Introduction
Forests can shape our landscape; they can provide immeasurable appeal to rural and peri-urban areas, defining the inherent landscape character. Furthermore, the significance of design interpretation can facilitate management objectives and outcomes; particularly in proximity to centers of population. Wherein, the community has an affinity, vested interest, general interest or typically a fear of change.
Historic landscape design:
The major influence on the forest landscape was the Forestry Act 1919, and creation of the Forestry Commission (FC); there remit was to create a strategic timber reserve demanded by the war effort. Therein, catalysing a distinct shift and implementation of mass change in land use (agriculture to forestry), restructuring the native forests and species choice (conifer monoculture). Arguably the creation of ‘New Forests’ was reclamation of previously lost natural forest cover. However the methodology adopted was by todays sustainable forest management (SFM) standards, somewhat flawed.
A typical planting scheme would include non-native conifers typically Sicta Spruce (SS) or Lodgepoll Pine (LP); originating from North American sources, layed out in geometrical shapes as shown in image 1 Unnatural geometric shapes in the landscape.
During the 1960’s more emphasis was placed on landscape issues, with the rise of the global environmental movement. Methods of mitigation and inclusion we recognize today; for example origination of environmental impact assessment (EIA) during this period. Two guiding principles were adopted forests should reflect the natural land form and patterns; and visual designs adopted in other fields should be ...
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...ent's response to the independent panel on forestry's final report. The national archives.
Forestry Commission Scotland. (n.d.). Urban Woodland Design, Engaging with the community. [Online] Available from: , [1 Mar 2014].
Arnstien, S. (1969). A ladder of participation in the USA. Journal of the Royal Planning Institute. April, 176-182.
Bell, S and Apostol, D. (2008). Designing Sustainable Forest landscapes. London: Taylor and Francis: 105.
Aarhus convention, (1998). Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters. Denmark.
Weldon, S. (2004) Social Science in Forestry. Public participation and partnership: a review of Forestry Commission practice and governance in a changing political and economic context. Forestry Commission. Edinburgh: 12.
Zielinski, E. (2012, April 25). The Northwest Forest Plan. Retrieved from U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/history/sidebars/ecosystems/Northwest_Forest_Plan.html
When people see new construction or a recently paved road, they often do not realize the sacrifice that was made to create these luxuries. Most people pass some form of construction on the way to their jobs or school every day. This simple fact sparks questions regarding what this area looked like before it was inhabited by humans. Illinois forests have undergone drastic changes in the decades since European settlement. Only 31 % of the forest area present in 1820 exists today. (Iverson Pdf) Tearing down trees to build new structures isn’t bad if done in moderation, in some ways with time and good planning its wonderful. However, anyone that hunts or claims to be an outdoorsman will relate to the incomparable feeling experienced when alone in the woods and far from the hustle of the urbanized world.
The Forest Reserve Act reduced destructive logging and preserved watersheds which led to the establishment of national forests’.
America’s federal forest management dates back to the mid 1870’s when Congress decided to create the U.S. Department of Agriculture to maintain the forestry. This environmental department represented the growth in America’s industry and the depletion of forests. Yet, as it was defeating the initial purpose, more natural resources were being lost from their area and the government had not acknowledged the damage. The conservationist Gifford Pinchot, created an impact on society by taking a stand to conserve the natural resources by leading the United States Forest service, embracing scientific forest, and contributed to Roosevelt’s decision to protect wildlife, thus paving the way for natural conservation in the future.
FAO: State of the World's Forests. Rome: Food and Agriculture Office of the United Nations; 2007. Print.
Aldo Leopold’s biocentric view of forest conservation shows that the land ethics is “an evolutionary possibility and ecological necessity.” (Aldo Leopold 1949) In Leopold’s words and our current social status, land is considered as property, but not a part of biotic community. In this case, the forestry management in British Columbia is deemed to compete with community, which needs to change into cooperation with community. The process and purpose of conservation education in our provincial institutions; for forests resources have been the main source of income and economic developments for over a century in British Columbia, the government has involved in forestry and land management for years; the conservation system is totally based on economic motivations, people decide whether the species are worth economic value or not. These three existing problems in British Columbia are contrary to the growth rhythm of biotic community and the land ethic.
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...
Trees are the first and most important consideration in the landscape design. They increase property value, save energy with their shade, and improve our life with their beauty.
“In addition to being places of magnificent beauty, the old growth forests of the world represent hundreds of years of life on this planet, and many of the trees are the tallest living things on the planet (Old Growth Forests, 2004).” Because of their size, these trees, and the forests they reside in, are targeted by logging companies such as Weyerhaeuser as highly profitable areas that provide supposed economical benefits to surrounding communities in the way of new jobs.
How to create an environment suitable for human living when resources are limited is a challenging problem for modern society. My strong interest in photography and art has compelled me to become especially observant toward the relationship between human beings and the environment. I have come to realize that the environment we live in has suffered much damage from pollution and lacks competent planning, making it difficult to find beautiful scenery to photograph or sketch. I began to think that I could make use of my artistic gift, concern about, and interest in the environment by entering the field of landscape design and putting my effort into beautifying our surroundings. Therefore, after graduating from high school, I entered the Department of Landscape Architecture at ABC University.
The rain forests are incredible places. They only cover 6 % of the world’s surface however they have more than ½ the world’s plant and animals species. A rain forest can be described as tall and thick jungles. There is a reason behind the forest being called a “Rain forest” and it is because the high rainfall it gets per year. On average, 50 to 260 inches of rain falls yearly. The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 34 ºC or drops below 20 ºC. The average humidity in a rainforest is between 77 to 88%. Rainfall is often more than 100 inches a year.
Silviculture involves an applied forest ecology approach utilizing silvicultural practices such as the control of stand structure and processes, control of composition, control of stand density, control of rotation length, the facilitation of harvesting with restocking, protection and conservation of site productivity (Litton, 2011). Forestry is a business thus managers need to utilize all tools at hand to promote sustainability
Wilcock, D. A. (2013). From blank spcaes to flows of life: transforming community engagment in environmental decision-making and its implcations for localsim. Policy Studies 34:4, 455-473.
Glazewski, J.A. 2005. Environmental law in South Africa. 2nd ed. Cape Town: Butterworth publishing. 665 p.
Salim, Emil and Ullsten, Ola. Our Forests, Our Future. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 1999.