Cost efficiency in pursuing environmental objectives in forestry

A number of measures can be taken to make forestry more compatible with environmental requirements. However; the measures differ from each other with regard to both effects on the environment and effects on the economy of forestry. This paper reports a study focused on the cost efficiency of various environmental consideration measures taken in final logging, i.e. when the rotation period of the timber production is ended. It was found that of 19 measures studied, 4 have a negative effect, 12 have no significant effect and 3 have positive effect on the net revenue of final logging. Furthermore, it was found that the measures having no significant, or a positive, effect on the net revenue of final logging do in general affect the recreation environment and the biodiversity about as positively as do the measures having a negative effect on the net revenue of final logging. A large part of the environmental consideration in final logging is thus very cost efficient, but at the same time the results indicate that the cost efficiency could be increased further. (C) 1999 Academic Press.