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The ongoing transition to a low-carbon, sustainable forest-based economy, and the adoption of circular bioeconomy principles in the wood-processing industry is associated with the optimization of natural resources, application of environmentally sustainable production technologies, adoption of technological and organizational innovations, and increased economic efficiency and competitiveness. The implementation of all these measures can help to reach the biggest challenge of our time in the fight against climate change in a cost-effective and competitive way. The aim of this study was to estimate the technical efficiency of wood-processing companies in the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Bulgaria by applying data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist productivity index (MPI), and to reveal some factors for efficiency improvements. The economic efficiency evaluation based on official data was performed using selected indices of four wood-processing companies in each country in the period 2014–2018. The study implemented an output-oriented DEA model with constant returns to scale as a nonparametric linear approach for measuring the efficiency of production decision-making units (DMUs). The results obtained revealed that the studied Slovak companies were more efficient with better management in terms of machinery planning and overhead utilization. Markedly, the Bulgarian companies achieved better materials management and current planning quality. Increased economic efficiency of wood-processing enterprises in both countries can be realized through investments in innovative technological improvements, and enhanced research and development activities.
Stanislava Krišťáková; Nikolay Neykov; Petar Antov; Mariana Sedliačiková; Roman Reh; Aureliu-Florin Halalisan; Iveta Hajdúchová. Efficiency of Wood-Processing Enterprises—Evaluation Based on DEA and MPI: A Comparison between Slovakia and Bulgaria for the Period 2014–2018. Forests 2021, 12, 1026 .
AMA StyleStanislava Krišťáková, Nikolay Neykov, Petar Antov, Mariana Sedliačiková, Roman Reh, Aureliu-Florin Halalisan, Iveta Hajdúchová. Efficiency of Wood-Processing Enterprises—Evaluation Based on DEA and MPI: A Comparison between Slovakia and Bulgaria for the Period 2014–2018. Forests. 2021; 12 (8):1026.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStanislava Krišťáková; Nikolay Neykov; Petar Antov; Mariana Sedliačiková; Roman Reh; Aureliu-Florin Halalisan; Iveta Hajdúchová. 2021. "Efficiency of Wood-Processing Enterprises—Evaluation Based on DEA and MPI: A Comparison between Slovakia and Bulgaria for the Period 2014–2018." Forests 12, no. 8: 1026.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused economic difficulties for companies in forestry as well as significant issues for entities dealing with Chain of Custody (CoC) certification. Global certification schemes, like FSC and PEFC, based on some preventive provisions in their procedural frame, developed new approaches and derogations to maintain quality evaluation and the power of standards. Arising from COVID-19 restrictions, postponed audits (and the extension of the validity of existing certifications) or remote auditing became increasingly common. Based on a survey applied to companies that had CoC FSC audits in 2020, this study aimed at evaluating the perceptions of companies regarding the audits performed under COVID pandemic procedural derogations, along with other research objectives like the continuous investigation of certification drivers or advantages. Companies indicated that the certification bodies explained the characteristics of pandemic-adapted audits and conducted risk assessments before choosing the adapted approach. Almost half of the companies perceived significant differences between the on-site previous audits and the audits performed during the pandemic due to the imposed restrictions and adapted approaches. Additionally, companies found that hybrid or remote audits are not so efficient, and for the future on-site audits are preferred. The study concluded that making the auditing procedures less interactional is not yet a sufficiently mature approach; there is a clear need for better procedures, building online tools usage capacity, to better communicate the specificity of such procedures better, and to better balance the online evaluations with on-site assessments.
Adelin-Ionuț Nicorescu; Aureliu-Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa; Nikolay Neykov. Challenges for FSC Forest Certification: Audits in the Context of Pandemic COVID-19. Forests 2021, 12, 997 .
