MODULE 04

PEOPLE AND FORESTS

OVERVIEW:
Forest Management is deals with the overall administrative, legal, economic, and social
aspects of forestry. Included as well are the scientific and technical aspects, like silviculture,
protection, and forest regulation.

OBJECTIVES:

After successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

1. Know how to use and manage temperate forests.

2. Know how to use and manage tropical forests; and
3. Identify forest conservation strategies applicable to the philippine setting.

TEMPERATE FORESTS: USE AND MANAGEMENT

Temperate forests are often found close to farmland and/or densely populated
urban areas. Because of proximity, these forests are often utilized as a source of
recreation-related, non-forestry activities. Examples of those activities are hunting, fishing,
picking mushrooms, picking fruits and berries. Aside from its recreational benefits,
temperate forests also provide an important source of industrial roundwood.

CURRENT FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN GENERAL

The management of temperate forests is both large-scale and small-scale. In the
temperate forest zones, large-scale private (corporate) forest operations are located mainly
in the United States of America and in the Southern Hemisphere.

European countries with many private forest owners have extremely strict forest legislation.
The legislation typically requires environmental protection and nature conservation to
different degrees. Most countries have government agencies with the task of advising
private forest owners and keeps the management in line with legislation. North America
private forest owners on the other hand have more freedom over how to manage their
forests.

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 The traditional way to evaluate forest resources in well-organized forestry
enterprises was to estimate data. This is done by using information from existing stand
records covering the whole forest estate. This method may work well if the information is
accurate and fresh but, due to various types of bias and other problems, this method is
often not particularly useful for the purposes of producing data covering larger forest areas.

Present-day management of larger forest holdings make use of forest inventories,

maps, aerial photos, stand databases etc. There are computerized systems that employ
accurate satellite remote sensing systems that keep track of the geographical location of
forest stands, roads, and ownership boundaries. Most forest-rich western countries hold
regular national forest inventories. These provide information about important forest
features.

KEEPING THE TEMPERATE FORESTS AT REASONABLE LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY

Temperate forests are important for the national economy and the livelihoods of
many individuals. The world is growing increasingly dense, and therefore would have a
bigger demand for wood products. The challenge that forestry is currently facing is how to
balance the demands of a growing population and demands to conserve biodiversity.

Intensive forest management

This may include operations such as: site preparation; tree planting (including,
sometimes, the use of genetically improved trees and/or exotic tree species); tending;
thinning; and fertilizer application.

It is often criticized as being contradictory with the goal of preserving biodiversity.

Forest managers argue though that a reasonable level of biodiversity can be preserved
even if a major portion of the forest is managed intensively. Examples of how it’s done is
to leave a few snag trees, hollow trees and other dispersed trees that are ecologically
important that can provide home for species to re-colonize forest areas that have been
newly established after clear-felling.

Landscape planning

This is also called “landscape ecosystem management”. This is often employed in

an intensive forest management. Landscape planning leave some forest areas untouched
as reserves for biodiversity conservation. Areas are that can form a continuous web in the

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landscape and include ecotypes that are valuable for conserving biodiversity are selected
in the planning.

Landscape planning leads to higher silvicultural costs, in return it has a high and
predictable yield of industrial roundwood. This approach is both realistic and viable.

Low intensity forestry

Compared to landscape planning, this has lower reforestation and silvicultural

costs. It is often based on natural regeneration or some type of selective harvesting system,
allowing the forest stand to naturally develop. This approach can be employed in forests
whose stands regenerate easily or stands that have trees that regenerate well. With proper
planning, it can meet nature conservation objectives and result in minimum damage to
valuable ecosystems.

The downside to this approach is the uncertainly of the long-term consequences.

There are reports of questioning the viability of this approach. In the past, some studies
made aware that this may cause of gradual deterioration of forest conditions and
biodiversity. These effects have also been shown to worsen over time and may be difficult
and may be irreversible.

TROPICAL FORESTS: USE AND MANAGEMENT

Only about 7% of the world's total land area are occupied by tropical forests but
they house in more than 50% of all living species. They are some of the most biologically
diverse areas on the planet and are rich in species.

As forest resources deplete, competition for access to forest goods and services
become greater. It is also important to note that forest areas cannot be managed separately
from agricultural areas. This is because both areas compete to meet similar basic needs.
Therefore both should be considered together within the overall context of sustainable
development.

Uses of forest resources:

• Industrial Timber Production

• Fuelwood Production

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TROPICAL FORESTS MANAGEMENT
Biodiversity conservation

The main function of most protected forest area is to conserve natural forest
ecosystems. The term “protected area” encompasses a vast variety of approaches for the
management of natural and semi-natural forest types.

Protected areas have been known to enjoy strict legal status but there are numerous
problems arise in tropical zones in relation to their management. Problems include dispute
with local people over land rights, and illegal extraction of animal and plant resources.
These are often intensified because of the inability of state authorities to protect such areas.
Therefore, conservation accomplishments do not reflect reality.

The equation “protected areas = ecological diversity” is not necessarily true.

Plans for the designation of protected areas have been based on three main criteria:

1. biogeographical divisions between the main ecosystems in a country.

