Sustainable Forestry

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to sustainable forestry techniques and their ecological and economic impacts.

Clear-cutting

A method where all trees in an area are cut down, often leading to habitat loss and erosion.

Reforestation

The intentional restocking of depleted forests to promote ecological recovery.

Integrated Pest Management Techniques

minimize threat of infestations in an ecologically sustainable manner.

Continual monitoring of trees (selective removal of diseased trees)

Thinning underbrush

Knowledge of common pests

Setting pest traps

Bio - control w/ natural predators

Chem control - last resort

Prescribed burns

Deliberate fires set under controlled conditions to manage forest health and prevent larger wildfires.

Trade-offs in logging

Considerations balancing economic benefits from logging against environmental impacts and recreational loss.

Sustainably sourced lumber

Wood products obtained in a way that maintains ecological balance and minimizes resource depletion.

Cultural value of forests

The significance that forests hold for communities in terms of heritage, aesthetics, and recreation.

Importance of Forests

Provide ecosystem services

food, medicine, carbon sequestration, air purification, water purification, flood/erosion mitigation, maintenance of biodiversity, recreation, aesthetic or cultural value

Ecologically sustainable forestry

 goal of maintaining all species—both plants and animals—in as close to a natural state as possible and attempt to mitigate human impact of harvesting trees and using forest resources

Includes: selective cutting, reforestation,buying/using sustainably sourced lumber, reusing wood, IPM to reduce disease, prescribed burns

Clear Cutting Pros

easiest, most economical, all regrow at once (equal exposure to light, fast-growing work best)

Clear Cutting Cons

decreases biodiversity, increases erosion (changes water quality (increased sediemtn) in aquatic ecosystems), increased sunligh changes temperature , do , and other water quality factors…use of chemicals to pre-treat area before replainging decreases soil quality

Selective Cutting Pros

best for shade-tolerant species (only some are cut down); less extensive, less erosion and environmental impact

Selective Cutting Cons

more time-consuming, still need to construct roadways to get to area, still need to drive trucks into area, less profit yield

Selective Cutting

removing single trees or very small numbers at a time

Types of Selective Cutting

Shelterwood harvesting and Seed-tree harvesting

Shelterwood Harvesting

removal of most of the mature stand at the end of the rotation, but a portion of the mature stand is left standing. (Leave Young, Take Old)

Seed-Tree Harvesting

Leaves only a few residuals as a seed source only. The residuals from this cut are too few and scattered to provide shelter. (Leave ~10% behind to grow next generation)

Pros of Reforestation

Less erosion, Less env. impact

Reality of Perscribed Burns

• ↑ biomass (tinder for fire)

• ↑ unplanned fires

• ☺ fire-dependent species

• Some seeds cannot be released unless appropriate temperature (from fire) is released

Depending on intensity, fires can either …

Burn away flammable ground material to prevent huge fires

Release valuable mineral nutrients

Good for early successional species

Good for fire-dependent species

OR

Clear small areas around property subject to fire

Allow fires to burn on public land if they don’t threaten