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Chapter 10: Case Study 
in Financial Modeling 
and Simulation of a 
Forestry Investment
Investment in forestry as an 
example of capital budgeting 
techniques applied to long 
term projects.
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Introduction
Forestry provides two types of long 
term benefits:-
Wood benefits; 
 timber, poles, thinnings
Non-Wood benefits;
 environmental protection,
 wildlife habitat,
 land restoration, 
 recreational environment.
Both these benefits can span a lifetime 
of over 50 years.
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 Cash Flow Structure 
General for Projects Particular to Forestry
 initial cash outlay long term maintenance
 inflows from sale of product timed on-going outlays:- 
 thinnings, maintenance,
 income- poles or timber? 
 income – time of harvest? 
Cash Flow Forecasting 
 Cash flow prediction over a long horizon is difficult.
Investment Evaluation Criteria
The Land Expectation Value(LEV) model is applied 
in preference to the NPV model.
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Key Parameters in 
Forestry Models
Establishment:- land, land preparation, 
plant stock, planting, watering.
Maintenance:- weed control, fertilizing, 
pruning and thinning, fire and pest 
protection.
Inflows:- 
 wood; commercial thinning, final harvest
 non-wood; flora gathering, recreation,
 land renewal.
Required rate of return.
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Forest Yield Factors
Wood growth is measured by the
 MAI: Mean Annual Increment; 
 ‘the annual increase in cubic meters of 
harvestable timber per hectare’.
The MAI is influenced by- 
 relevant rainfall, soil fertility, 
 species mixture, planting régime,
 crop protection.
Final monetary payoff is influenced by- 
harvest age, species type, timber price.
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Forestry Risks 1
Establishment: 
 drought, weeds
Production: 
 storm, fire, 
 pests and diseases, 
 unsuitable species, 
 collateral damage at harvest.
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Forestry Risks 2
Timber return: inappropriate 
pruning and thinning, poor growth, 
timber usage and fashion changes.
Sovereign risk: regulatory changes, 
taxation changes, uncertain harvest 
rights. 
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Predicting Cash Flows 1
 The key growth indicator is the 
 Mean Annual Increment.  
0 20 50+
Years of growth
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 Predicting Cash Flows 2
The Delphi method may be used to 
forecast the MAI, costs, and sales 
incomes.
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Predicting Cash Flows 3
Particular long-term data for native 
species is difficult to estimate.
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Solving the Model 
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Solving the Model
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Solving the Model
 Define and predict the long 
term benefits
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Solving the Model
 Define and predict the long 
term benefits
Asses the risks
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Solving the Model
 Define and predict the long 
term benefits
Asses the risks
Estimate 
the cash 
flows
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Solving the Model
 Define and predict the long 
term benefits
Asses the risks
Estimate 
the cash 
flows
NPV
LEV
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Sensitivity Analysis
Variables:
 stumpage price
 yield - thinning
 yield - poles
 yield - timber
 weed control
 pruning.
Scenario Analysis
Harvest at Yr 34, 
 or Yr 60
Monte Carlo 
Analysis of 
sensitive 
variables.
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 Forestry Modeling
Forestry projects are long term.
Costs and benefits are difficult to 
predict.
Growth risks and product types are 
particular to forestry.
Modeling helps to analyze the 
forecast values.