AMA StyleAdelin-Ionuț Nicorescu, Aureliu-Florin Hălălișan, Bogdan Popa, Nikolay Neykov. Challenges for FSC Forest Certification: Audits in the Context of Pandemic COVID-19. Forests. 2021; 12 (8):997.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAdelin-Ionuț Nicorescu; Aureliu-Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa; Nikolay Neykov. 2021. "Challenges for FSC Forest Certification: Audits in the Context of Pandemic COVID-19." Forests 12, no. 8: 997.
In the recent decades, forest certification based on third-party external audits has gained momentum. This type of certification has been developed as a monitoring tool aimed at improving governance in corporate environmental management and differentiating products in the increasing environmentally sensitive markets. Although the scholarly literature has extensively analyzed the adoption and dissemination of forest certification, the findings of the external audits and certification practices remain under researched. On the basis of the analysis of 105 audit reports issued by accredited third-party certification bodies in Romania, this article sheds light on procedural factors that have significant influence on the characteristics of non-conformities (NCs) identified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) third party audits. Our research offers empirical evidence that certain procedural factors such as the type of assessment, auditing days, number of auditors, or the presence of foreign members in an audit team have a significant influence on the auditing process outcomes: number and grade of non-conformities, standard references, or methods of NC detection. The study opens interesting new lines of research—the influence of procedural or other types of contextual factors on certification outcomes—and provides indications on the effectiveness of the certification procedures and guidelines in certification process quality assurance.
Aureliu-Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa; Iñaki Saizarbitoria; Olivier Boiral; Germán Arana-Landín; Adelin-Ionuț Nicorescu; Ioan Abrudan. Procedural Factors Influencing Forest Certification Audits: An Empirical Study in Romania. Forests 2021, 12, 172 .
AMA StyleAureliu-Florin Hălălișan, Bogdan Popa, Iñaki Saizarbitoria, Olivier Boiral, Germán Arana-Landín, Adelin-Ionuț Nicorescu, Ioan Abrudan. Procedural Factors Influencing Forest Certification Audits: An Empirical Study in Romania. Forests. 2021; 12 (2):172.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAureliu-Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa; Iñaki Saizarbitoria; Olivier Boiral; Germán Arana-Landín; Adelin-Ionuț Nicorescu; Ioan Abrudan. 2021. "Procedural Factors Influencing Forest Certification Audits: An Empirical Study in Romania." Forests 12, no. 2: 172.
With state institutions playing a determinant role and the state owning 86% of the forestland, the forest sector in the Republic of Moldova still strives to adapt to post-communist socio-economic realities. This paper evaluates the performance of forest state institutions in achieving ambitious policy goals oriented toward sustainable management and enhancing forest protection functions. The performance of the Moldsilva Agency; State Forest Enterprises; and Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment were evaluated, using the criteria of the 3L Model. The research combined participatory observations, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and secondary empirical evidence. The results indicate a paternalistic regulatory approach, with state authority institutions giving marginal importance to non-state forests, and low-efficiency state forest management institutions having financial difficulties that threaten the fulfillment of sustainability goals. The Moldsilva Agency has a central role in intra-/inter-sectorial coordination and cooperation. The authorities should seriously consider a more precise formulation of policy goals, with solid budgetary support along with institutional measures aiming at more efficient forest management structures and higher concern for non-state forests and society’s demands.
Nicolae Talpă; Aureliu Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa. Analysis of State Forest Institutions in the Republic of Moldova, Using a Causative Model. Forests 2021, 12, 105 .
AMA StyleNicolae Talpă, Aureliu Florin Hălălișan, Bogdan Popa. Analysis of State Forest Institutions in the Republic of Moldova, Using a Causative Model. Forests. 2021; 12 (1):105.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNicolae Talpă; Aureliu Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa. 2021. "Analysis of State Forest Institutions in the Republic of Moldova, Using a Causative Model." Forests 12, no. 1: 105.
