SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS JULY, 1983 APPLICATION OF LINEAR GOAL PROGRAMMING TO FOREST HARVEST SCHEDULING

Forest management and planning is complex, in- ent net worth maximization, harvest volume maximi-volving the application of many scarce and diverse re- zation, and cost minimization, all over relatively long sources to the production and maintenance of a periods of time, have all been specified in objective multitude of products and services from the forest over functions. a relatively long period of time. The forest manager Economic analyses incorporating linear program-hopes to produce a balanced mix of products and ser- ming are often based, in part, on the implied assump-vices, with the mixture depending upon the landown- tion that economic man has but one objective. Indeed, er's objectives. Although many objectives are the classical theory of the firm postulates "rational" complementary in nature, others are competitive, with economic man as an optimizer (Henderson and some mutually exclusive. As a result, allocating the Quandt), whether it be output maximization subject to resource manager's scarce and diverse resources among a cost constraint, cost minimization subject to an out-the alternative and possibly competitive products and put constraint, or profit maximization. This view of services becomes a complex problem. economic man has been questioned, however (Arrow; Timber management planning is normally an inte- Cyert and March; Lane; Margolis; Simon). Firms do gral part of managing a forest, and two traditional tasks not seek to satisfy a unidimensional goal, but rathe