2. the degree to which resources are threatened or degraded; and

3. high rates of diversity or species endemism

The equation “forest classification type = level of conservation” is not automatic. For
example, a complete natural reserve (i.e. a complete ban on human activity in the area)
corresponds to the maximum level of conservation that can be awarded, but in reality, it
leads less conservation than expected. The classification type of a forest area does not
guarantee protection if financial, human resources, and political will do not support such a
classification. In some countries, natural resource conservation is not considered a priority
and short-term objectives are generally considered to be more important.

For these efforts to come into fruition, biodiversity needs to be understood more
accurately from an economic and socio-cultural standpoint.

Buffer zones

Buffer zones serve as a physical barrier between human encroachment of the

protected area. Creation of these buffer zones is meant to support the protected area and
at the same time, provide local people with benefits. The support of local people in
conservation efforts can be encouraged through participation in the harvesting and
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management of buffer zones (e.g. using of appropriate agroforestry practices; hunting;
establishing forest and agricultural tree plantations). The drawback is that the economic
development they generate can attract more people to them and increase pressure on
resource consumption.

Sustainable wildlife management

Habitat degradation and excessive game hunting are the two main threats to fauna
sustainability. However, wildlife is also being used for tourism (e.g. hunting and
ecotourism). Aside from the financial value of these activities, this method of utilizing wildlife
resources should be ecologically and socially viable.

Historically, authoritarian management of wildlife resources often failed. Such

measures have harmed local communities and defied traditional cultural values. Total bans
on the use and marketing of game have also made communities resort to poaching.

At present, biodiversity development and sustainable use is generally equated to the

idea of a total ban on the commerce of wildlife and related products. It is also essential to
see the possible multiple uses that wildlife can provide, like recreation; food; and scientific,
cultural, economic, and ecological functions.

Fire protection

Fire is a valuable tool for farmers and herders if used properly. It may be used in the
preparation of sites for establishing plantations or to encourage natural regeneration.
Although fire is a natural component, it can damage vegetation. It also has harmful effects
like carbon emissions.

Studies have also shown that most forest fires are man-made due to:

1. deliberate deforestation (i.e. forest conversion), slash and burn cultivation.

2. rangeland regeneration (for grazing and hunting).

3. accidents.

4. traditional use (e.g. religious and tribal ceremonies); and

5. political and socio-economic conflicts over land use and ownership rights.

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 There have been different mechanical means of controlling brush fires that were
implemented through modern apparatus (e.g. fire trucks, pumps, etc.). The costly methods
of fire control led to promotion of participation of local communities, education and training,
and the use of small equipment and manual tools in fighting forest fires. However, the safest
and most effective fire protection method in most cases was deliberate and controlled
burning at the beginning of the dry season. The problems of fire control are more
sociological in nature than technical. Fire control is more of a matter of popular education
and agricultural policy than direct control and response.

Management for soil and water conservation

Tropical regions have most of their watersheds bear a large farming population.
Specifically, agricultural arrangements, like terraced farming in Asia, present tried and
tested soil and water conservation functions. Reforestation in areas degraded by farming
and grazing has been an expensive technical solution. However, upon consultation with
local people, improved forest protection often leads to natural regeneration. It also enables
secondary forest to be restored in many instances.

Forested watersheds that provide water to heavily populated areas should be

protected against shifting cultivation and unplanned urbanization. Management in such
cases should be efficient surveillance to protect forest cover. Tying in the functions of water
supply and natural reserves for wildlife and plant life in the same watershed does not
generally exhibit any technical problems, furthermore water management carried out
downstream from these areas can be successful.

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ACTIVITY - SCIENCE AND THE ART OF GEOGRAPHY ECOSYSTEMS

Instructions: Write your answers on a separate piece of paper

H. Cite from public documents, articles, newspaper, or any form of mass media (just be
sure it came from a verified and trustworthy source) that represent issues/problems tackled
in this module. Write a suggestion based on the article. Your chosen articles should be at
least from 2010 to present. If possible, please provide snippets of the following articles and
paste them on a separate sheet, after the table. An italicized example is provided.

Title, author, Brief summary Issues/problem Relationship of Suggestion

and date (if of the issue s tackled in this the article to the
available) module specified issue

Example: The articled Sustainable The article Talk with the

talked about wildlife talked about local people to
“Title of article”
illegal poaching management sustainable know why they
by Author, 2019
activities in wildlife poach and find
Place A. management ways to …
because it talks
of issues like …

I. Choose ONE of the questions below and explain within 100-150 words. Please do not
forget to COPY the question you have chosen.

1. Why is biodiversity important?

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2. Of the different issues presented in this module, which is the most glaring problem in
the Philippines?

3. How do you suggest bridging the gap between the needs of the locals and protection
of biodiversity?

Sources:

Hagner, S. (1999). Forest management in temperate and boreal forests: Current

practices and the scope for implementing sustainable forest management [PDF].

Dapuy, B., Maître, H., & Amsallem, I. (1999). Tropical forest management techniques:
A review of the sustainability of forest management practices in tropical
countries [PDF].

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