Predicting old-growth structures in temperate small-scale private forests using landscape data

Research paper

Key message 

Old-growth forest structures in small-scale private forests are strongly shaped by landscape context and can be reliably predicted using freely available spatial data. Remnant forest patches within mixed cultural landscapes act as important reservoirs and connectivity elements for forest biodiversity and should be prioritized in conservation and management planning.

Keywords
Biodiversity hotspots; Forest management; Forest ownership; Predictive modeling; Machine learning; Fragmented cultural landscapes

Data availability 
The data that support the findings of this study are available online: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18823779

Publication
Hansen, P., Tiebel, M., Plieninger, T. et al. Predicting old-growth structures in temperate small-scale private forests using landscape data. Annals of Forest Science 83, 26 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-026-01354-6

Handling editor
Thomas Cordonnier