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Scientia Silvae Sinicae ›› 2025, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (6): 159-182.doi: 10.11707/j.1001-7488.LYKX20240541

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Theoretical Logic and Mechanism of Rural Digitalization Affecting the Development of Forestry New Quality Productive Forces

Caiyao Xu1,2,Yiying Qian2,Fanbin Kong3,*(),Shuifa Ke4,Hao Wang5   

  1. 1. Rural Revitalization Academy of Zhejiang Province/Green Rural Revival Program Academy, Zhejiang A & F University Hangzhou 311300
    2. College of Economics and Management, Zhejiang A & F University Hangzhou 311300
    3. Institute of Digital Forestry and Green Development/College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing 210037
    4. School of Agriculture and Rural Development, Renmin University of China Beijing 100872
    5. School of Management, Beijing Institute of Technology Beijing 100081
  • Received:2024-09-20 Online:2025-06-10 Published:2025-06-26
  • Contact: Fanbin Kong E-mail:kongfanbin@aliyun.com

Abstract:

Objective: It is of great practical significance to clarify and analyze the performance theory, mechanism, and pathways of rural digitalization affecting the development of forestry new quality productive forces, to provide a scientific basis for digitally empowering the high-quality development of forestry and promote the construction of modern forestry industry system. Method: Based on the panel data of 30 provincial administrative units in China from 2012 to 2020, a comprehensive evaluation index system of rural digitalization level and forestry new quality productive forces development level was constructed. The two-way fixed effect model, intermediary effect model, and spatial Dubin model were used to empirically analyze the impact of rural digitalization on the development of forestry new quality productive forces and its mechanism. Result: 1) Benchmark regression results show that rural digitalization has a significant contribution to the development of forestry new quality productive forces, with the level of forestry new quality productive forces increasing by 0.0645 units for every 1 unit increase in the level of rural digitalization. This conclusion is still valid after a series of robustness tests. 2) The results of regional heterogeneity analysis show that rural digitalization can significantly promote the development of forestry new quality productive forces in eastern and western China. In areas with low development levels of forestry new quality productive forces, rural digitalization can significantly contribute to the development of forestry new quality productive forces. The results of dimensional heterogeneity analyses showed that the development of digital infrastructure and digital industry can significantly promote the development of forestry new quality productive forces with digital infrastructure contributing more, and the digital transformation of rural areas has a greater role in promoting new forestry labors. 3) The results of mechanism analysis show that rural digitalization can promote the development of forestry new quality productive forces by releasing technological innovation breakthrough effect, labor resource allocation effect, industrial upgrading driving effect, and resource management quality improvement effect. 4) The results of the spatial econometric model show that the level of rural digitalization has a significant negative spatial spillover effect on the development level of forestry new quality productive forces. The short-term and long-term indirect effects are significantly negative. Conclusion: From 2012 to 2020, the level of rural digitalization in China’s 30 provincial administrative units will continue to increase, which will have a significant effect on the development of forestry new quality productive forces, and the level of forestry science and technology innovation, the stock of forestry human capital, the level of advanced forestry industry structure and the intensity of environmental regulation will affect the development of rural digitalization in promoting the development of forestry new quality productive forces to a different extent. Therefore, provincial administrative units should continue to promote rural digital development, strengthen rural digital infrastructure construction, effectively promote digital industry development, actively encourage forestry technology innovation, enhance forestry human capital, continue to promote the advanced structure of the forestry industry, and optimize environmental regulations and moderately increase their intensity, to accelerate the development of forestry new quality productive forces in China.

Key words: rural digitalization, new quality productive forces, forestry industry development, theoretical logic, pathway mechanisms

CLC Number: