forestry

• what resources do we get from forests

  Fuel, timber, food, fibres, medicines
• Timber

  construction, furniture, railway sleepers
• fuel 


  fire wood in LED's and coppiced biofuel in MED's
• Food 


  Fruit and seed, fodder for livestock, bush meat
• fibres


  cotton
• medicines

  aspirin from willow bark and taxol from yew tree treats cancer
• Forests also provide us with other essential life support services for the planet

  1. atmospheric regukation
  2. habitat and wildlife refuge
  3. regulation of the water cycle
  4. soil conservation
  5. shelter and microclimate
  6. recreation and amenity
• traditional forest management

  • maximize yields forest products
  • rarely involved the total removal of the natural forest
  • retained mixed-species forests with trees of different ages
• Management methods - standard trees

  Trees grown to maturity for the production of large timbers eg construction of large ships
• management method - coppicing 


  Cutting trees to ground level on a cycle of 1 to 20 years. Branches used for baskets, fencing, charcoal
• Management methods - pollarding 


  similar to coppicing, but the trees are cut above ground level so the regrowing branches cannot be eaten by livestock.
• natural forest features

  • large biodiversity
  • trees adapt to local conditions
  • have a high canopy
  • stratified - lots of different layers
  • complex age structure
• Natural forest features are a typical climax community
• Plantations - modern commercial forestry

  • society develops to become industrial, the demand and how timber is used changes
  • demand for wood reduces (use of electricity)
  • species- specific uses of wood from traditionally managed woodland are replaced by large-scale uses eg chipped wood for plywood.
• plantation harvesting methods ?


  Methods changed from selective logging or cutting of small areas to large-scale clear- felling, reducing biodiversity