Minimizing wood smuggling using the flow interdiction and Benders Decomposition Approach

The protection of the environment and natural resources is one of the important goals in the sustainable development of countries. As economic activity expands, these God-given resources may be destroyed. Among natural resources, forests are very important. The existence of forests has many benefits, such as producing clean air, preventing some natural disasters, reducing the negative consequences of climate change, increasing human health, preserving animal biodiversity, and so on. Therefore, the protection of trees has many social benefits. One of the ways to preserve forests is to prevent the phenomenon of wood illicit, which causes forests by profiteers. In this research, the phenomenon of wood illicit is modeled using a bi-level mathematical planning model in the form of flow interdiction problem. In order to solve the model, Banders decomposition algorithm has been used. The effect of factors such as exchange rate, domestic price, number of foresters, government fines and of the possibility of arresting smugglers on timber smuggling. The results of the scenarios showed that the effect of all research factors on wood smuggling is negative. The results showed that with increasing government control, the amount of wood illicit decreases.

کلیدواژه ها:

Smuggling ، Timber ، Benders Decomposition ، Flow interdiction