Sustainable Forestry

Timber Market Value - Economic value.

• Lumber - which is when timber is shaped can be used for paper, houses, and energy

Ecological Value

• Trees provide habitat, which helps moderate the local climate

• Prevents soil erosion

• Helps with soil formation

• Helps reduce runoff

• Helps store carbon

What is sustainability?
Sustainable forestry is using sustainable methods to log trees

• Reusing wood

Clearcutting - Cutting down trees all at the same time which leads to even-aged stands

Even-aged - These grow all at the same size

Uneven-aged stems: Trees grow at different sizes

The Green Revolution

Industrial agriculture - Mechanization and standardization applied to food reproduction

GMOS

Genetically Modified Organisms

Irrigation

Waterlogging - Roots that cannot get enough oxygen due to water

Salinization - Too much salt left behind through evaporation or saltwater intrusion which is toxic for plant growth

Ogallala Aquifer - A water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel. Located beneath the great plains as one of the world’s largest aquifers.

Pest Control

Pesticides are substances used to control or eliminate pests, such as insects, weeds, and fungi, to protect crops and prevent plant damage.

Pros: Increases crop yield s while decreasing damage from pests

Cons: Human health risk, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, and can kill non-target organisms

Biocontrol

Biocontrol refers to using living organisms or their products to control pests or diseases in agriculture and forestry, reducing the reliance on chemical pesticides.

Pros: No chemicals
Cons: Species can become invasive

IPM

The goal of IPM is to use a variety of methods to control the number of pests (not trying to fully eradicate) and minimize the environmental impact

Sustainable Soil

Uses

• Organic fertilizer needs to be gathered (synthetic)

• Nutrient levels unknown

• Harder to use, synthetic is easier

Meat Production

Free Range

• Can overgraze which causes desertification

• Waste can be spread over large areas

• Benefit: Animals have access to the outdoors

CAFOs

• Concentrated animal feeding operations

• Increased antibiotic use

• ethical concerns

• waste issues

• Benefit: Effective method of producing meat because it is cost-efficient

Why eat less meat?

Leads to a decrease in greenhouse gases (methane), a decrease in land and water use, and a decrease in antibiotic use.

Aquaculture

• Cost-effective

• Less fuel used

Cons:

• Genetically modified fish can mate with native fish

• Waste issues

Over Fishing

How can we turn this around?

• Catch limit

• Treaties - CITES

• Laws - Endangered species act

So many fish are being taken away, what will be the consequences?

• Loss of biodiversity

Minerals

Mining

• Surface mining

  • Strip, open pit, or mountaintop

• Substance mining tunnels under the ground

What do we mine for?

• Coal, gravel, sand, diamonds

• They are harvested as ore and then refined

Mining

→Refinement

→Transportation

→Use

→Desposal

Impacts

1. Soil erosion

   • Dust pollution

   • Fossil fuel use

   • Water pollution

   • Mercury can be used to separate gold from ore which leads to mercury pollution as well

   • Cyanide is often used

   • Acid mine drainage

   • Tailings can contain sulfur that can form sulfuric acid

Remediation

• Turn mine into a recreational area

• Replant vegetation to combat acid mine drainage

The Impacts of Urbanization

Heat and Island Effect

Average temperatures are several degrees warmer in cities than in suburbs and other areas

Solutions

• Paint rooftops a lighter color

• Plant rooftop vegetation

Reduce Impacts

• Mass transit

• Permeable surfaces (pavements and more parks)

• Walkable cities

Impact on Water Cycle

• More runoff and less infiltration in cities from impervious surfaces

• Change that into more permeable surfaces through rooftop gardens and permeable pavement

Overgrazing refers to the excessive grazing of livestock on a particular area of land, resulting in the depletion of vegetation and degradation of the ecosystem. It occurs when the number of grazing animals exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, leading to negative environmental impacts.

Overgrazing can happen due to various reasons, including:

1. Overstocking: When there are too many animals for the available grazing resources.

2. Lack of rotational grazing: Failing to rotate livestock to different pastures, which allows vegetation to recover.

3. Limited grazing management: Insufficient monitoring and control of grazing practices.

To reduce the risk of overgrazing, the following steps can be taken:

1. Implementing rotational grazing: Dividing pastures into smaller sections and rotating livestock between them to allow vegetation recovery.

2. Proper stocking rates: Ensuring the number of animals is in balance with the carrying capacity of the land.

3. Resting pastures: Allowing pastures to rest and recover by temporarily excluding livestock.

4. Improving water sources: Providing alternative water sources to prevent over-concentration of animals in specific areas.

Overgrazing is related to the tragedy of the commons concept, which describes the depletion of shared resources due to individual self-interest. In the case of overgrazing, individual livestock owners may prioritize their own animals' needs without considering the long-term sustainability of the shared grazing land, leading to its degradation.