Filters
The Energy Potential of Firewood and By-Products of Round Wood Processing—Economic and Technical Aspects
According to most energy demand forecasts, woody biomass has the potential to become an important source of renewable energy, especially during the transitional period of energy transition. The aim of this article was to estimate the energy potential of the biomass from the forest and the biomass generated by the mechanical processing of wood raw material and also to show the spectrum of possibilities for the potential use of the biomass for energy production in Poland. This research used available statistical and literature data on the species structure of harvested wood and the qualitative and assortment structures of woody biomass. The basic parameters of the raw material were evaluated in accordance with the EU classification of energy wood. This study confirmed the relationship between the energy potential of woody biomass and energy demand in Poland. The correlation coefficient for these variables was r = 0.984. This correlation was reflected in the significant shares of biomass in the production of electricity (more than 9%) or heat (almost 14%). Energy wood resources in Poland are smaller than in other European Union countries, which affects the scale of the potential use of woody biomass for energy purposes. Nevertheless, the use of such a biomass is fully justified from the point of view of possible development.
Contribution to Knowledge on Bioapatites: Does Mg Level Reflect the Organic Matter and Water Contents of Enamel?
The matter constituting the enamels of four types of organisms was studied. The variability of the ions was presented in molar units. It was proven that the changes in water contents of the enamel are significantly positively related to changes in Mg; inversely, there is also a strong connection with changes in Ca and P, the main components of bioapatite. The variability in the organic matter has the same strong and positive characteristics and is also coupled with changes in Mg contents. Amelogenins in organic matter, which synthesize enamel rods, likely have a role in adjusting the amount of Mg, thus establishing the amount of organic matter and water in the whole enamel; this adjustment occurs through an unknown mechanism. Ca, P, Mg, and Cl ions, as well as organic matter and water, participate in the main circulation cycle of bioapatites. The selection of variations in the composition of bioapatite occurs only along particular trajectories, where the energy of transformation linearly depends on the following factors: changes in the crystallographic d parameter; the increase in the volume, V, of the crystallographic cell; the momentum transfer, which is indirectly expressed by ΔsinΘ value. To our knowledge, these findings are novel in the literature. The obtained results indicate the different chemical and crystallographic affinities of the enamels of selected animals to the human ones. This is essential when animal bioapatites are transformed into dentistic or medical substitutes for the hard tissues. Moreover, the role of Mg is shown to control the amount of water in the apatite and in detecting organic matter in the enamels.
The Influence of Hemp Fibers (Cannabis sativa L.) on the Mechanical Properties of Fiber–Gypsum Boards Reinforcing the Gypsum Matrix
The modern construction industry is looking for new ecological materials (available, cheap, recyclable) that can successfully replace materials that are not environmentally friendly. Fibers of natural origin are materials that can improve the properties of gypsum composites. This is an important issue because synthetic fibers (hardly biodegradable—glass or polypropylene fibers) are commonly used to reinforce gypsum boards. Increasing the state of knowledge regarding the possibility of replacing synthetic fibers with natural fibers is another step towards creating more environmentally friendly building materials and determining their characteristics. This paper investigates the possibility of manufacturing fiber–gypsum composites based on natural gypsum (building gypsum) and hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibers grown in Poland. The effect of introducing hemp fibers of different lengths and with varying proportions of mass (mass of gypsum to mass of fibers) into the gypsum matrix was investigated. The experimental data obtained indicate that adding hemp fibers to the gypsum matrix increases the static bending strength of the composites manufactured. The highest mechanical strength, at 4.19 N/mm2, was observed in fiber–gypsum composites with 4% hemp fiber content at 50 mm in length. A similar trend of increased strength was observed in longitudinal tension. Again, the composite variant with 4% fiber content within the gypsum matrix had the highest mechanical strength. Manufacturing fibers–gypsum composites with more than 4% hemp fiber content negatively affected the composites’ strength. Mixing long (50 mm) hemp fibers with the gypsum matrix is technologically problematic, but tests have shown a positive effect on the mechanical properties of the refined composites. The article indicates the length and quantity limitations of hemp fibers on the basis of which fiber–gypsum composites were produced.
