1. Forests
Land Use Chapter 10

2. White Boards
What consumer products do we get from trees?

3. What do we use forests for?
Ecological
Consumer Products
Wildlife habitats
Carbon sinks
Purifying air and water
Reducing soil erosion
Nutrient cycling and energy
Climate controls
Food
Medicine
Most paper products
Syrup
Rubber
Corks
Gum
Waxes

4. Forests Areas dominated by trees and other woody vegetation.
30% of all land mass in the world
About 20% in US

5. Types of Forests
Old-growth forest: uncut or regenerated forest that has not been seriously disturbed for several hundred years.
22% of world’s forest.
Hosts many species with specialized niches.
Second-growth forest: a stand of trees resulting from natural secondary succession
After clear-cutting
After natural processes
Weather
Fire
Wind
Ice
Figure 10-5

6. Types of Forests Fast-growing species Monocultures
Tree plantation: planted stands of a particular tree species.
Fast-growing species
Monocultures
Even-aged trees = all trees are the same age
Trees are cut at the end of the rotation time and replanted
Plantations are crops, not functional forests
Some harvesting methods maintain uneven-aged (mixed ages of trees and species) tree stands
White boards? What are the pros and cons of this type of controlled forest.

7. Top Countries with Large Forest Plantations
Plantation forestry
Top Countries with Large Forest Plantations
Top Harvesting countries

8. Forest Management
Foresters, professionals who manage forests through the practice of forestry, must balance ecosystem services with demand for wood products
Resource management = the practice of harvesting potentially renewable resources in ways that do not deplete them
Resource managers are influenced by political, economic, and social factors
Ecosystem-based management = managing the harvesting of resources to minimize impact on the ecosystems and ecological processes
Carefully managing ecologically important areas/Protecting some forested areas
It is challenging for managers to determine how to implement this type of management because ecosystems are complex, and our understanding of how they operate is limited
Adaptive management = systematically testing different management approaches and aiming to improve methods
Monitoring results and adjusting methods as needed
Time-consuming and complicated

9. Case Studies
The 1994 Northwest Forest Plan resolved disputes between loggers and preservationists over the remaining old-growth temperate rainforests in the continental U.S.
Allowed limited logging
Protected species and ecosystems
Science-guided management in Oregon, Washington, and California
In 1993, protestors blocked loggers from cutting ancient
trees on Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Most of Canada’s old-growth temperate rainforest is already gone
20% of the jobs depends on the timber industry
Both sides struck a deal allowing environmentally friendly practices and encouraging ecotourism

10. Demand for wood leads to deforestation
Deforestation = the clearing and loss of forests
Alters landscapes and ecosystems
Degrades soil
Causes species decline and extinction
Ruins civilizations
Adds carbon dioxide to the air
Developing countries boost their economies and get land for their growing populations by logging forests

11. Deforestation cont.
Old Growth-
Little remained by the 20th century

12. “Timber famine” fears spurred forest protection
Resulted from depletion of U.S. forests and fear of a “timber famine”
77 million ha (191 million acres); 8% of the U.S. land area
The U.S. Forest Service was established in 1905
Manage forests for the greatest good of the greatest number in the long run, including logging
Multiple use policy = national forests were to be managed for recreation, habitat, minerals and other uses
In reality, timber production is the primary use

13. Timber is extracted from public and private land
Timber is extracted by private companies, even on public land
Forest Service employees plan and manage timber sales and build roads
The companies log and sell the timber for profit
Increased public awareness caused people to urge changed forest management
For recreation, wildlife and ecosystem integrity, instead of logging
Critics protested federal subsidies of logging companies
The Forest Service loses $100 million/yr by selling
timber below cost

14. Most logging occurs on private land
But, millions of cubic feet per year are still logged from national forests
Timber harvesting remains stable in developed countries
Timber companies manage forests according to the maximum sustained yield approach
Management on public lands reflects economic forces, along with social and political ones

15. Controversy over Logging in U.S. National Forests
There has been an ongoing debate over whether U.S. national forests should be primarily for:
Timber.
Ecological services.
Recreation.
Mix of these uses.
Figure 10-14

16. Harvesting timber: clear-cutting
All trees in the area are cut
Most cost-efficient
Greatest impact on forest ecosystems
May mimic some natural forms of disturbance
Destroy entire communities
Soil erosion
Public does not like this type of harvesting
Can also do strip-clear cuts where smaller sections are cleared and some trees are left.

17. Harvesting Trees
Effects of clear-cutting in the state of Washington, U.S.
Figures and 10-11

18. Harvesting: other methods
Seed-tree cutting = a small number of seed-producing trees are left standing to reseed the area
Shelterwood cutting = a small number of trees are left to provide shelter for the seedlings
Even aged management- maintain a stand with trees of all ages from seedling to mature
High grading- cutting and removing only the best and largest trees
Selection systems = only select trees are cut
Single tree selection = widely spaced trees are cut
Group tree selection = small patches of trees are cut
All methods disturb habitat
Change forest structure and composition
Increase erosion, siltation, runoff, flooding, landslides

19. Harvesting forests

20. Harvesting Trees
Building roads into previously inaccessible forests paves the way for fragmentation, destruction, and degradation.
Figure 10-8

21. Solutions: Reducing Demand for Harvest Trees
Tree harvesting can be reduced by wasting less wood and making paper and charcoal fuel from fibers that do not come from trees.
Kenaf is a promising plant for paper production.
Hemp and bamboo are also good alternatives.
Figure 10-15

22. American Forests in a Globalized Economy
Timber from tree plantations in temperate and tropical countries is decreasing the need for timber production in the U.S.
This could help preserve the biodiversity in the U.S. by decreasing pressure to clear- cut old-growth and second-growth forests.
This may lead to private land owners to sell less profitable land to developers.
Forest management policy will play a key role.
This does add to climate change problems.
Can lead to deforestation in tropical areas or other forests.

