Forestry & Land Management

This lecture will help you understand: Ecological and economic contributions of forests Forest management and harvest methods Major federal land management agencies Types and design of protected areas

Forests Forest – any ecosystem with a high density of trees Many kinds of forests exist – Boreal forest – in Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia – Tropical rainforest – South and Central America, Africa, Indonesia, and southeast Asia – Temperate deciduous forests, temperate rainforests, and tropical dry forests also exist – Woodlands – ecosystems with lower density of trees Plant communities differ due to soil and climate – Forest types – are defined by predominant tree species Forests cover 31% of Earth’s surface

Forest types The Eastern U.S. has 10 forest types – Spruce-fir, oak-hickory, longleaf-slash pine The Western U.S. holds 13 forest types – Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniper woodlands

Forests are ecologically complex Forests are some of the richest ecosystems for biodiversity – They are structurally complex, with many niches – They provide food and shelter for multitudes of species – Fungi and microbes have parasitic and mutualistic relationships with plants Plant diversity leads to greater overall organism diversity – Succession changes species composition Old-growth forest diversity exceeds that of young forests – They have higher structural diversity, habitats, and resources

Old Growth Forests Old-growth forests are forests that have been seriously impacted by humans activities for hundreds of years. Characterized by: – High biodiversity – Older and mixed-aged trees – Minimal signs of human activity – Multilayer canopy openings due to tree falls – Pit-and-mound topography due to trees falling and creating new microenvironments by recycling carbon-rich organic material directly to soil – Decaying wood and ground layer that provides a rich carbon sink – Dead trees that are necessary nesting sites for woodpeckers and spotted owls – Healthy soil profiles – Indicator species – A fungal ecosystem

A cross-section of a mature forest

Forests provide ecological services Forests are an important global reserve The ecological services of forests include: 1.Providing habitat for wildlife 2.Carbon sinks (store carbon) 3.Affecting local climate patterns 4.Purifying air and water 5.Reducing soil erosion as they serve as a watershed, absorbing and releasing controlled amounts of water 6.Providing energy and nutrient cycling

Forests provide us valuable resources Benefits: medicines, food, fuel, shelter, ships, paper Help us achieve a high standard of living Logging locations: – Boreal forests: Canada, Russia – Rainforests: Brazil, Indonesia – Conifer forests/pine plantations: U.S. In 2010, 30% of all forests were designated for timber production

Valuable Products 3.4 billion cubic meters of wood per year – 53% of wood consumption for fuel Burned or made into charcoal – 31% for building material Housing, furniture, containers – 16% for paper Uses smaller logs Produces water pollution – Proportions vary by region Hundreds of non-wood products come from forests – Rubber – Food items Syrup Wild nuts and berries Herbs and spices – Pharmaceuticals

Demand for wood leads to deforestation Deforestation – the clearing and loss of forests – Changes landscapes and ecosystems – Reduces biodiversity – Worsens climate change – Disrupts ecosystem services – Ruins civilizations Although the rate of deforestation is slowing, we still lose 12.8 million acres/year

Rapid deforestation in developing nations Uncut tropical forests still remain in many developing countries (Brazil, Indonesia, and West Africa) – Technology allows for even faster exploitation Developing countries are so desperate for economic development, they have few logging restrictions Concession – corporations pay the government for the right to extract resources – Temporary jobs are soon lost, along with the resources – Wood is exported to North America and Europe

Forest management Forestry – forest management – Sustainable forest management is spreading Foresters – professional managers who must balance demand for forest products (short-term benefits) vs. the importance of forests as ecosystems (long term) Resource management – strategies to manage and regulate potentially renewable resources – Sustainable management does not deplete resources – Managers are influenced by social, political, and economic factors

Maximum sustainable yield Maximum sustainable yield – aims to achieve the maximum amount of resource extraction without depleting the resource from one harvest to the next Populations grow fastest at an intermediate size – Population size is at half its carrying capacity Harvesting to keep the population at this size results in maximum harvest – While sustaining the population

National Forest System Depletion of eastern U.S. forests caused alarm National forest system – public lands set aside to grow trees, produce timber, protect watersheds, and ensure future timber supplies – 77 million ha (191 million acres)—8% of U.S. land area The U.S. Forest Service was established in 1905 – Manages forests for the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run – Management includes logging and replanting trees

The National Forest Management Act (1976) Every national forest must formulate plans for renewable resource management that: – Consider both economic and environmental factors – Provide for and protect regional diversity – Ensure research and monitoring of management – Permit only sustainable harvest levels – Ensure that profit alone does not guide harvest method – Protect soils and wetlands – Assess all impacts before logging to protect resources

New forestry U.S. Forest Service programs: – Manage wildlife, non-game animals, endangered species – Push for ecosystem-based management – Run programs for ecological restoration New forestry – timber cuts that mimic natural events – Sloppy clear-cuts mimic windstorms

Sustainable Forestry Sustainable forest certification – products produced sustainably can be certified by organizations – The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has the strictest standards – Companies such as Home Depot sell sustainable wood, encouraging better logging practices – Consumers look for logos to buy sustainably produced timber Strong certification standards drive sustainability

Prescribed Fires Prescribed (controlled) burns – burning areas of forests under carefully controlled conditions – Clear away fuel loads, nourish soil, encourage growth of new vegetation – Are time-intensive – Are impeded by public misunderstanding and political interference Healthy Forests Restoration Act (2003) – promotes removal of small trees, underbrush, and dead trees – Passed in response to forest fires

Federal Parks and Reserves National parks – public lands protected from resource extraction and development – Open to nature appreciation and recreation – Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 The Antiquities Act (1906) lets the president declare public lands as national monuments – Which may later become national parks

The National Park Service (NPS) Created in 1916 to administer parks and monuments – 392 sites totaling 34 million ha (84 million acres) – Includes national historic sites, national recreation areas, national wild and scenic rivers – 285 million visitors in 2009 These parks are “the best idea we ever had” There are also 3,700 state parks across the U.S.

National Wildlife Refuges Begun in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt – 39 million ha (96 million acres) in 550 sites – The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument added 22 million ha (55 million acres) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) – Administers wildlife refuges, serving as havens – But allows hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography, education – Managed for waterfowl and non-game species – Restores marshes and grasslands

Why create parks and reserves? People establish parks and reserves to: – Preserve areas with enormous or unusual scenic features, such as the Grand Canyon – Offer recreational value: hiking, fishing, hunting, etc. – Generate revenue from ecotourism – Offer peace of mind, health, exploration, wonder, etc. – Protect areas that provide ecosystem services – Use sites that are otherwise economically not valuable and are therefore easy to protect – Preserve biodiversity

Wilderness Areas Wilderness areas – are off-limits to development For hiking, nature study, etc. – Must have minimal impact Grazing and mining were allowed as political compromise Established in federal lands – Overseen by the agencies that administer those areas 756 areas, 44 million ha (109 million acres) Wilderness is necessary to ensure that humans don’t occupy and modify all natural areas