Evidence based forestry & land use

Establishing the Evidence-Based Forestry Initiative

Work in the group on systematic reviews is reported under the heading ‘Evidence-based Forestry & Land Use’ for historical reasons (see below), but includes systematic evaluations outside the broad topic area ‘forestry’.

As part of ongoing work in the University of Oxford, the Long-term Ecology group started a project in 2012 coordinated by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), with its international partners – Costa Rica based research and development organization CATIE, France’s Agricultural Research for Development CIRAD, the World Agroforestry Centre and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) – to establish the Evidence-Based Forestry (EBF) Initiative. The Initiative started in 2012 reflects these institutions’ leading roles in generating evidence for policy processes about forests and forestry, defined broadly in the contexts of both landscapes and sustainable development. The EBF Initiative was established to facilitate and promote use of systematic methods for informing decisions and actions about forests and forestry. The EBF initiative is supported with resources contributed by UK DfID’s Know For Program Grant. To date, the EBF initiative work has established a mechanism for introducing evidence-informed frameworks  to conduct systematic reviews and systematic maps that conform to standards of existing collaborations.

Priority setting – a systematic approach

An international project – T20Q (Top Twenty Questions for Forestry & Landscapes) – to determine high priority research and policy questions was started in May 2014 in collaboration with the Sylva Foundation, an established partner of the Oxford Long-term Ecology Laboratory and Biodiversity Institute.

Publications

Carr, J. A., Petrokofsky, G., Spracklen, D. V., Lewis, D. L., Roe, D., Trull, N., Vidal, A., Wicander, S., Worthington-Hill, J., Sallu, S. M. (2021) Anticipated impacts of achieving SDG targets on forests – a review. Forest Policy and Economics. 126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2021.102423.

Jordon, M. W., Willis, K. J., Harvey, W. J, Petrokofsky, L., Petrokofsky, G. (2020) Implications of Temperate Agroforestry on Sheep and Cattle Productivity, Environmental Impacts and Enterprise Economics. A Systematic Evidence Map. Forests. 11(12):1321. https://doi.org/10.3390/f11121321

Petrokofsky, G., Hooper, O., Petrokofsky, L., Gant, A. E., Harvey, W. J., Willis, K. J. (2020). What are the impacts of the wood pellet industry on biodiversity in Southeastern USA? A systematic evidence synthesis. Forest Ecology and Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118773

​​Haddaway, N.R., Bethel, A., Dicks, L.V., Koricheva, J., Macura, B., Petrokofsky, G., Pullin, A.S., Savilaakso, S. & Stewart, G.B.  Eight problems with literature reviews and how to fix them. Nat Ecol Evol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01295-x

​Arton, A., Leiman, A., Petrokofsky, G., Toonen, H., & Longo, C. S. (2020). What do we know about the impacts of the Marine Stewardship Council seafood ecolabelling program? A systematic map. In Environmental Evidence (Vol. 9, Issue 1). environmentalevidencejournal https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-020-0188-9

​Colombaroli, D., Mistry, J., Milner, A., Vannière, B., Adolf, C., Bilbao, B., Carcaillet, C., Connor, S., Daniau, A., Hawthorne, D., Jeffers, E., Larson, E., Petrokofsky, G., Power, M., Sinnadurai, P., Berrio, J., Cassino, R., Gildeeva, O., Grosvenor, M., Walsh, A. (2019). Diverse knowledge informing fire policy and biodiversity conservation. DiverseK Policy Brief. In Royal Holloway University of London, UK. researchportal.port.ac.uk. https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/diverse-knowledge-informing-fire-policy-and-biodiversity-conservation(6072320b-5bc5-409b-b15d-3e080c738f4a)/export.html

​Eales, J., Haddaway, N. R., Bernes, C., Cooke, S. J., Jonsson, B. G., Kouki, J., Petrokofsky, G., & Taylor, J. J. (2018). What is the effect of prescribed burning in temperate and boreal forest on biodiversity, beyond pyrophilous and saproxylic species? A systematic review. Environmental Evidence, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-018-0131-5

​Leiman A, Petrokofsky G, Toonen H, Neat F, Longo CS. 2018. What do we know about the impacts of the Marine Stewardship Council seafood ecolabelling program? A systematic map protocol. Environmental Evidence 7:29. DOI:10.1186/s13750-018-0143-1.

Eales J, Haddaway NR, Bernes C, Cooke SJ, Jonsson BG, Kouki J, Petrokofsky G, Taylor JJ, Eales J, Haddaway NR, Bernes C, Cooke SJ, Jonsson BG, Kouki J, Petrokofsky G, Taylor JJ, 2018. What is the effect of prescribed burning in temperate and boreal forest on biodiversity, beyond pyrophilous and saproxylic species? A systematic review. Environmental Evidence 7:19. DOI:10.1186/s13750-018-0131-5.