23. The National Forest Management Act (1976)
Mandated that plans for renewable resource management had to be drawn up for every national forest
Guidelines included:
Consideration of both economic and environmental factors
Provision for species diversity
Ensuring research and monitoring
Permitting only sustainable harvests
Protection of soils and wetlands
Assessing all impacts before logging to protect resources

24. Global Outlook: Extent of Deforestation
Human activities have reduced the earth’s forest cover by as much as half.
Losses are concentrated in developing countries.
Almost half the people in the developing world face a shortage of fuelwood and charcoal.
In Haiti, 98% of country is deforested.
MIT scientist has found a way to make charcoal from spent sugarcane.
Unsustainable activity
Figure 10-7

25. Sustainable forestry is gaining ground
Sustainable forestry certification = only products produced sustainably can be certified
International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) have different standards
Consumers look for logos to buy sustainably produced timber
Companies such as Home Depot sell sustainable wood
Encourages better logging practices

26. Solutions We can use forests more sustainably by emphasizing:
Economic value of ecological services.
Harvesting trees no faster than they are replenished.
Protecting old-growth and vulnerable areas.
Figure 10-12

27. CASE STUDY: TROPICAL DEFORESTATION
Large areas of ecologically and economically important tropical forests are being cleared and degraded at a fast rate.
At least half of the world’s terrestrial plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests.
Large areas of tropical forest are burned to make way for cattle ranches and crops.
Figure 10-16

28. Causes of Tropical Deforestation and Degradation
Tropical deforestation results from a number of interconnected primary and secondary causes.
Figure 10-19

29. Sustaining Tropical Forests
Solutions
Sustaining Tropical Forests
Prevention
Restoration
Protect most diverse and endangered areas
Educate settlers about sustainable agriculture and forestry
Phase out subsidies that encourage unsustainable forest use
Add subsidies that encourage sustainable forest use
Protect forests with debt-for-nature swaps and conservation easements
Certify sustainably grown timber
Reduce illegal cutting
Reduce poverty
Slow population growth
Reforestation
Rehabilitation of degraded areas
Concentrate farming and ranching on already-cleared areas
Figure 10.20
Solutions: ways to protect tropical forests and use them more sustainably. QUESTION: Which three of these solutions do you think are the most important?
Fig , p. 207

30. Kenya’s Green Belt Movement: Individuals Matter
Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement.
The main goal is to organize poor women to plant (for fuelwood) and protect millions of trees.
In 2004, awarded Nobel peace prize.
Figure 10-10A

31. Forest Fires policy also stirs controversy
For over 100 years, the Forest Service suppressed all fires
But many ecosystems depend on fires
Fire suppression allows woody accumulation, which produces kindling for future fires Which are much worse
Housing development near forests and climate change will increase fire risk

32. Types and Effects of Forest Fires
Depending on their intensity, fires can benefit or harm forests.
Burn away flammable ground material and release valuable mineral nutrients.
Crown Fires: Occur in forests that hav not had a fire in a long time fire jumps to tree tops and burns really hot
Surface fires: burns undergrowth, leaf litter spares older trees but usually kills younger trees stimulates seed germination in many tree cones like Sequoias.
Figure 10-13

33. Solutions: Controversy Over Fire Management
In 2003, U.S. Congress passed the Healthy Forest Restoration Act:Passed in response to forest fires
Allows timber companies to cut medium and large trees in 71% of the national forests.
In return, must clear away smaller, more fire-prone trees and underbrush.
promotes removal of small trees, underbrush and dead trees
Some forest scientists believe this could increase severe fires by removing fire resistant trees and leaving highly flammable slash.

34. Solutions: Fire Management
To reduce fire damage:
Set controlled surface fires.(prescribed burn)
Allow fires to burn on public lands if they don’t threaten life and property.
Clear small areas around property subject to fire.
Prescribed (controlled) burns = Effective, May get out of control
Impeded by public misunderstanding and political interference

35. Bark Beetles
American Forests are being eaten away by many different species of bark beetles. This is impacting the rate of forest fires across the west as well.
An adult mountain pine beetle lays her eggs under the bark. On her way, she disperses fungi that turn the trees' tissue into food for her babies, eventually killing the tree.

36. Salvage logging Removal of dead trees following a natural disturbance
Seems logical, but is really destructive
Snags (standing dead trees) provide nesting cavities for countless animals
Removing timber from recently burned areas increases erosion and soil damage
Promotes future fires
Increases commercial logging in national forests
Decreases oversight and public participation