Differentiation in Management Intensity Practiced in the State Forest of the Free State of Saxony | Zur Differenzierung der Wirtschaftsintensität in den Landesforsten des Freistaates Sachsen

The endeavours of forest managers to improve the cost-benefit ratio always forms the background of forestry intensity considerations. Financial skeletons conditions and objectives should be observed even under the aspect of changing strategies within the increasingly environmentally oriented management of forests, whose purpose it it is to meet, as far as possible, the diverse demands made on the forests as an environmental resource.Based on the concept of the theory for decision-making, intensity considerations were referred to two levels: 1. The strategic long-term reference level of the intensity issue — documented by the problem, related to target stocking planning, of tree species selection and its impact on the chosen economic-financial indices, and 2. the medium to short term consideration of the intensity issue — investigated using examples based on the calculation of financial felling maturity criteria in the spruce stands. The development of a linear programming model in preparation to decision-making in target stocking planning led to the representation of both the freedom of action in tree species selection and the effects of the latter on economic indices. The reference level for this category was the Saxon state forest, in turn allocated to respective climate level assessment units.The results obtained will primarily help in long-term forest development planning, in particular as regards strategic consequences of tree species selection on the economic indices • returns, • net profit, and • ratio of working costs (as an intensity scale). In reality-based decision-making the short-term character of the preference for the present is particularly obvious, i.e. decisions taken are primarily cost-oriented. Long-term effects, reflected in the indices just mentioned are, with respect to time horizon, virtually “discounted” in the decision-making process. On the basis of the above concept this model of tree species selection clearly outlines both the short-term character of costs and the long-term effects.Apart from tree-species specific dependence, it was the parameters, in particular, • yield capacity or efficiency of stands as well as the • degree of opening up of the forest stands and their effects on an optimum financial rotation that were the primary objective in calculating financial maturity criteria. In the methodological implementation the use of marginal analysis concepts for various criteria was intended to provide a field for actions and decision-making.Hence, the decisions for utilization or the point of time for conversion in this model are oriented to stand-specific productivity relationships. Thus, the attempt is made to supply decision-makers with the appropriate tools to be used in the field, so as to help them to direct their economic-financial decisions and subsequent effects/results towards a target-optimizing and increased benefit complex.This holistic view calls for a return to the temporal basis for forest decisions: As regards time horizon tree species selection is related, in the long run, to a special measure of costs and benefits; decision-makers in forstry are advised to create a target-optimizing structure of operational performance potentials, also in the form of forest stands and structures, in order to meet the diverse and conflicting social demands made on forests.Under operational aspects the main objective is the target-optimizing utilization of these potentials. This includes, inter alia, the issue of time planning for the utilization of the forests or for stand conversion.