A forest is defined by Botkin & Keller (2011) as a major kind of landscape that is normally grown over certain amounts of years and then harvested, forest products are mostly subjected to vigorous commercialization. Forests are also known for their important contribution to biological conservation. Forests have been an integral part of people and civilization from the very earliest centuries for their major product which his wood. Wood began to be viewed as an important building resource at the start of civilization. This was because wood was always easily and readily available and accessible. With wood, people built their houses, boats and even used it for heating up their homes. Amongst many reasons why people value the importance of forests,
(2016) defines sustainable forest management as a process or an approach of managing forests with an aim of achieving various objectives of management which are clearly defined or specified in terms of continuously producing desired forest products and services without unduly decreasing its inherent values and future productivity and also without imposing negative effects on the physical and social environment. One of the main challenges which is facing many forest policies and planning entails conciliating many different interests and finding a balance so as to satisfy the economical requests without jeopardising the integrity of forests ecological functions (Corezzola, 2016). This is said to be of greatest importance for the concept of Sustainable Forest Management (SFM). In a broader clarity of the SFM definition it can be mentioned that it is “an approach that balances environmental, socio-cultural and economic objectives of management in line with the Forest Principles adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED1) in 1992” (FAO 2003 in Matteusi, 2016). In another broader definition, Sustainable forest management refers to the ‘‘stewardship and use of forests and forest land in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, generation capacity, vitality, and their potential to fulfil relevant ecological, economic, and social functions at local, national, and global levels for current and future generations” (FAO 2003 in Matteusi,
Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Many of the world’s most threatened and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on benefits forests offer, including food, fresh water, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter (drug war facts, Page 1).
Once forests began to be viewed as beneficial, it opened up a whole new lifestyle. The forests and nature might have been an evil and scary place, but it was a place filled with resources and opportunity. Settlers began using trees and wood in a plethora of ways. Not only was it used for families own use, many began logging forests as a business; a very profitable business at that. Once wood started being used for beneficial purposes, a snowball effect occurred by the settlers to cut down every tree in sight and turn it into a profit.
Governments in these countries need to stop thinking of forests as a renewable resource. The rate at which they are harvesting these areas drives them beyond the boundaries of sustainability. The efforts required by reforestation may not initially be cost effective, but it will result in not only the survivability of the environment, but of the country’s economy. Widespread awareness of these ideas will help fight against the natural human tendency towards instant gratification and short-term goals. Different methods of logging can be utilized to allow the rainforests to survive and regrow naturally and at a sustainable
FAO: State of the World's Forests. Rome: Food and Agriculture Office of the United Nations; 2007. Print.
The Western forests are drastically different from what they were like before the European settlement. In pre-European time, the forests were open and park-like with only 25-35 trees per acre surrounded by areas of open grasslands. One could easily ride a horse through the spacious forest. This, however, is not possible in today's forests. Today, for example the Ponderosa pine forests, have over 500 trees per acre, creating thick dense areas of trees, brush, and bushes (President Bush, 4). The pre-European forests were subject to frequent low inte...
One of the most predominate ecosystems is the forest community. Covering about one-fourth of the land area on Earth, forests consist mainly of trees and other woody vegetation, growing closely together. The trees can be large and densely packed, as they are in the coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, or they can be relatively small and sparsely scattered, as they are in the dry tropical forests of sub-Saharan Africa. Forests are complex ecosystems that also include “soils and decaying organic matter, fungi and bacteria, herbs and shrubs, vines and lichens, ferns and mosses, insects and spiders, reptiles and amphibians, birds and mammals, and many other organisms” (Audesirk, 2003). All of these components constitute an intricate web with many biological interconnections. A bird may depend on the upper branches of a tree for nesting, while the tree may depend on the fungi surrounding its roots to obtain water and nutrients. A forest performs a number of vital environmental services, such as cleansing the air, moderating the climate, filtering water, cycling nutrients, providing a habitat for animals and provides humans with recreation and beautiful scenery. Resources from the forest supply raw materials, such as lumber, paper products, greenery and pharmaceuticals. Some of the developing issues today concerning forests are fires and what we as a society can do to restore the natural ecosystems within the forests around our world. Many aspects are to be considered when looking at the ecology and bioremediation of forests such as, human activities, wildlife, endangerment and environmental changes. This paper will discuss the effect wildfires have on the forest ecosystem.
Adding to the devastating effect of mans obsessive consumption of wood was the needless destruction of natural forests during times of war, leaving lasting scars of barren earth which would take hundreds of years to recover. World War One also had severe impacts on forested areas due to the devastation of mass bombing and fire clearing.
Environmental issues affect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. There are many resources that humans and animal needs to survive; some of the most obvious resources come from the forests. Forests make up a large percentage of the globe. The forests have global implications not just on life but on the quality of it. Trees improve the quality of the air that species breath, determine rainfall and replenish the atmosphere. The wood from the forests are used everyday form many useful resources. Moreover, thinning the forests increases the amount of available light, nutrients and water for the remaining trees. Deforestation (forest thinning) is one of the most critical issues of environmental problems that are occurring today.
Taking wood from rainforests and old-growth forests is detrimental to the environment and society. However, it is possible for us to have sustainable wood if we make an effort.
Rainforests once covered 14% of the worlds land surface, however now it only covers a mere 6%. It is estimated that all rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years. Trees are becoming more needed and used everyday. We need them cut down for many reasons such as paper and timber, while also needing them ‘untouched’ for other reasons like oxygen, we have to ask ourselves, which is more important? At the current rate, most of the rainforests are being cut down for resources like paper and timber, but less importance is being placed on main resources like oxygen.
II.Audience connection/credibility: It is very important for us to understand that trees do so much for our environment and we need to stop destroying the trees because trees provide a home for many creatures, they are the lungs of our world. Trees have medicinal benefits, that are very useful to the human race. Trees are very beneficial to the world and it is unethical to keep destroying the trees.
Forests are vital for life and have many important functions. They are home to millions of species and protect soil from erosion. Along with this they produce oxygen which is vital for human life, store carbon dioxide and help control climate. They also provide humans with shelter, food and medicines vital for life.
centuries. Today with an increasing population the amount of wood available has declined seriously in recent decades. People have been harvesting wood to cultivate land, burn, and for the use of raw materials for industry (Urquhart 2014). The estimated amount of deforestation taking place is twenty million hectares per year (Urquhart 2014). Climate change and global warming are just a few of the problems associated with the degradation of our forests.
Salim, Emil and Ullsten, Ola. Our Forests, Our Future. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 1999.
Trees are great for many things. They are immensely useful for everyone. They give people so much for not a thing in return. One single tree can provide a huge amount of upside for the environment. They can provide a healthier environment, shade, comfortability, and a better environment for the people and the atmosphere. They provide great surroundings and they keep us shaded and comfortable. Not to mention, every piece of paper in the world is made out of one. Trees are extremely important and a huge part of our everyday life.