Managing forests to sustain biodiversity: substituting accomplishment for motion

We are proceeding at great speed over difficult terrain, towards an unknown, unquantifiable goal. The speed reflects genuine public concerns and a sense of urgency. The difficult terrain reflects the complexity of forest practices. Moreover, forests are simultaneously the richest terrestrial ecosyst...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Forestry chronicle 1998, Vol.74 (6), p.822-827
Main Author: Bunnell, F.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
biodiversity
ecosystems
forest management
forests
habitats
objectives
stand characteristics
sustainability
tree age
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Summary:We are proceeding at great speed over difficult terrain, towards an unknown, unquantifiable goal. The speed reflects genuine public concerns and a sense of urgency. The difficult terrain reflects the complexity of forest practices. Moreover, forests are simultaneously the richest terrestrial ecosystems on earth and major contributors to social infrastructure. Slipperiness of the goal reflects the fact that biological diversity is not a thing, but a cluster of concepts. To a large extent we have substituted motion for accomplishment. To substitute accomplishment for motion I suggest five steps: 1) separate two big issues (how much old growth is enough and how we practice forestry); 2) create a credible, interim operational goal for biodiversity (it is possible); 3) confront the issue of habitat distribution (Canada is well positioned), 4) focus on total amount of habitat rather than its distribution (many concerns about the latter are misleading); and 5) slow down and think (the alternative is dangerous).
ISSN:0015-7546
1499-9315
DOI:10.5558/tfc74822-6