Introduction to forest and nature conservation chapter 4

chapter 4

What explains the distribution of forests in the Dutch landscape?

Result of natural development + human use

What explains the high forest cover in Scandinavian countries?

In Europe there was lots of deforestation due to agriculture develoment and growing populations. Untill the invention of fertilizers, only conversion of forest land was solution.

In Scandinavia this did not reach as these countries consist of lots of uninhabited, mountainous regions.

Forest ownership fragmentation in the Netherlands

Private, staatsbosbeheer, conservation agencies

For what reasons did first sustainability concepts arise?

Due to overexploitation and the need to sustain wood supply > don’t harvest more than the forest can supply each year.

Why were heathlands on higher soils in NL end of 19th century?

Due to ‘potstal system'; deforestation due to cattle + sheep grazing

Current forest is a result of

Overexploitation, degradation, re-establishment, ecosystem development (awareness and organic build-up)

1970 nature conservation + biodiversity protection public concern in NL >

Forests included, not just timber production

Interest in forests as carbon resevoirs arised + climate change awareness

using biomass for bioenergy

Sustainable forest management goal

Forest functions that can be the same or even be enhanced in the future by making the right, realistic choices.

Forest management

Interdisciplinary; combines ecological knowledge with understanding of demands from society + technoligal knowledge.

Influencing competition of trees to influence tree growth. (thinning as part of silviculture)

Interferring with regeneration to influence species composition (harvesting)

“Applied ecology”, from practioner’s point of view

Current issues with forest management (7)

1) Increased claims + pressure on forests (timber, pollution, etc)

2) Trade-offs between ecosystem services (timber vs biodiversity protection)

3) Intensification vs ecological sustainability

4) Economically attractive (private)

5) Exotic species - what’s their role

6) Climate change (obv…)

7_) Adaptive forest management (its changing- was issue)