Performance evaluation of forest management plans (Case study: Iranian Caspian forests)

The aim of this research was to measure the relative efficiency of forest management plans in north of Iran. In order to fulfill the research, data of 12 forest management plans were collected from the financial balance sheets of Shafaroud Forest Company during a ten years period. First of all, basic Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models (BCC and CCR) were used to determine the efficiency. Then, due to the structure of the forest management plan, cost efficiency and revenue efficiency models based on DEA were used in order to measure the efficiency. Results indicated that 8 forest management plans were efficient based on BCC and CCR models. Furthermore, the results indicated that only one forest management plan was efficient based on cost efficiency and revenue efficiency models. These results could be due to the input oriented properties of the models, rational management and optimal use of resources.