Modelling Upholstered Furniture Frames Using the Finite Element Method
This study employs the finite element method to propose a model-based design strategy for upholstered furniture frames. Three-dimensional discrete models of these frames were created, considering the orthotropic characteristics of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and spruce (Picea abies L.) wood, reinforced structurally with glue joints and upholstery staples. The modelling process utilised the CAE system Autodesk Inventor Nastran, applying the finite element method (FEM). Static analyses were performed by simulating standard loading conditions. The calculations incorporated the stiffness coefficients of the frame’s comb joint connections. The findings illustrate the stress distribution, displacements, and equivalent strains within the furniture frame models. The deformation and strength parameters of the frames introduce a novel perspective on designing upholstered furniture structures using the component-based FEM approach. These outcomes are applicable to the development of upholstered furniture designs.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Clustering of EU Forest Policies in the Context of the 2030 New Forest Strategy
In the face of climate challenges and growing social inequalities, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) has become a key framework for sustainable development. Within the EU, forestry—covering about one third of Europe—is increasingly addressed through ESG principles in the 2030 New EU Forest Strategy (NSF 2030). This study aims to systematize the diversity and similarities of EU Member States’ forest policies using ESG indicators aligned with NFS 2030 objectives. We do not assess policy outcomes but rather identify clusters of countries with similar forest-economy profiles to fill a research gap and support more coherent strategies. Using hierarchical clustering on selected ESG indicators, we find very high variability in EU forest policies. The results confirm that NFS 2030 can serve as an analytical tool to identify clusters of countries with similar ESG profiles and tailor policies to their contexts. The identification of eight clusters per ESG segment underscores the need for a differentiated, flexible approach to achieving common EU forest objectives. Despite similarities within clusters, diverse economic, environmental, and social conditions often require differentiated policies tailored to each country’s unique context.
Determinants of social attitudes towards fees and restrictions on the use of the Wielkopolska National Park
The purpose of this paper was to present the results of research on the willingness of visitors to Wielkopolska National Park (WNP) to pay fees for using its resources and to assess their attitudes towards hypothetical restrictions on access to the park. The analysis was based on survey data from 2012 and 2025, obtained using the following techniques: Paper and Pencil Interviewing (PAPI) and online surveys based on the Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) technique, administered via Internet platforms. A total of 860 valid questionnaires were examined, and a logit model and correspondence analysis were used for the investigation. The findings suggest that the propensity to pay fees is mostly contingent upon the extent of awareness of natural values, the inclination to engage in park maintenance, perspectives on environmental financing mechanisms, and affiliation with environmental organisations. In turn, demographic factors proved to be insignificant. The analysis of the expected compensation for access restrictions demonstrated the influence of age, gender, environmental views, and distance from the WNP. The research findings corroborate that respondents’ attitudes towards environmental financing are predominantly influenced by their environmental awareness and beliefs.
The Importance of Information Flow Relevant to Sustainable Forestry and the European Green Deal: The Case of Poland
The aim of the conducted research was to develop a classification of relevant/sustainable information by indicating the links between relevant information and the various functions of forests, and to obtain information on the value of specific sustainable forestry information for users of reporting information. The specific objectives include indicating the weight of information regarding sustainable development contained in the 2030 Forestry Strategy. The research was carried out using the example of the State Forests of Poland in correlation with the actions and initiatives of the European Green Deal, identifying the enduring functions of sustainable forestry, and attempting to relate them to the relevant information disclosed in mandatory reporting. The research problem was formulated as the question: which information disclosed in reporting, including statistical data, is considered by information users to be the most useful? The study was implemented through the development of survey questionnaires aimed at examining the information needs of information users. The study employed the triangulation method, in particular: a literature analysis and critique, a logical analysis and construction, and the snowball sampling method. Triangulation ensures the reliability of the research approach as well as the acquisition of comprehensive and contextual knowledge about the given phenomenon. The results of the empirical research indicated which pieces of information disclosed in the reporting on the activities of the State Forests are particularly useful for internal stakeholders and which do not necessarily provide value and therefore may be omitted in reporting. The study presented in the article constitutes the first empirical study of its kind in Poland, conducted in the context of understanding and defining relevant information from the perspective of sustainable forestry. The study illustrates individual behaviors in the context of the information currently disclosed in correlation with their usefulness.
