In the last few decades, an increasing number and intensity of bark beetle outbreaks have plagued the forests of Europe and North America. Bark beetle management is directly related to forest owner characteristics, although this relationship is not well understood. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of forest owner characteristics on the amount and timing of sanitary felling under different disturbance regimes and quantities of Norway spruce. We combined different databases on sanitary felling, the timing of sanitary felling, and forest owner characteristics for Slovenia from 2014 to 2018 and analyzed the amount and timing of sanitary felling in relation to forest owner characteristics. We found that the timing in winter and the amount of sanitary felling were positively associated with the distance of the owner’s residence to the forest parcel. Larger parcels were more affected by bark beetles but did not have later timing of cutting in the summer period as was hypothesized. The timing of sanitary felling decreased with property size, while with the probability of sanitary felling, the effect of property depended on the ice storm and the amount of spruce. The size of the settlement, the permanent address of the private owner, and timing of sanitary felling were positively associated but also depended on the amount of spruce. Gender and age did not have an important influence on the amount and timing of sanitary felling. Forest owners are an important factor in effective bark beetle management. This study highlights the private forest ownership characteristics that should be emphasized in order to fight bark beetle outbreaks in the event of large-scale disturbances. Governments should support forest owners who are at greater risk of bark beetle outbreaks and less efficient in managing outbreaks. Furthermore, landowner characteristics should be included when forecasting bark beetle outbreaks.

Despite strong expectations regarding the role that forestry, with its multitude of potential benefits, could and should play in the ‘bio-economy’, little research has been done on the actual perceptions of influential actors on how to best address future forest land-use disputes. We want to shed light on whether and in which contexts expectations regarding the bio-economy, e.g., the strong role of markets, are likely. The paper analyses influential actors’ core values and beliefs about the primary facilitators and the most appropriate instruments for resolving disputes over future forest land use. We used Social Network Analysis-based sampling and a quantitative semi-structured questionnaire, which included a preference analysis with twelve items covering broad issues and disputes related to future forest land use, to identify actors’ beliefs about and preferences for facilitators and policy instruments within key issues for future land use. The respondents were asked to identify one of five ‘primary facilitators’ (state, market, society, individual citizens/owners, leave it to nature) and distribute six points to a maximum of three preferred instruments (eight items, covering a broad set of instruments, from dictates or bans to awareness raising). The results are based on the perceptions of the influential or most important actors from various innovative government and private forest initiatives in Bavaria (Germany), Slovenia, Castilla y León (Spain), Nordeste (Portugal), and Latvia (481 actor responses, 109 initiatives). The initiatives included participatory mountain forest initiatives, forest intervention zones, afforestation projects, forest owner associations, and model forest and labelling initiatives. The results provide insight into the similarities and differences between European countries and actor groups regarding the preferred facilitators and instruments for solving future forest problems. In light of disagreement in the literature on the role of the state or markets in future forest land use and the bio-economy, our results show that the market and its instruments are considered to play a dominant role in wood mobilisation. With respect to all other issues (socio-ecological, societal, other), the state or other institutions and their instruments gain priority. The state is considered to play a stronger role in developing new markets, e.g., for energy transition or new uses of wood, contrary to liberal market expectations. Ecological and social problems are considered to be outside of the market domain. Here, the state is called in, e.g., to steer recreational issues, the provision of ecosystem services, or the improvement of the protective function. The clearest preference across all regions is for the state to secure the provision of ecosystem services, in contrast to calls for future markets to regulate this field.

This study examines the factors that influence the decision-making rationality of private forest owners (PFOs) when implementing salvage logging after large-scale natural disturbances. The literature suggests two main responses to large large-scale natural disturbances: performing salvage logging and no salvage at all. When salvage logging is carried out, two different strategies can be applied: clearing, i.e. all trees are removed, including damaged trees and standing survivors; and salvaging, i.e. damaged trees are removed but the surviving trees are left and some dead trees are left standing. In an online survey conducted in Slovenia in March and April 2022, responses were collected from 1515 forest-owning households. A logistic regression model was created to analyse the data and understand how socio-demographic characteristics, characteristics of forest property, forest management activities and the market influence their decisions. The results show that previous management activities and cooperation with service providers significantly influence PFOs' decision-making rationality to implement salvage logging. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the complex decision-making processes in forestry. Future research opportunities lie in investigating specific aspects of past management activities and understanding the dynamics in cooperation between different actors to develop customised policies for effective forest management after large-scale natural disturbances.

The wood-based bioeconomy is one of the main pillars of sustainable transformation and decarbonisation of the economy, as it promotes the use of renewable resources, reduces reliance on fossil fuels, and supports the development of eco-friendly industries. The paper provides quantitative insight into the potential impacts of transformation of the wood-based bioeconomy in Slovenia, a small, export-oriented economy with ample, but sub-optimally used, forest resources. The analysis uses an input–output (I-O) model to estimate I-O multipliers of sectors representing the wood-based bioeconomy and to capture their direct and indirect impacts on the Slovenian economy. The baseline performance of the wood bioeconomy sectors and their potential to induce economic activity (Scenario A) are estimated with an adjusted I-O model (based on the national I-O table for 2015), in which hybrid sectors are divided into conventional and bio-based segments. Alternative transformation pathways are translated into four additional scenarios. While Scenario B foresees progress in efficiency and integration within the existing structure of transactions, Scenario C (increased energy use of wood biomass) and Scenarios D/D+ (technology- and capital-intensive restructuring) represent two extreme restructuring pathways of the sector. The results of scenario analysis with the I-O model show that the changes in the input requirement structure of the Slovenian wood-based bioeconomy could result in up to a 17% increase in total output, up to a 20% increase in the number of employees, and up to a 16% increase in incomes, all of them attributed to the most optimistic scenario (D+). The results of the study provide quantified assessments underpinning strategic planning for the wood-based bioeconomy, both in the industry and public policy spheres.

Forestry and wood processing are strategically important industries for Slovenia and have been strengthening their role in the bioeconomy. The study addresses the use of hardwood timber in Slovenia. For actors involved in the use of hardwood timber, it is important to know the available volume of domestic timber that affects the market. For this reason, the survey presented in this work builds on the methodology for estimating the volumes and potentials of hardwood timber developed in 2014. For future decision-making on the development of the forestry and wood-processing sector, it is also essential to analyse wood flows carried out among the major wood processors of round hardwood timber. The estimated theoretical market potential for lower-quality hardwood in Slovenian forests in 2021 was 2.372 million m³, and the estimated theoretical market potential for logs was 0.777 million m³. The estimated real market potential for lower-quality hardwood in 2022 was 0.741 million m³, and for hardwood logs 0.528 million m³. Projections of hardwood potential show that similar volumes of wood will be on the market in 2025 as in 2022. The consumption of round hardwood in 2021 was 1.433 million m³, of which 0.906 million m³ was processed for energy purposes, and the remaining 0.527 million m³ was used in industry. The survey results confirm the concerns about hardwood wood use in Slovenia and indicate opportunities for the future development of the Slovenian forest and wood sector.