1. Unit 8: Resource Use and Extraction
Section 1: Forests
Unit 8: Resource Use and Extraction

2. Forests Land where trees are the dominant life form (in high density)
Covers 30% of the world’s land

4. Types of Forests Different biomes have different kinds of forests
Boreal forest in Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia
Tropical rainforest in South and Central America, Africa, Indonesia, and southeast Asia
Temperate deciduous forests, temperate rainforests, and tropical dry forests also exist

6. Ecosystem Services Influence local weather
Transpiration cools temperature
Affects water and nutrient cycles
Photosynthesis – removes CO2 , adds O2
Forests act as reservoirs for Carbon
Reduces erosion and slows runoff
Provides habitat for other organisms

7. Human Benefits Provides valuable wood products
Fuel for fire (cooking, warmth)
Housing
Paper

8. Forests Moderate Climate Change
Trees absorb CO2 and store Carbon
Deforestation can encourage climate change
Dead plants decompose and release CO2
Less trees to absorb CO2

10. Deforestation Consequences
Soil: nutrient depletion; more prone to desertification and erosion
Decrease in biodiversity
Water cycle affected; no transpiration
No photosynthesis = excess CO2
Species extinction (LOH)

11. Deforestation is not currently occurring evenly across the world

12. Deforestation in LDCs Lots of forest resources in LDCs
With modern technology, deforestation is occurring faster than ever
2 football fields cut down every second
Lumber Machine

13. Deforestation in LDCs
Foreign companies are not going to care about environment
Few restrictions = unsustainable harvesting
This is concession, where companies pay governments to be able to acquire timber on their land

14. Harvesting Techniques

15. Clearcutting
All trees in a specific area are cut down

16. Slash and Burn
Cutting and burning sections of forests for farming

17. Harvesting Techniques
Selective Cutting
Mature trees are cut while other trees remain intact
Fewer negative effects but not as profitable
Takes longer
Less timber
Similar: Seed-tree system

18. Selective Cutting

19. Solutions to Deforestation

20. Conservation Concessions
Private organizations are paying governments to protect land
Example: Suriname – Paid $15 million by Conservation International and almost all deforestation has stopped!
REDD - Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
Wealthy nations would pay poorer countries to conserve forests to reduce greenhouse emissions
In return, they get credits to offset their own Carbon emissions
Not formally agreed to yet, but could be in upwards of $100 billion/year

21. Forestry Common Management Method:
Forest Management – shift to sustainability
Common Management Method:
Maximum Sustainable Yield Method – population kept at ½ carrying capacity (where growth is fastest)
U.S. Forest Service – 1905
Set National Forests aside as protected land – 8% of U.S.

23. Forest Management Legislation
National Forest Management Act (1976)
Mandated all national forests to formulate plans for sustainability based on:
Multiple uses (recreation, timber, etc.)
Maximum sustainable yield method
Public input
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – non- governmental, but an agency that certifies logging practices to be sustainable

24. Regrowth is exceeding removal!

25. Wildfire: Friend or Foe?
U.S. Forest Service suppressed all fires for over 100 years
However, many organisms DEPEND on the fire for survival
Suppression leads to periodic catastrophic fires
Lead to Prescribed Burns where areas are burned intentionally and controlled