Multi-Criteria Decision-Making in Forest Management Planning — An Overview

Forest management planning comprises multiple products, goods, and services and is characterized by multiple conflicting interests. Thus, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) immediately suggests itself. However, reports on MCDM seem to be dispersed. It is attempted to provide a generally accepted metaphor, to increase the understanding of, to relate MCDM to traditional methods, and to suggest a ranking of the methods with respect to beneficial use within forest management planning. It is concluded that MCDM methods, with focus on duality values, comprise great prospects for application to multiple-use forestry, alleviating some of the shortcomings associated with the traditional “one-criterion” management paradigm.