Characterization and Evaluation of the Organizational and Legal Structures of Forestry in the European Union
Achieving organizational efficiency requires the selection of an appropriate operating model. To date, no objective indicators, methods of measuring, or criteria for evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of forest management organizations have been developed. In the heterogeneous forest management of the European Union (EU), multiple objectives and functions—from production to social and ecological services—coexist at regional and national levels. This study provides an overview of the organizational and legal forms of EU forestry, taking into account environmental conditions, ownership structures, and the role of the forestry sector in national economies. The legal information of EU countries on forest management was verified. We examine the impact of the entity’s organizational and legal form on the implementation of sustainable forest management and the objectives of the New EU Forest Strategy 2030, particularly in terms of absorbing external capital for forest protection and climate-related activities. Joint stock companies, public institutions, and enterprises are the most relevant. The private sector is dominated by individual farms, associations, chambers of commerce, and federations. A clear trend toward transforming state-owned enterprises into joint-stock companies and expanding their operational scope has been confirmed. Multifunctional forest management is practiced in both state and private forests. Economic efficiency, legal and property liability, and organizational goals depend on the chosen organizational and legal form.
Properties of fiber-gypsum composite formed on the basis of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibers grown in Poland and natural gypsum
: Properties of fiber-gypsum composite formed on the basis of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibers grown in Poland and natural gypsum. The popularity of composites reinforced with natural fibers is constantly growing and therefore, they are a subject of many scientific works as well. An example of interesting concept is the use of hemp fibers to reinforce a gypsum matrix and therefore, presented study was aimed to determine the effect of their content on the properties of resultant composites. Moreover, the influence of setting temperature was also investigated. The scope of the research included determination of properties such as: density, setting time, bending strength, modulus of elasticity and thermal conductivity coefficient. Studies have shown that as the amount introduced fibers increases, the density of manufactured composites decreases. Furthermore, increase in the content of hemp causes a significant extension in setting time of the gypsum matrix. Based on the outcomes of mechanical properties, it was found that the optimal content of fibers is 4% and further increase in their share results in a deterioration of flexural strength characteristics. The increase in a setting temperature leads to thereduction in their bending strength and modulus of elasticity. Composites reinforced with hemp fibers demonstrate significantly improved thermal insulation properties
Heme iron as potential iron fortifier for food application – characterization by material techniques
Abstract The modern food industry requires new analytical methods for high-demand food supplements, personalized diets, or bioactive foods development. One of the main goals of the food industry is to discover new ways of food fortification. This applies to food products or supplements for human and animal diets. In our research, we focused on the solid particles of AproTHEM (dried porcine hemoglobin), which is approved for animal feeding and as a meat product additive, and AproFER 1000 (heme iron polypeptides), which is still being investigated. The study showed the possible application of advanced techniques for the examination of iron-based food additives. We evaluated selected techniques for particle size and morphology examination such as laser diffraction, optical microscopy, as well as scanning electron microscopy, and briefly discussed their usefulness compared with other techniques. On the basis of our results, we proposed a path of microscopic analysis for the study of material homogeneity. The structure of heme iron was evaluated by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR, and Raman spectroscopy supported with thermal behavior analysis (differential scanning calorimeter). Furthermore, a portable colorimeter was applied for L*a*b* color analysis. Our study proved that for new food product development, particle size analysis as well as typically used advanced materials techniques can be successfully applied.
