A cost–benefit analysis of long-term management options for forests following contamination with 137Cs

This paper provides a description of a cost–benefit analysis applied to determine the cost effectiveness, or otherwise, of nine management strategies potentially applicable to forests contaminated with 137Cs. The management strategies were considered singly and in a number of likely combinations. A management strategy was considered to be cost effective if it resulted in a lower overall monetary detriment than was incurred if use of the contaminated forest was continued on a ‘business as usual’ basis. Only the banning of mushroom collection and restriction of public access proved to be cost-effective management strategies on the basis of this definition. However, even these strategies only proved cost effective at high levels of 137Cs contamination, at which net savings in detriment in the form of public dose were achieved. Cost-effective savings of doses to forest workers were never achieved at any of the contamination levels considered in this study. It is suggested that novel alternative uses of contaminated forests are required which could provide added value to the standing crop in return for small increases in public and worker doses. One such use might be biofuel production.