Excerpt
UNLESS actions are taken soon to put an end to today's cut-and-run style of forestry, little of the earth's natural forest heritage will remain for the next generation. The basic challenge is to halt the rapid mining of irreplaceable old-growth stands, hasten the transition to sustainably managed secondary forests and tree plantations, and reduce wood demands.
Reorienting forestry's goals and practices will not be easy. In many countries, entrenched timber interests profit from large government subsidies and scant regulation of their practices. Public agencies often operate more like timber suppliers than forest managers. Saving forests, especially in tropical nations, will require fundamental reforms outside the forestry sector as well as within.
A lack of leadership
Unfortunately, the countries best situated to lead the way are failing to do so. In the United States, legislators have put forth several proposals for protecting old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, including the establishment of an “ancient forest reserve system” that would designate areas of old growth and adjacent younger forests off-limits to logging, road building, and other damaging activities. Included in the reserves would be all habitat deemed suitable for …
Footnotes
Sandra Postel is vice-president for research and John C. Ryan is a research associate with The Worldwatch Institute, 1776 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. This article is an excerpt from the chapter “Reforming Forestry” in the Institute's new report State of the World, 1991.
- Copyright 1991 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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