Cost of Regeneration of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) Crops in National Forests
Silvicultural processes are an essential issue of rational forest management. Both man-made (artificial) and natural restoration methods are used in European forestry. A study of the cost drivers of forest restoration from the early stages of land clearing to cultivation was conducted for Scots pine tracts in a coniferous forest habitat. The cost data were tested for homogeneity of variance (Levene’s test) and normality (Shapiro–Wilk test) using a significance level of α = 0.05. The research indicated that the cost of artificial restoration (planting) of a pine forest is about 30% higher than the cost of natural restoration. The research also indicated that the main cost driver (about 35%) of the artificial restoration process was seedlings and planting costs. Further, the viability of supplementing natural planting with artificial planting was confirmed.
Video Extensometer Characterization of Mechanical Properties in Modified Fibreboard Layers
The resistance of screws to being pulled out of wood-based panels depends largely on the mechanical properties of the substrate. The properties of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) are locally reinforced in the area where the fastener is embedded. The aim of the study is to determine the effect of using polyurethane (PUR) adhesives as a reinforcing agent. The aim of the study is to determine the elastic properties of individual layers of MDF boards modified with a polyurethane agent (PUR 555.6) applied to the outer and inner layers of the material. Deformations during axial compression of multilayer samples were measured using a digital optical video extensometer with digital image correlation (DIC). The reinforced board showed a significant increase in stiffness in all main orthotropic directions. The stiffness of the inner layers increased by approximately 100%–160%, while that of the outer layers increased by 30%–60%. The shear modulus increased by 60%–70% in the inner layers and by up to 45% in the outer layers. The results confirm the effectiveness of the optical video extensometer method as a fast and reliable technique for determining the mechanical properties of modified layered wood composites.
Comparative efficiency of roundwood processing into pallet lumber
Abstract The article is an attempt to determine the impact of market changes and sawnwood production on the utilisation of a limited supply of wood raw material, taking into account coniferous species and selected grades found on the market for the production of pallet lumber. The proposal to include the raw material value factor in the econometric model provides a measurable benchmark. Closed efficiency through the criterion of maximising the added value of wood in industrial processing takes into account the parameters that shape the impact of the value of the product and wood raw material. This criterion is derived from the supply of roundwood and customer demand for particular species and grades. The efficiency index is a reference to the price factors of market change over a variable period of time with the ability to forecast the direction of change.
Biomass Price Prediction Based on the Example of Poland
The aim of the study was to test the applicability of forecasting in the analysis of the variability of prices and supply of wood in Poland. It relies on the autoregressive integrated model (ARIMA) that takes into account the level of cyclic, seasonal, and irregular fluctuations and the long-term trend as tools for the assessment of the predictions of the prices of selected medium-sized wood assortments. Elements of the time series were determined taking into account the cyclical character of the quarterly distribution. The data included quarterly information about the supply (amount) and prices (value) of wood sold by state forests in the years 2018–2022. The analysis was conducted for the most popular assortments: logging slash (M2, M2ZE), firewood S4, and medium-sized wood S2AP. In the period studied (years 2018–2022), the average rate of price variation was widely scattered. The average rate of price variation for the M2ZE assortment amounted to 7%. The average rate for M2 assortment was 1%, while the medium-sized S2AP assortment displayed the greatest variation of 99%. This means that between 2018 and the present, the price increased by nearly 100%. No major fluctuations were observed for the S4 assortment and its average rate of variation amounted to 0%. The analysis found seasonal variation was observed only for S4 firewood, the price of which went up each year in October, November, and December. For this reason, the forecast was made with the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) version of the model. It is difficult to forecast the price of wood due to variations in the market and the impact of global factors related to fluctuations in supply.
