A mathematical model for the optimization of forest planning decisions: evaluation of the trade-offs between timber production and carbon sequestration

FRANK CECILIO, PIEDRA JIMENEZ; JUAN MATIAS NOVAS; RODRIGUEZ, MARIA ANALIA

Jornada; Jornadas Argentinas de Informática JAIIO 2023; 2023

SADIO - Sociedad Argentina de Informática

A forest planning decision support system assists managers by providing a sequence of activities that each forest land area will receive through the whole planning horizon, as well as the schedule concerning all these activities are requiredto be performed. Each activity is a composition of silviculture treatments, anddifferent combinations of activities are possible, which in turn depends on thetype of trees. Also, the yield and operational costs are determined by the treespecies, age, previous received treatments, among other features.In order to tackle the complexity of the optimal forest planning problem, a general mathematical framework based on a Generalized Disjunctive Programming(GDP) approach is proposed. The approach defines (i) the optimal combinationof silvicultural treatments (a forest management plan), (ii) the proportion of landarea to be harvested, and (iii) the volume of timber products produced at eachharvest node. The maximization of the net present value and the minimization ofcarbon sequestration lost are used as a multi-objective function.The ϵ-constraint methods are used to evaluate the trade-offs between aforementioned objectives functions, which can be used with the aim of supporting forestplanning management decisions. Data from a forestry industry in the northernprovince of Misiones (Argentina) are used to test the applicability of the proposedmodel.