Environmental Impact and Added Value in Forestry Operations in Norway

Bibliographic Data

ID19468301
AuthorsOttar Michelsen (0000-0001-7141-1948, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, corresponding author), Christian Solli (NTNU Samfunnsforskning), Anders Hammer Strømman (0000-0003-2987-5583, NTNU Samfunnsforskning)
Year2008
Volume12
Issue1
Pages69-81
Publication date2008-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Industrial Ecology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1088-1980 • E-ISSN: 1530-9290
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/j.1530-9290.2008.00008.x
OpenAlexW2060679878
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited15

The forestry sector is experiencing an increasing demand for documentation about its environmental performance. Previous studies have revealed large differences in environmental impact caused by forestry operations, mainly due to differences in location and forestry practice. Reliable information on environmental performance for forestry operations in different regions is thus important. This article presents a case study of forestry operations in Norway. Environmental impact and value added of selected operations were assessed. This was done with a hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Main results, including a sensitivity analysis, are presented for a set of four impact categories. The production chain assessed included all processes from seedling production to the delivery of logs to a downstream user. The environmental impact was mainly caused by logging, transport by forwarders, and transport by truck. These three operations were responsible for approximately 85% of the total environmental impact. The contribution to value added and total costs were more evenly distributed among the processes in the value chain. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the difference in environmental impact between the worst case scenario and the best case scenario was more than a factor of 4. The single most important process was the transport distance from the timber pile in the forest to the downstream user. The results show that the environmental impact from forestry operations in boreal forests was probably underreported in earlier studies

Business · Economics · Environmental impact assessment · Environmental resource management · Forest management · Geography · Life-cycle assessment · Logging · Truck · Engineering · Environmental Impact and Sustainability · Environmental Science · Forest Biomass Utilization and Management · Forest Management and Policy · Ecology · Forestry

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