Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Forests are facing an increasing number of challenges from human activities, including projected
increases in wood consumption. Growing demands for forest-based products are driven by
technological advances and the conceptualisation of forests as a sustainable resource. In response,
novel approaches to forest management have emerged in recent decades, often based on divergent
rationales and ideologies. Among these, Alternative Forest Management (AFM) is frequently
mentioned in both scientific literature and practice. Its meaning and application remain inconsistent
and therefore difficult to apply in science and policy. The central objective of this study is to
scrutinise AFM, in a conceptual sense, by examining its utilisation and underlying motivations in
scientific publications. The study addresses four research questions: (1) Is Alternative Forest
Management (AFM) understood and used as a concept in scientific literature, (2) What forest
management practices are categorized under AFM in scientific literature over the past decades, (3)
How is AFM associated with different scientific disciplines, and what is its geographic distribution
in global research, and (4) What are the motivations influencing the introduction of AFM? To
answer these questions, a systematic literature review was conducted using two major bibliographic
databases. The investigation applies different theoretical entry points to dissect AFM. The results
demonstrate that, while the term 'AFM' is frequently mentioned in the literature, approximately only
10% of the literature refer to AFM as concept. AFM functions as an umbrella term for different
forest management practices, especially Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF). AFM appears mainly in
studies focusing on the boreal regions with some mentions in the global south. The motivations
behind the use of AFM are consistently linked to addressing a plurality of forest-related goals, needs
and values. This study shows that AFM is not only a practical term, but also an evolving scientific
concept that reflects the complexity of contemporary needs addressing forest management and the
necessity for multi-dimensional approaches.