Ecological and Silvicultural Strategies for Sustainable Forest Management

Recognizing the increased interest in forest management world wide, this book addresses the current knowledge gap by defining sustainable forest management, clarifying methods by which ecological knowledge can be applied and how traditional silvicultural methods can be improved.

Sustainable forest management involves the enhancement of various aspects of forest functions such as conservation of biodiversity, conservation of soil and water resources, contribution to the global carbon cycle as well as wood production. To establish ecological and silvicultural theories to enhance these functions harmoniously, recognizing the relationship between stand structures and their functions is essential.

This volume presents target stand structures for aimed forest functions in relation to stand development stages, as well as ecological and silvicultural methods to lead and maintain them. Ecological and silvicultural strategies are discussed, both on stand and landscape levels, and from local to international levels in temperate and boreal forest zones.

1. Introduction

Part 1. Forest Ecology and Foundation of Sustainable Forest Management. 2. Characteristics and ecological adaptive features of trees and forests 3. Factors influencing forest productivity

Part II. Specific Silvicultural Techniques. 4. Regeneration 5. Management to control interspecific competition 6. Control of individual tree growth and quality in relation to stand density

Part III. Silvicultural Systems and Methods for Sustainable Forest Management for Wood Production. 7. Classification of silvicultural methods 8. Silvicultural methods for wood production

Part IV. Silvicultural Strategies for Sustainable Forest Management. 9. Sustained forest ecosystem management 10. Conservation of biodiversity 11. Conservation and maintenance of soil and water resources 12. Maintaining productivity for production of forest products 13. Maintenance and enhancement of cultural and recreational functions 14. Maintenance of forest contribution to global carbon cycles 15. Maintenance of the health and vitality of forest ecosystems 16. Summary and conclusion