Shaping the Coupled and Coordinated Development of Forestry Industry Agglomeration and Eco-Efficiency in China’s Provinces

This study constructs an index system based on provincial data from 2012 to 2023 for forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency. Using methods such as the Coupling Coordination Degree and Relative Development Degree, the study explores the relationship between the coupled and coordinated development of forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency at the provincial level, and introduces a balanced interval to regulate the coupling and coordination process between forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency. The results indicate that: (1) During the study period, the overall coupled and coordinated development of China’s forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency was in an antagonistic stage, with the development of forestry industry agglomeration lagging behind the level of eco-efficiency. (2) The Relative Development Degree of forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency shifted from a “ladder” pattern to an “hourglass” pattern. (3) The process of coupling and coordinating the development of forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency exhibited fluctuations, indicating that future efforts should focus on improving the quality of both forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency to promote coordinated development. (4) During the period from 2012 to 2023, China’s forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency generally failed to simultaneously reach a reasonably balanced state, with notable regional differences. Factors such as the number of non-forestry employees, geographic location, and environmental conditions significantly impacted the balance between forestry industry agglomeration and eco-efficiency.