Petrokofsky G, Jennings S, 2018. The effectiveness of standards in driving adoption of sustainability practices: a State of Knowledge Review. ISEAL Alliance

Gumbo D, Clendenning J, Martius C, Moombe K, Grundy I, Nasi R, Ribeiro N, Mumba KY, Kabwe G, Petrokofsky G. 2018. How have carbon stocks in central and southern Africa’s miombo woodlands changed over the last 50 years? A systematic map of the evidence. Environmental Evidence 7:16. DOI: 10.1186/s13750-018-0128-0

Collaboration for Environmental Evidence. 2018. Guidelines and Standards for Evidence synthesis in Environmental Management. Version 5.0 (AS Pullin, GK Frampton, B Livoreil & G Petrokofsky, Eds). Open Access

Field E, Petrokofsky G, Koricheva J. 2018. What are the impacts of mixed forest stands on forest pathogens? A systematic review protocol Open Access

Martin A.C., Jeffers E.S., Petrokofsky, G., Myers-Smith, I, and Macias-Fauria, M. (2017), Shrub growth and expansion in the Arctic tundra: an assessment of controlling factors using an evidence-based approach. Environmental Research Letters. 12(8). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aa7989

Frampton GK, Livoreil B, Petrokofsky G. 2017. Eligibility screening in evidence synthesis of environmental management topics.  Environmental Evidence, 6:27 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-017-0102-2

B, Glanville J, Haddaway NR, Bayliss H, Bethel A, de Lachapelle, F, Robalino S, Savilaakso S, Zhou W, Petrokofsky G, Frampton G, 2017. Systematic searching for environmental evidence using multiple tools and sources.  Environmental Evidence, 6:23, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-017-0099-6

Ojanen M, Zhou W, Miller DC, Nieto SH, Mshale B, Petrokofsky G. 2017. What are the environmental impacts of property rights regimes in forests, fisheries and rangelands?: a systematic review. Environmental Evidence, 6:12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13750-017-0090-2

Phosiso S, Cerutti PO, Zhou W, Gautier D Iiyama M, Shure J, Chenevoy A Yila Y, Dufe ,  Nasi R, Shepherd G, Petrokofsky G. 2017. The environmental, socioeconomic, and health impacts of woodfuel value chains in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic map. Environmental Evidence 6:4 DOI: 10.1186/s13750-017-0082-2

Reed J , van Vianen J, Foli S, Clendenning J, Yang K, MacDonald M, Petrokofsky G, Padoch C, Sunderland T. 2017. Trees for life: the ecosystem service contribution of trees to food production and livelihoods in the tropics. Forest Policy and Economics, DOI:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2017.01.012  [In Press, Corrected Proof]

Chiwona-Karltun C, Kimanzu N, Clendenning J, Lodin JB, Ellingson C, Lidestav G, Mkwambisi D, Mwangi E, Nhantumbo I,Ochieng C, Sartas M, Petrokofsky G, 2017. What is the evidence that gender affects access to and use of forest assets for food security? A systematic map protocol. Environmental Evidence 6:2 DOI: 10.1186/s13750-016-0080-9

Eales J, Haddaway NR, Bernes C, Cooke SJ, Jonsson BG, Kouki J, Petrokofsky G, 2016. What is the effect of prescribed burning in temperate and boreal forest on biodiversity, beyond tree regeneration, pyrophilous and saproxylic species? A systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence 5:24. DOI: 10.1186/s13750-016-0076

Pullin A, Frampton G, Jongman R, Kohl C, Livoreil B, Lux A, Pataki G, Petrokofsky G, Podhora A, Saarikoski H et al. 2016.Selecting appropriate methods of knowledge synthesis to inform biodiversity policy.Biodiversity and Conservation 25(7): 1285-1300 DOI:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.03.023 

Thorn JPR, Friedman R, Benz D, Willis KJ, Petrokofsky G. 2016. What evidence exists for the effectiveness of on-farm conservation land management strategies for preserving ecosystem services in developing countries? A systematic map.Environmental Evidence 5(1): 13 DOI:10.1186/s13750-016-0064-9

Hemery G, Petrokofsky G, Ambrose-Oji B, Atkinson G, Broadmeadow M, Edwards D, Harrison C, Lloyd S, Mumford J, O’Brien L, Reid C, Seville M, Townsend M, Weir J, Yeomans A. 2015. Awareness, action and aspiration among Britain’s forestry community relating to environmental change: Report of the British Woodlands Survey 2015. Available to download

Roe D, Booker F, Day M, Zhou W, Allebone-Webb S, Hill NAO, Kümpel N, Petrokofsky G, Redford K, Russell D, Shepherd, G, Wright J, Sunderland TCH. 2015.  Are alternative livelihood projects effective at reducing local threats to specified elements of biodiversity and/or improving or maintaining the conservation status of those elements? Environmental Evidence 4 :2. (doi:10.1186/s13750-015-0048-1). Open Access.

Boshier D, Broadhurst L, Cornelius J, Gallo L, Koskela J, Loo J, Petrokofsky G, St Clair B. 2015. Is local best? Examining the evidence for local adaptation in trees and its scale. Environmental Evidence, 4:20 DOI: 10.1186/s13750-015-0046-3. Open Access.

Cerutti P, Sola P,  Chenevoy A, Iiyama M, Yila J, Zhou W, Djoudi H,  Atyi R, Gautier D, Gumbo D, Kuehl Y, Levang P, Martius C, Matthews R, Nasi R, Neufeldt H, Njenga M, Petrokofsky G, Saunders M, Shepherd G, Sonwa D, Sundberg C, van Noordwijk M 2015. The socioeconomic and environmental impacts of wood energy value chains in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic map protocol. Environmental Evidence 2015, 4:12. doi:10.1186/s13750-015-0038-3. Open Access.

Thorn J, Snaddon J, Waldron A, Kok K, Zhou W,  Bhagwat S, Willis K, Petrokofsky G 2015.How effective are on-farm conservation land management strategies for preserving ecosystem services in developing countries? A systematic map protocol. Environmental Evidence 2015, 4:11. doi:10.1186/s13750-015-0036-5. Open Access

Petrokofsky G, Sist P, Blanc L, Doucet JL, Finegan B, Gourlet-Fleury S, Healey J, Livoreil B, Nasi R, Peña-Claros M, Putz FE, Zhou W 2015. Can silvicultural interventions increase timber production and sustain conservation values in tropical forests? Environmental Evidence 2015, 4:8 doi:10.1186/s13750-015-0034-7. Open Access

Syampungani S, Clendenning J, Gumbo D, Nasi R, Moombe K, Chirwa P, Ribeiro N, Grundy I, Matakala N, Martius C, Kaliwile M, Kabwe G, Petrokofsky G 2014 The impact of land use and cover change on above and below-ground carbon stocks of the miombo woodlands since the 1950s: a systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence, 3:25  doi:10.1186/2047-2382-3-25 Open Access

Ojanen M, Miller DC, Zhou W, Mshale B, Mwangi E, Petrokofsky G 2014. What are the environmental impacts of property rights regimes in forests, fisheries and rangelands?: a systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence, 3:19. Open Access.

Savilaakso S, Petrokofsky G, Zrust M, Guariguata M 2014. “Palm oil and biodiversity”.CIFOR Infobrief no. 69. Open Access.

Foli S, Reed J, Clendenning J, Petrokofsky G, Padoch C, Sunderland T (2014) To what extent does the presence of forests and trees contribute to food production in humid and dry forest landscapes? A systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence 3:15  (doi:10.1186/2047-2382-3-15) Open Access

Roe D, Day M, Booker F, Zhou W, Allebone-Webb S, Kümpel N, Hill NAO, Wright J, Rust N, Sunderland TCH, Redford K, Petrokofsky G (2014) Are alternative livelihood projects effective at reducing local threats to specified elements of biodiversity and/or improving or maintaining the conservation status of those elements?: a systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence 3 :6. (doi:10.1186/2047-2382-3-6) Open Access.

Savilaakso, S, Garcia, C, Garcia-Ulloa, J, Ghazoul, J, Groom, M, Guariguata, MR, Laumonier, Y, Nasi, R, Petrokofsky, G, Snaddon, J, Zrust, M (2014) Systematic review of effects on biodiversity from oil palm production. Environmental Evidence, 3:4  (doi:10.1186/2047-2382-3-4). Open Access

Petrokofsky G, Hemery GE, Brown ND (2013). Matching a scientific knowledge base with stakeholders’ needs: the T10Q project as a case study for forestry. Forest Policy and Economics 37, 29-36.  (doi:10.1016/j.forpol.2012.05.005)

Petrokofsky G, Kanamaru H, Achard F, Goetz SJ, Joosten H, Holmgren P, Lehtonen A, Menton MCS, Pullin AS, Wattenbach M. (2012) Comparison of methods for measuring and assessing carbon stocks and carbon stock changes in terrestrial carbon pools. How do the accuracy and precision of current methods compare? A systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence 1 (6) Open Access

Petrokofsky G, Holmgren P, Brown ND (2011). Reliable forest carbon monitoring – systematic reviews as a tool for validating the knowledge base. International Forestry Review 13 (1), 56-66 Open Access

Petrokofsky G, Brown ND, Hemery GE, et al. (2010). A participatory process for identifying and prioritizing policy-relevant research questions in natural resource management: a case study from the UK forestry sector. Forestry 83, 357-367. Open Access