investigation into beekeeping activity values as land use types practiced in Sudanese forests. The main objectives of the study are to estimate honey yield produced per unit area from four tree species, namely: Acacia seyal, A. nilotica, Ziziphus spina-Christi and Eucalyptus spp. Furthermore, the study aims at estimating its economic value and financial return (US$/hectare) using Return On Investment (ROI) as a decision criterion. In addition, the study aims at identifying the obstacles and constraints which this activity faces. The data were collected through interviews with 96 beekeepers in six selected production areas and a survey of market-related data. A structured questionnaire was used, and a descriptive and comparative analysis carried out. The results indicated that the average annual yield of honey/bee hives is 13 kg, ranging between 10 and 16 kg, and A. seyal showed the highest productivity. Furthermore, the results showed that 15 bee colonies/hectare is more suitable with a return rate of 780 US$/hectare annual income. This result indicates that the productivity of honey yield from forest trees has a considerable economic value and financial return. Thus, these results could be a great incentive to encourage local communities to integrate forest management.

The present study aimed to understand visitors’ perceptions of the ecosystem service functions of the AL-Sunut Forest Reserve, as well as their recreational activities. Here, the impact of respondents’ socioeconomic status on visitors’ perceptions was statistically analyzed by t-tests and ANOVA (SPSS software v26). Meanwhile, multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the relationships between factors shaping respondents’ perceptions of the AL-Sunut Forest during recreational activities. A total of 441 visitors were randomly selected and questioned through a questionnaire survey during February and March 2020. The results showed that visitors believed the recreational forest site was important and valuable and were willing to revisit it. Visitors also demonstrated a particular understanding of the ecosystem services provided by the forest ecosystem. There were significant differences in perceptions of ecosystem services among visitors of different backgrounds. The findings indicated that 79% of participants responded positively towards the importance of environmental education compared with any other education. In addition, 90% of respondents believed that habitats and natural resources such as forests must be protected. The results of the recreational activities of visitors showed that they acquired the most benefits when experiencing picturesque scenery and walking. Overall, the present findings can pave the way for decision-makers to develop a unique plan focusing on forests to implement an exhaustive approach to assessing the value of ecosystem services while emphasizing the general public’s welfare. The study’s results can also contribute to the future management of the AL-Sunut Forest.

This study aims to present a methodological framework for estimating the recreational value as part of the ecosystem’s services provided by the Sudanese forests. The number of visitors ready to pay for the forest’s services has been analyzed using the individual travel cost method (ITCM). The data were collected using questionnaires with 640 visitors randomly participating at the forest site, and respondents’ results were analyzed using SPSS software v21. Further analysis of ITCM was performed using analysis of moment structure. The linear regression model is used to estimate the effects of variables, like socioeconomic variables, on the frequency of the visits to assess the recreational value of the forest site. The results showed that the consumer’s excess for each visitor was 21,500 Sudanese pounds (SDG), and travel costs, age, income, distance, and family size of visitors affect the recreational use of the site. Most of the visitors were students, with the majority of their ages ranging between 21 and 30. An additional discovery indicated that higher-income visitors were more willing to travel. These encouraging findings are a helpful guide for planning the future management of forests for recreational uses. This meant that forests offer great recreational value, which might help the Forestry Office ensure that natural forests are planned for and used sustainably.