Qualitative and Strength Analysis of Pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.) Wood Materials - Study of Pallet Elements
The manufacture of packaging products requires determining the strength requirements of the components that make up the structural elements of pallets, crates and other packaging. Wood, as a renewable material, is the basic raw material for manufacturing wooden pallets. The premise of the research is that the strength of pallets is derived from the characteristics of the components of the subassemblies. Strength tests of lumber were carried out, which determine the evaluation of the suitability of sawn materials. Verification of raw material properties determines the adaptation of individual assemblies to static and dynamic force loads. Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) lumber was verified, taking into account the origin of the cross-sectional area and the presence of anatomical structure features. The results of the study confirm the influence of wood origin on the suitability of pine wood for wood packaging. The influence of a certain origin from the log can translate into changes in strength properties. It was found that wood density is not a critical parameter for evaluating the strength of lumber and product. Tests of separated structural lumber for wood packaging indicate significant differences in the condition of the wood and the magnitude of the strength parameter.
Optimizing Forest-Biomass-Distribution Logistics from a Multi-Level Perspective - Review
Forest and wood biomass represent a sustainable reservoir of raw materials and energy, offering a viable alternative to fossil fuels. These resources find extensive use in producing bioproducts, including solid wood and wood materials. The judicious exploitation of forest and wood biomass can be pivotal in reducing carbon emissions and securing material and energy independence. The business viability of producing valuable goods from woody biomass hinges on ensuring its sustained availability. This necessitates access to high-quality biomass at a minimal cost, demanding the efficient design of wood-biomass-distribution logistics. Furthermore, it is imperative to give equal weight to social and ecological considerations in shaping the forest- and wood-biomass-distribution logistics, thereby ensuring the sustainable utilization of this renewable raw material source. This article presents research focused on the business optimization of distribution logistics for specific forms of forest biomass used in wood material production. While most studies have primarily concentrated on the business or ecological issues of biomass utilization, this article offers a comprehensive insight by addressing business, ecological, and social facets in assessing and optimizing wood-biomass-distribution logistics. Multi-stakeholder life-cycle-assessment optimization takes into account the reduction of greenhouse gases as an ecological metric, with production costs and capital expenditure forming the business metrics. At the same time, the generation of employment opportunities is commonly regarded as the pivotal social criterion. There remains a necessity for further exploration into the potential social impacts of forest biomass utilization. Additionally, developing enhanced methodologies and decision-support tools for scheduling wood-biomass-distribution logistics that holistically consider business, ecological, and social criteria is an essential ongoing task.
Implications of Isomorphism in the Family of Apatite Compounds
Apatites are very important compounds of mineralogical and biological meaning. Apatites originated from the calcium hydroxy compound 3Ca3(PO4)2·Ca(OH)2 and potentially might form three series of isomorphic salts, derived from cationic substitutions in the positions of Ca(I) and Ca(II) ions in the core compound; anionic substitutions of phosphates; and substitutions of anions and very simple chemical entities instead of the hydroxyl group in channel locations. The energies coupled with the ion exchanges inside those three locations were studied using our original method resulting from the transformation of Braggs’ law. The energy changes resulting from the ion exchanges were studied in connection with either the ionic radii for the cations or ionic volumes for the anions. The same series were observed when the variabilities of energy were confronted with the variabilities in the sinus of diffraction angle Θ showing changes in momentum transfer. In particular, the relationships between the energy changes and the coupled changes in the universal crystallographic parameter d showed the surprising uniformity of all ion exchanges in the apatites. The incremental change in the Braggs’ d-parameter always demands the same change in the energy, with good approximation, independently of the location of the ion exchange. So, the isomorphism of the apatites is not triple but a uniform one at the energy level. Such an approach enables the estimation of the volume of the ion-□ (□-vacancies) agglomerates. The introduction of ions with greater volumes exerts the phenomenon of swelling of apatite cells, which can be quantitatively estimated. The dependence of diffraction spectra on the temperature allows for the determination of minimal values of crystallographic cell volumes and d parameters at the temperature of 0 K. In sum, the study of energies connected with the change of Bragg dimension d is a new and valuable method of insight into the behaviour of apatite crystals.