Ecuador belongs to the group of 17 megadiverse countries on the planet, and the Ecuadorian national system of protected areas covers around 20% of the country’s territory. Despite some initiatives for protected areas management effectiveness evaluation, the information on this matter is scarce and a general overview is missing. In this context, this study aims at investigating problems faced by National Parks in Ecuador and developing a base level management effectiveness evaluation for possible comparative assessments in the future. Focusing on all 12 legally established National Parks, this study used the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT), an internationally consecrated methodology based on a scorecard questionnaire that includes six elements of management cycle: context, planning, inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes. The questionnaire was applied to Ecuadorian National Parks management teams through face-to-face interviews. The resulted overall management effectiveness indices are between 40.6% and 99.0%. The general condition of biodiversity value was considered as good in line with the legal status and National Parks design but topics related to budget allocation, tourism arrangements, communities and indigenous people received lower scores. The low enforcement emphasis is not necessarily the best way to improve management effectiveness; the identified issues should be addressed by including communities and indigenous people in the decision making and benefits sharing as well as strategic allocation of budgetary resources, with proper adaptation to Natural Parks’ specific conditions.
Ciprian Negru; Isabel Domínguez Gaibor; Aureliu-Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa. Management Effectiveness Assessment for Ecuador’s National Parks. Diversity 2020, 12, 487 .
AMA StyleCiprian Negru, Isabel Domínguez Gaibor, Aureliu-Florin Hălălișan, Bogdan Popa. Management Effectiveness Assessment for Ecuador’s National Parks. Diversity. 2020; 12 (12):487.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCiprian Negru; Isabel Domínguez Gaibor; Aureliu-Florin Hălălișan; Bogdan Popa. 2020. "Management Effectiveness Assessment for Ecuador’s National Parks." Diversity 12, no. 12: 487.
Forestland privatization and transition to a market economy triggered important changes in the Romanian forest sector, imposing challenges for forest management structures. Voluntary forest management certification has been considered a possible solution; therefore, the certified forest area has increased rapidly regardless of the land owner. The purpose of this study is to provide an insight into the certification process. It presents the result of a survey applied to 417 forest management structures in Romania, which was intended to identify the perception of their managers regarding the reasons to adopt certification, the changes determined by the certification, the problems during the process, and the benefits. The study reveals the difference in perception among different types of forest management structures. Non-state management structures voluntarily adopted FSC certification, mainly aiming to obtain economic advantages. Most of the respondents indicated important changes in the consultation with stakeholders including local communities, transparency and clear records, the use of chemicals, and biodiversity protection. Although the FSC certification was not perceived as solving issues like illegal logging, there is a general perception that it improved forest management. The study concludes that the FSC certification proves the willingness of the Romanian forest management sector to cope with the market and trends and clarify its position in society.
Aureliu Florin Halalisan; Ioan Vasile Abrudan; Bogdan Popa. Forest Management Certification in Romania: Motivations and Perceptions. Forests 2018, 9, 425 .
AMA StyleAureliu Florin Halalisan, Ioan Vasile Abrudan, Bogdan Popa. Forest Management Certification in Romania: Motivations and Perceptions. Forests. 2018; 9 (7):425.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAureliu Florin Halalisan; Ioan Vasile Abrudan; Bogdan Popa. 2018. "Forest Management Certification in Romania: Motivations and Perceptions." Forests 9, no. 7: 425.
