5.17 - Sustainable Forestry

Question 1

Ecologically Sustainable Forests

Answer 1

• Forestry (using trees for lumber) that minimizes damage to ecosystem (habitats destruction, soil erosion, etc.)
• Selective cutting or strip cutting
  - Only cutting some of the trees in an area (biggest & oldest) to preserve habitat (biodiv.) and topsoil
• Using human & pack animal labor to minimize soil compaction from machinery
• Replanting same species being logged
• Maximizes long-term productivity of land & preserves forest for future generations

Question 2

Sustainable Forestry Practices

Answer 2

• Using recycled wood, or simply reusing without recycling (furniture, decoration)
• Wood can be chipped and used as mulch for gardens or agricultural fields
• Reforestation: replanting of trees in areas that have been deforested
• Selectively removing diseased trees to prevent spread of infection through entire forest
  - Removes host for disease
  - Decreases density, making spread less likely

Question 3

Fire Supression

Answer 3

1. Stopping Natural Forests - Fire supressionsion is the practice of putting out all natural forest fires as soon as they start
2. Leads to more biomass buildup - Putting out fires immediately leads to more dry biomass buildup
   - Makes fires worse
3. Monitoring Instead - Close monitoring can prevent fire damage & worse fires in the future

Question 4

Prescribed Burns

Answer 4

1. Dead Biomass builds up
   - Fuel for large forest fires
   - Stored nutrients trapped in dead biomass
   - Dead trees = susceptible to disease & pest spread
2. Small, controlled fire burns lots of dead biomass
   - Uses up dead biomass (fuel) preventing larger forest fires later
3. Promotes Nutrient Recycling
   - Nutrients in dead biomass are recycled → new growth