Economic viability assessment in timber plantations for fuelwood and timber production
Description
This dataset supports the study “Economic viability of converting degraded tea lands into Eucalyptus grandis plantations in Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands.” It contains the empirical and analytical data used to evaluate alternative land-use models for degraded tea lands, with a focus on economic performance and ecosystem service implications. The dataset includes plantation-level data on establishment and management costs, fuelwood and timber yields, market prices, and rotation lengths used to construct short- and long-rotation plantation models. It also contains calculated economic indicators, including Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit–Cost Ratio (B/C), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Land Expectation Value (LEV), as well as results from sensitivity analysis examining the effects of changes in discount rates, prices, and costs. All data were compiled from field observations, institutional records, and secondary sources relevant to Sri Lanka’s tea and forestry sectors. The dataset is intended to support transparency, reproducibility, and future comparative research on land restoration, bioenergy supply, and ecosystem service provisioning in plantation landscapes.
Files
Steps to reproduce
The dataset was generated through a combination of field observations, secondary data collection, and economic modelling to evaluate the viability of converting degraded tea lands into Eucalyptus grandis plantations in Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands. Primary data on plantation characteristics, including rotation lengths, thinning schedules, and yield assumptions for fuelwood and timber, were derived from field observations, consultations with plantation managers, and records from tea estates and forestry practitioners. Cost data for plantation establishment, maintenance, harvesting, and transport were compiled from field-level information, institutional reports, and prevailing market rates in Sri Lanka as of January 2025. Market prices for fuelwood and timber were obtained from tea factory records, timber traders, and publicly available institutional sources. These inputs were used to construct two plantation management models: a short-rotation fuelwood-oriented system (8-year rotation) and a long-rotation timber–fuelwood system (25-year rotation). Economic indicators, including Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit–Cost Ratio (B/C), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and Land Expectation Value (LEV), were calculated using standard forest economics and investment appraisal methods. All calculations were implemented using spreadsheet-based workflows (Microsoft Excel), with formulas embedded directly in the data files to ensure transparency and reproducibility. A sensitivity analysis was conducted by systematically varying key parameters—discount rate, product prices, and establishment and management costs—to assess the robustness of the economic results under plausible market conditions. No laboratory instruments, reagents, or proprietary statistical software were used in the generation of this dataset. The dataset is fully self-contained and allows users to reproduce all reported results by recalculating the embedded formulas using the provided input data. Users may also adapt the workflow to alternative contexts by modifying input parameters while retaining the same analytical structure.
Institutions
- University of ColomboWestern Province, Colombo