More than a third of Romania’s surface has low-productive soils, at the same time exposed to risks of climatic phenomena and generating high economic loss. Afforestation with pine has been the most common solution for the recovery of sheet erosion. Many of the pines grown on such land have run down. This paper presents the results of the first dendroecological investigation of degraded lands in Romania, 80 years after the first ecological reconstruction. In this way, the effects of reconstruction were assessed, supporting the adoption of future solutions for the improvement and efficiency of recovered ecosystems. Reconstructed radial growth was set against rainfall, air temperature, and management history. A total of 330 black pine and Scots pine trees (Pinus sylvestris L. and Pinus nigra Arn.) of different ages and social positions from 11 stands of different densities were cored for retrospective tree-ring analysis. Scots pine has made better use of these sites, with a better growth rate than black pine especially in plantations with lower survival and on dominant trees. The dynamics of radial growth distinguish the two pine species, with Scots pine showing an accentuated juvenile growth spurt and bigger growth range. The growth decline is predominantly a maturation effect that begins when the tree is around 40 years old and seems to be irreversible. After this age, weak or moderated removal is not enough to revive growth. The contribution of climate (air temperature and rainfall) to the last radial increments in decline is 3–57% and is higher than in the previous decades. On moderately degraded land by farming and grazing, the mixture of Scots pine and black pine, rather than monocultures, proved to be a sustainable solution. Dendrochronological surveying of restored ecosystems allows development of management strategies, which becomes critically important in the circumstances of climate warming.
Ciprian Valentin Silvestru-Grigore; Florin Dinulică; Gheorghe Spârchez; Aureliu Florin Hălălișan; Lucian Constantin Dincă; Raluca Elena Enescu; Vlad Emil Crișan. Radial Growth Behavior of Pines on Romanian Degraded Lands. Forests 2018, 9, 213 .
AMA StyleCiprian Valentin Silvestru-Grigore, Florin Dinulică, Gheorghe Spârchez, Aureliu Florin Hălălișan, Lucian Constantin Dincă, Raluca Elena Enescu, Vlad Emil Crișan. Radial Growth Behavior of Pines on Romanian Degraded Lands. Forests. 2018; 9 (4):213.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCiprian Valentin Silvestru-Grigore; Florin Dinulică; Gheorghe Spârchez; Aureliu Florin Hălălișan; Lucian Constantin Dincă; Raluca Elena Enescu; Vlad Emil Crișan. 2018. "Radial Growth Behavior of Pines on Romanian Degraded Lands." Forests 9, no. 4: 213.
This explorative study aims to shed light on the ways in which Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification interacts with the implementation of the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) in Romania. To this end, the EUTR implementation process is examined, and the relationship between this implementation and FSC certification is explored. There is a particular focus on the extent to which certification has helped companies to comply with EUTR requirements. The study uses the analytical framework of Transnational Business Governance Interactions (TBGI) and a mixed research approach. It is found that FSC certification has to a large extent helped companies to prepare for and align with the EUTR’s requirements, in particular concerning risk assessment and risk mitigation procedures needed for a due diligence system (DDS), and in the context of a “policy vacuum” period related to EUTR implementation. Moreover, recent changes in the FSC standard make it theoretically in line with EUTR requirements. However, difficulties remain in relation to the lack of information, costs and bureaucracy associated with both EUTR implementation and FSC certification. Notably, in the absence of a monitoring organization, the establishment of a viable DDS is still problematic as many companies remain unprepared for developing their own systems. Finally, the EUTR and its risk management requirements may have partly fueled the increase in uptake of chain of custody (CoC) certification in Romania. However, due to the risk of CoC certificates including illegally sourced timber, this recent uptake in certification does not necessarily indicate improved sustainable forest management (SFM) or full compliance with EUTR.
Ines Gavrilut; Aureliu-Florin Halalisan; Alexandru Giurca; Metodi Sotirov. The Interaction between FSC Certification and the Implementation of the EU Timber Regulation in Romania. Forests 2015, 7, 3 .
AMA StyleInes Gavrilut, Aureliu-Florin Halalisan, Alexandru Giurca, Metodi Sotirov. The Interaction between FSC Certification and the Implementation of the EU Timber Regulation in Romania. Forests. 2015; 7 (12):3.
Chicago/Turabian StyleInes Gavrilut; Aureliu-Florin Halalisan; Alexandru Giurca; Metodi Sotirov. 2015. "The Interaction between FSC Certification and the Implementation of the EU Timber Regulation in Romania." Forests 7, no. 12: 3.