Wood Products Case Study: Forestry Background W
Wood Products Case Study:Forestry BackgroundForestryWith the world populationincreasing, there is a growingdemand for wood as productsand fuel. This demand is creating a criticalneed for a sustainable system of forestry thatsupplies a wide array of goods and services,while protecting the health and diversity offorest ecosystems. Forests need be managedto meet the social, economic, and ecologicalneeds of current and future generations.Sustaining forests for the future requireschanges in the way forestry is practiced so thatforest quality is enhanced while biodiversityand ecological processes are maintained. Thechanges may require alterations of policy andpricing, reduction in waste and consumption,and recognition of the value of a healthy forestecosystem (Abramovitz). To ensure that ourneeds and those of future generations aremet, we must practice conservation andsustainable management, and rehabilitatedegraded forests (Abramovitz).There are about 737 million acres offorests covering about 30% of the total land inthe United States. About half of the forestedland (490 million acres) is used for commercialpurposes producing wood products (AmericanForest & Paper Association). The majority ofcommercial forestland is privately owned(Sustainable Forests).In Virginia, there are 16 million acres offorestland that is also mostly privately owned.The forest industry is the number onemanufacturing industry in Virginia and forestSF 1SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:4resources contribute 7.4 billion annually toVirginia’s economy (Virginia Resource-UseEducation Council).In the United States,forestland is converted to shopping centers,new subdivisions, roads and commercialcenters because these uses have higher valueor because forestry has become unprofitableas the result of regulations, urban sprawl, orenvironmental movements.On a global scale, because the world doesnot function on the same economic level asthe United States, the major cause ofdeforestation is not urban sprawl ordevelopment, but occurs because of thedemand for agricultural land and firewood(American Forest & Paper Association). Incountries such as Brazil, where there stillremains a large amount of unclaimedforestland, people burn rainforest to createdland to farm in order to provide for theirfamilies. Approximately 3 billion peopleworldwide use wood as their primary sourceof energy. They rely on it to heat their homesand cook their food. In comparison, only 10percent of Americans heat their home withwood. The Food and Agriculture Organizationof the United Nations estimates over onebillion people are meeting their need for woodby depleting existing supplies, and are cuttingtrees faster than they can be replenished.There is a desperate need for education insustainability, and what burning forest todaymeans for future generations to come.However, it is imperative to realize thatdeforestation occurs often because people arestruggling to meet their basic human needs.
Wood Products Case Study:Harvesting MethodsFClear Cuttingquickly as sun-loving shrubs and saplingsbecome established providing habitat and foodfor a great variety of wildlife such as deer,grouse, turkey and songbirds.Selective cutting removes a limitednumber of mature trees. Deformed and trashspecies called cull trees are removed toupgrade the forest. New trees begin growingin newly-created openings and in a few yearsbecome established under the existing canopyof older, larger trees. This uneven-agedmanagement approach allows for continuousgrowth and harvest (Bugwood Network).Over time this process is repeated and cuttingSelective Cuttingbranches, sawdust and broken logs can be lefton the land or burned. In some operations,the leftovers are chipped, bundled and usedfor other wood products. Another option isburning, which adds nutrients to the soil,facilitates regrowth, and reduces the threat offorest fires. In hilly terrains where clear cuttingresults in extensive runoff and soil erosion,loggers use a method called strip cutting toharvest timber. Similar to strip cropping onfarmland, strip cutting allows loggers toremove narrow strips of forest and leave theremaining forested strips to serve as erosioncontrols and seed sources.Clear cutting destroys the scenic beauty ofan area, alters habitats and diminishes thecarrying capacity for some species in that area.It can accelerate soil erosion which reducesthe quality of water resources and depletesthe soil of nutrients. Despite theseenvironmental impacts, clear cutting has itsadvantages. It is the quickest and simplestmethod of harvesting, and it is the onlyeffective method to control some disease andinsect infestations. Clear cut areas regeneratecan occur as often as every five years or asinfrequently as every 20 years. Selectivecutting reduces soil erosion and wildlife habitatdestruction and is viewed as a good alternativeto clear cutting (Owen et al). However, anuneven-aged management system is morecostly, requires more time to harvest all of thedesirable trees, and is not suitable for treesthat must grow in sunny locations. Because ofthese disadvantages, some forest experts donot view it as a replacement to clear cutting.SF 2SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:5Forestryorest harvesting uses three basicmethods: clear cutting, selectivecutting and shelter wood cuttingcutting.The fastest and cheapest method to harvesttrees is a clear cutting operation, whereloggers remove all the commercial timber(usually trees larger than one inch in diameter)from a plot. The remaining loose bark,
Wood Products Case Study:ForestryHarvesting MethodsShelter wood cutting is an intermediateform of tree harvesting between clear cuttingand selective cutting that leaves a cover oflarge trees on a site to protect regeneration.In this technique forty to sixty percent of thetrees are removed, allowing new trees toShelter Wood Cuttingbecome established in the partial sunlightunder the shelter of remaining older trees.Once seedlings become established, loggersremove a portion of the commercially valuablemature trees. When the seedlings becomesaplings, the remaining older trees areharvested. Although this harvesting techniquehas the advantages of minimized soil erosion,land that is constantly vegetated, andincreased regeneration of the forest, it is morecostly than both clear cutting and selectivecutting. In areas where a local economydepends on tourism, selective cutting andshelter wood cutting can provide additionaleconomic and aesthetic advantages (Owen etal).SF 3SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:6In a sustainable forest, whenever timber isharvested, or fire, insects or natural disastersdestroy the forested land, the area must bereforested to ensure sustainable yields in thefuture. Natural reseeding occurs as maturetrees provide seeds that are scattered by thewind and dispersed by birds, rodents andrunoff water. However, natural seeding doesnot usually allow for complete regeneration ofa site because some varieties do not produceseeds every year, some seeds do not fall onfertile ground, and there is commonly a lack ofadequate moisture or nutrients. Therefore,natural reseeding is often supplemented byaerial, hand or machine seeding, but the mostsuccessful method of reforestation is theplanting young seedlings.
Wood Products Case Study:Forest ManagementFive options for managing andmaintaining a sustainable forest whilemeeting the demands for woodproducts might include the following: Option 2: Have states developtheir own forest standards for harvestingand management because forests are differentacross the country andstandards are not the samein all states. State officials canbe closer to the issues,public opinion, and the typeof trees in their area. