To clear-cut or not to clear-cut; Cost-benefit analyses of post-fire management approaches in the Ljusdal fire-complex

Sammanfattning: Wildfires causes natural disturbances to ecosystems which can have potentially damaging results for ecosystem services and economic income from timber production. The post-fire management approach can be essential for the environmental work regarding the recovery of ecosystems and maintaining ecosystem services. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate different post-fire management approaches of conventional forestry with clear-cutting, continuous cover forestry, and nature reserves with no management practice allowed, from an ecological, economic, and societal perspective. The focus area of this report was the Ljusdal fire sites, containing one of the worst wildfires in Sweden the summer of 2018. To comprehensively address the outcomes of different post-fire management approaches, conducting extensive cost-benefit analyses was the method of this report looking at the core-values; potential for carbon sequestration, economic income, and management costs, as well as societal stated preferences in willingness to pay for terrestrial recreation. The results show that continuous cover forestry provided the highest net present value in the cost-benefit analysis followed by converting to nature reserves and lastly the most common conventional forestry. Continuous cover forestry provided the highest carbon sequestration potential long-term while the highest economic profit was obtained in the conventional forestry. Converting to nature reserve would provide the highest willingness to pay when the nature had adapted to nature-based forest characteristics. The findings in this study suggest that a change in management regimes could be crucial for targeting climate change mitigation work related to wildfires. However, this study concluded that further research is required to obtain more accurate estimates regarding economic aspects and stated preferences to support the outcome of the results.