Minimizing residual tree damage during mechanized forest operations is vital for sustainable forest management since this damage can affect stand structure, timber quality, and long-term forest health. Although various studies have examined tree damage factors, evidence remains fragmented across regions and systems. The review synthesizes the state of knowledge of residual tree damage during forest operations, identifying how operational, silvicultural, and human factors have been reported to influence damage characteristics and synthesize mitigation strategies. Of the 547 articles that were systematically screened, 76 were selected for synthesis. Reported damage frequency ranged from 0.7
Forests play a crucial role in carbon sequestration and storage, yet uncertainty remains about carbon stocks and sequestration differences between managed and unmanaged forests, which has resulted in considerable scientific and policy debate. This review synthesizes European evidence comparing managed and unmanaged forests addressing three questions: (1) what are the differences in carbon stock and sequestration for all carbon pools between managed and unmanaged forests, (2) what are trade-offs and synergies with other ecosystem services when managing for carbon, and (3) what are limitations of forest management research in identifying trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services? This review shows that unmanaged forests are important for long-term carbon storage, containing 34
Forest ecosystems are increasingly threatened by a dynamic array of fungal, oomycete, nematode, and viral pathogens. Accelerating climate change, globalized trade, and the expansion of intensively managed plantations are simultaneously broadening pathogen ranges and exposing naïve host populations, yet a comprehensive cross-kingdom synthesis of these threats has been lacking. This systematic review synthesizes the state of knowledge on forest pathogen biology, epidemiology, diagnostics, and management for the 2018–2026 period, identifying research and policy priorities to safeguard global forest health. A systematic review conforming to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, synthesizing 142 peer-reviewed articles and assessing for methodological quality using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool, reveals that while fungal pathogens (n = 80; 56.3
Forest roads are vital for the relocation of wood harvesting machinery, secondary transportation, forest management, fire prevention, and recreational activities. Monitoring and maintaining the condition of a large and spatially distributed road network requires resource-efficient methods and new expertise. This review examines methods for measuring and predicting the condition and trafficability of unpaved forest roads, based on 87 publications from 2010 to 2025. The aim was to examine evaluated road features and the methods used to measure them. Forest road condition is commonly evaluated by structural strength, surface quality, geometry, and drainage. Traditional techniques (e.g., bearing capacity measurements and visual inspections) are the most frequently used. Mobile mapping approaches and remote sensing methods, which include airborne laser scanning, unmanned aerial vehicle surveys, and satellite‑based observations, have been increasingly applied to assess road condition. Machine and deep learning methods have recently been used to identify potholes, rutting, and surface roughness based on image, video, and sensor data. Other approaches employed to predict and evaluate road condition include laboratory testing, traffic monitoring, transportation data, and meteorological records. Although traditional field methods remain dominant, emerging technologies are increasingly used to assess forest road condition. Reliable prediction of trafficability requires integrating multiple data sources. Despite technological advances, real-time dynamic road condition maps and situation awareness are lacking, and determining the actual condition of a road often requires a field visit. Novel digital solutions and data sources could improve condition forecasting and support more efficient forest road network maintenance. However, the generalizability of these findings may be limited by the scope of the review and language constraints.
This semi-systematic review examines how augmented reality (AR) was developed and applied in forestry between 2000 and 2025. With a European focus and international scope, it integrates peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and commercially available tools to capture progress and practice. It maps AR use cases, characterises hardware, software, and data pipelines, assesses Technology Readiness Levels, and identifies barriers, research gaps, and priorities for future deployment. AR in forestry is moving from isolated prototypes towards early operational implementation. The most mature applications are found in forest inventory, urban forestry, and roundwood measurement, where smartphone- and tablet-based tools using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), Red, Green, Blue, and Depth (RGB-D) sensing, Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM), and computer vision have reached moderate to high readiness, with some commercially deployed. Head-mounted displays and machine-integrated systems are being tested for stand visualisation, digital tree marking, planting guidance, and harvesting support, but most remain at pilot stage. Most systems cluster around TRL 4–6, while only a limited subset reaches TRL 7–9. AR in forestry is a heterogeneous but rapidly evolving ecosystem of mobile, wearable, and machine-integrated solutions. Persistent barriers include under-canopy tracking instability, weak georeferencing, limited ruggedness and battery life, ergonomic constraints, poor interoperability, and limited validation. AR nevertheless shows strong potential as a human-centred interface, but wider deployment will require forest-adapted localisation, lightweight 3D visualisation, stronger system integration, and closer collaboration across stakeholders.
