New Methods in Exploring Forest Wildlife: Dynamics, Ecological Aspects, and Human–Wildlife Interactions

Dear Colleagues,

Forests are among the most intricate and biodiverse environments on Earth. They support a variety of species that contribute to the balance and functioning of these ecosystems. However, at present, forest wildlife is facing rapid change. Habitat loss, land-use changes, climate variability, and the increasing impact of human activity are altering species' behaviors, population trends, and ecological relationships. To understand these shifting dynamics, researchers are increasingly relying not only on ecological knowledge but also on new, sophisticated methods of gathering and interpreting data.

Technological progress in recent years has reshaped how forest wildlife can be studied. Tools such as automated acoustic sensors, AI-supported camera traps, environmental DNA, drone-based remote sensing, and advanced spatial and behavioral modeling allow us to observe species in ways that were previously impossible. These methods provide deeper insight into where animals live, how they behave, how they interact with one another, and how they respond to humans and environmental changes.

This Special Issue aims to highlight these emerging methods and demonstrate how they enhance our understanding of forest wildlife dynamics, ecological processes, and human–wildlife interactions. By combining technological innovation with practical applications in conservation, management, and coexistence, this Special Issue seeks to strengthen the connection between research and on-the-ground decision making. We welcome contributions that integrate ecological and socioenvironmental perspectives, encouraging collaboration among wildlife ecologists, foresters, conservation practitioners, and policy specialists.

Scope and Topics

This Special Issue seeks contributions that apply, evaluate, or advance new methods and analytical approaches for understanding forest wildlife dynamics, ecological processes, and human–wildlife interactions. Submissions should focus on forest ecosystems and address one or more of the following targeted themes:

1. Innovative Methods for Monitoring Forest Wildlife

• Advances in camera trapping, automated acoustic monitoring, environmental DNA, and drone or satellite-based remote sensing.
• AI-assisted species detection, behaviour recognition, and real-time data processing.
• The integration of multiple monitoring platforms to improve accuracy and temporal resolution.

2. Wildlife Dynamics and Ecological Processes in Forest Environments

• Novel approaches to studying population dynamics, movement ecology, habitat selection, and trophic interactions.
• Method-driven analyses of species coexistence, resource use, and ecological roles within forest ecosystems.

3. Assessing Anthropogenic Pressures Using New Tools

• Methodological innovations for quantifying the impacts of habitat fragmentation, forest management, land-use change, and climatic stressors.
• Detecting and modelling changes in wildlife distribution, phenology, or behaviour under environmental change.

4. Human–Wildlife Interactions in Forest Landscapes

• Tools and frameworks for monitoring, predicting, and mitigating human–wildlife conflict.
• Community-based, participatory, or socio-environmental approaches supported by novel data collection or analysis methods.

5. Method-Supported Conservation and Management Strategies

• Applications of new technologies to improve forest wildlife conservation planning, habitat restoration, and connectivity enhancement.
• Model-based decision support systems for forest and wildlife management under uncertainty.

6. Science–Policy Integration

• Case studies demonstrating how innovative methods inform governance, legislation, or adaptive

Dr. Linas Balčiauskas
Dr. Yukichika Kawata
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the Special Issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.