forestbased

Forestbased is an adjective used to describe activities, products, or policies that originate in or rely on forests and forest resources. In policy and industry discourse, the term often designates components of the bioeconomy that draw on forest ecosystems for materials, energy, or services, while seeking to balance production with conservation. Common examples of forestbased sectors include traditional timber harvesting and wood products (lumber, plywood), pulp and paper, wood-based composites and engineered timber, and wood-derived bioenergy. Non-timber forest products such as berries, mushrooms, resin, medicinal plants, and honey are also characterized as forestbased when they are sourced from forests rather than farms.

Sustainability considerations are central to forestbased activities. Responsible forest management aims to maintain ecological integrity, protect biodiversity, secure water quality, and support local communities, while enabling renewable resource use. Certification schemes and governance frameworks, such as FSC or PEFC, are used to verify sustainable practices in forestbased supply chains. The term is also used in regional development and rural economics to describe strategies that leverage forest resources to create jobs and value-added products, including tourism and forest-based bioeconomy initiatives.

In research, forestbased approaches emphasize ecosystem services, life cycle assessment, and resilient supply chains to ensure long-term viability of forest resources. The concept is often contrasted with non-forest-based or non-renewable material systems.