24.5 - Sustainability

Question 1

Describe sustainable resource.

Answer 1

Sustainable Resource: A renewable resource being economically exploited in a way it will not diminish

Question 2

What is sustainable timber production?

Answer 2

Maintenance of forest’s biodiversity, whilst sustaining supply of wood to meet demands and the economic viability of timber production

Question 3

How is sustainable timber produced on a small scale?

Answer 3

• Coppicing – Cut plants close to ground leaves, leave roots so soil is not damaged
  
  • encourages growth to produce more timber.
  • Cut branches can be stacked to decay to provide new habitats
• Rotational coppicing maintains biodiversity
• Pollarding – cutting all branches off of tall trees (3-6m) (same advantages as coppicing)
• Different plant species require different amounts of light, coppicing of different plants ensures that there is a variety of light levels, to allow for different plant species to grow

Question 4

How is sustainable timber produced on a large scale?

Answer 4

• Never clear fell (use selective thinning/felling) – ensures ground is not fully exposed over a large area
• Replace felled trees with fast-growing native species
• Harvest in different locations each time, to prevent large areas being exposed and habitats being continually damaged
• Manage pests and pathogens
• DISADVANTAGE – destroys habitats, soil mineral is reduced, bare soil is left to be susceptible to erosion. Trees bind soil together, remove water, maintain nutrient levels through role in carbon and nitrogen cycles

Question 5

What are the cons of fishing and how is it sustainably managed?

Answer 5

• Overfishing of some fish species has led to their population significantly decreasing
• Quotas are provided to limit how much of certain fish can be fished
• Use of nets with different mesh sizes, this stops small immature fish from being caught – allowing breeding to continue
• Commercial & recreational fishing can only occur at certain times of the year – protecting the breeding season of some fish
• Fish farming – producing fish efficiently without affecting wild populations at sea