Search -
Forest Quality: Assessing Forests at a Landscape Scale (Earthscan Forestry Library)
Forest Quality Assessing Forests at a Landscape Scale - Earthscan Forestry Library Author:Nigel Dudley, Rodolphe Schlaepfer, Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, William Jackson, Sue Stolton Deforestation is frequently a topic of discussion in the environmental arena. But it is not just the number of trees that matters; the quality of the forest is also important. Even where the forest area is stable or increasing, there are often rapid changes in its character. Natural forests are being replaced by plantations or by intensively man... more »aged forests. Around the world, forests are becoming younger and less diverse, in both species and structure; this has important impacts for biodiversity and also affects many human values.
In this groundbreaking book, forest quality is discussed as a useful new concept in forest conservation and management. Three main assessment criteria are used: authenticity, environmental benefits, and social and economic benefits. A methodology and protocol for collecting and analyzing data is described, and the approach needed with each indicator is outlined in detail. The authors advocate a landscape approach to assessment, as meeting conservation goals also means addressing human needs, and balancing the trade-offs involved is only possible at a landscape scale. A series of case studies demonstrates assessment throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, showing how this new method can be used in many ways to help forest conservation management.« less