New publication on mathematical optimization in forestry

In collaboration between the Chair of Industrial Management at TU Dresden, the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL (Birmensdorf), ETH Zurich and the University of Göttingen, a new publication has appeared in the journal Scientific Reports. With the participation of Michael Hölscher, Maria Beranek, Udo Buscher and Martin Scheffler from our chair, a mathematical optimization model was developed that supports the sustainable management of alpine forests under the conditions of climate change.

Alpine forests fulfill many functions at the same time: They provide wood, store carbon, promote biodiversity and protect settlements from natural hazards such as avalanches or rockfall. This multifunctionality is coming under increasing pressure due to climate change. The research team combines the climate-sensitive forest growth model ForClim with a multi-criteria optimization approach. This makes it possible to evaluate different management strategies for each individual forest stand and thus determine an optimal overall portfolio for forestry operations.

The developed mixed-integer optimization model takes into account central conflicting objectives: Should timber production be maximized, the protective effect ensured or the overall multifunctionality improved? By weighting the individual objectives and incorporating secondary conditions, solutions are created that enable a balance to be struck between timber production, biodiversity, recreation, carbon storage and protection.

The case study in the Swiss Val Müstair clearly shows that climate-adapted, near-natural management strategies in particular will be indispensable in the future in order to safeguard the diverse ecosystem services provided by Alpine forests. The publication thus demonstrates the great benefit of mathematical optimization methods in forestry planning.

Reference:
Bont, L.G., Hölscher, M., Mutterer, S., Beranek, M., Schweier, J., Buscher, U., Scheffler, M., Husmann, K., Ottens, L. & Blattert, C. (2025). Optimizing sustainable and multifunctional management of Alpine Forests under climate change. Scientific Reports, 15:29761. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12001-x