Non-renewability in forest rotations: implications for economic and ecosystem sustainability

The forest rotations problem has been considered by generations of economis ts (Fisher, 1930; Boulding, 1966; Samuelson, 1976). Traditionally, the fore st resource across all future harvest periods is assumed to grow without me mory of past harvest periods. This paper integrates economic theory and int ertemporal ecological mechanics, linking current harvest decisions with fut ure forest growth, financial value, and ecosystem health. Results and impli cations of a non-renewable forest resource and the influence of rotation le ngth and number on forest recovery are reported. Cost estimates of moving f rom short-term economic rotations to long-term ecological rotations suggest the level of incentive required for one aspect of ecosystem management. A net private cost of maintaining ecosystem health emerges and, for public po licy purposes, can be compared with measures of non-timber amenity values a nd social benefits exhibiting increasing returns to rotation length. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.