Forest Sustainability

Introduction

Based on the discussion article by Schulze et al. (2026), and the questions raised concerning the sustainability of European forests, the editors of Forest Ecosystems decided to initiate a call for papers that combine the knowledge on sustainability in a Special Issue on “Forest Sustainability” to be published by the end of the year 2026.

While the foundational debate stems from European contexts, achieving true global forest sustainability requires exploring diverse regional pathways and questioning traditional preservation paradigms. Emerging evidence suggests that the common "fence and forget" approach—simply converting forest to protected tenures without additional staffing, funding, or active management—often leads to land neglect. Such passive strategies completely ignore past disturbance histories, surrounding development pressures (e.g., weeds, pests, altered genetic exchange), and the escalating impacts of climate change.

Scope and Themes

To build a robust, diverse body of evidence supporting active and adaptive pathways to conservation success, this Special Issue invites contributions that address forest sustainability across different socio-ecological landscapes. Specifically, we ask for contributions on:

• Economic sustainability from regions/countries beyond Central Europe
• Ecological sustainability from regions/countries beyond Central Europe
• Social sustainability from regions/countries beyond Central Europe

In addition, any thoughts and ideas about the generalization of the previously economically based concept of sustainability would be welcome. At present, a major gap remains in establishing a clear definition for sustainability concerning social demands—considering not only societal benefits (such as recreation) but also societal drawbacks (such as forest fires and vandalism). Furthermore, we welcome conceptual frameworks for quantifying “sustainability” and methodologies for aggregating or averaging its diverse components.

Diverse Pathways to Conservation Success

We particularly welcome studies and contrasting scenarios that demonstrate how conservation outcomes depend heavily on local circumstances rather than strict, unmanaged preservation. Relevant thematic areas include, but are not limited to:

1. Socio-Economic Pressures vs. Traditional Practices: Cases where population growth and subsistence cultivation create urgent land pressures (e.g., in Pacific Island ecosystems). We seek papers exploring how traditional practices can be modified so that wildlife and cultivation can co-exist, avoiding biodiversity loss without causing cultural or demographic displacement.
2. Regulated and Funded Preservation Models: High-income or tightly regulated scenarios where strict demographic and tourism controls allow successful preservation, providing a contrast to high-pressure subsistence regions.
3. Post-Disturbance and Post-Abandonment Recovery: Historical accounts of forests that were severely over-exploited or destroyed (e.g., by historical logging or warfare) but have recovered naturally or through restoration to become vital conservation reserves, illustrating pathways to rectify past environmental damage.

Ultimately, this collection aims to argue that the most effective approach to forest sustainability is for stakeholders to focus on key species—whether they are iconic (such as koalas or pandas) or keystone species for ecosystem functioning—and the specific habitats they require. By devising targeted strategies to improve and maintain these habitats, a deliberate, well-funded pathway to conserve will deliver far superior outcomes to passive neglect.

Submission deadline:

December 31, 2026

Submission instructions:

All articles in this issue will undergo the journal’s full standard peer review process. Manuscripts should be formatted according to Forest Ecosystems Guide for Authors and be submitted through the online editorial system. Please ensure that you:

Select the corresponding Special Issue in 'General Information' -'Selection/Category' section.

Mention in the covering letter that the manuscript is to be considered for the thematic series “Forest Sustainability”.

For any inquiries, please contact the editorial office of Forest Ecosystems at forestecosystems@bjfu.edu.cn.

Guest editors: