Rural Digital Economy, Forest Ecological Product Value, and Farmers’ Income: Evidence from China

The value realization of forest ecological products (VRF) is crucial for rural revitalization, while the rural digital economy (RDE) plays a central role in enhancing farmers’ income (FI). This study constructs index systems to evaluate the RDE and VRF using the entropy weight method and the input–output model. Based on panel data from 31 Chinese provinces (2011–2021), we employ a comprehensive analytical framework that includes spatiotemporal evolution analysis, benchmark regression models, mediation effect analysis, and heterogeneity analysis. The results of the benchmark regression models show that the RDE significantly boosts FI, with each unit of increase in the RDE leading to a 2579-unit rise in income. Spatiotemporal evolution analysis reveals that the positive effect of the RDE weakens from the Eastern coastal regions to the less developed Western regions. Furthermore, mediation effect analysis indicates that VRF mediates the relationship between the RDE and FI. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the impact of the RDE varies across regions and income levels. These findings provide strong evidence of the role of the RDE in promoting FI and highlight VRF as a mediating mechanism, offering policy insights for integrating digital and ecological strategies to foster inclusive rural growth.