The Use of Goal Programming for Resource Assessment, With an Application to Forest Energy Developments in Eastern Ontario

Abstract

<p>This research was primarily concerned with the identification, development and application of methods for the purpose of providing information to assist resource management decisions. The type of information sought was defined by four questions, which essentially relate to the ability to achieve specified development goals and the identification of conflicts amongst goals. Analysis directed at resolving these questions was referred to as resource assessment.</p> <p>The first major component of the research involved the search for appropriate methods by which to undertake resource assessment analysis. The ability to account for multiple, and possibly conflicting goals, which may be expressed in disparate metrics, was an explicit concern in evaluating the various methods. Multiobjective goal programming was identified as one method well-suitable to resource assessment analysis.</p> <p>Application of a goal programming model in an assessment of proposed forest energy developments in Eastern Ontario constituted the second major component of the research. This provided an applied context within which to further evaluate the suitability of goal programming for resource assessment. Application of the method was also expected to provided useful insights into the implications for the Eastern region of forest energy developments.</p> <p>Results suggest that energy plantation developments could make a substantial contribution to the Eastern region of Ontario, through the development of under-utilized land resources, the generation of regional income, the provision of jobs, and the production of energy for local markets and perhaps beyond. The analysis clearly indicates, however, that conflicts exist amongst the specified development goals. Resource allocations which imply favourable results in terms of one development goal may mean relatively poor achievement levels with respect to some of the other goals. This suggests that considerable caution must be exercised in selecting development strategies with respect to a forest energy system.</p> <p>The research makes an important contribution in a methodological sense, by demonstrating that scientific procedures can be employed to systematically and rigorously address questions of fundamental importance in resource assessment. In particular, this research has shown that it is possible to assess captions in resource use with respect to several, potentially incompatible goals. By providing useful information relating to the possible socio-economic and environmental consequences of forest energy developments in Eastern Ontario, the research also makes an important contribution in all applied sense.</p>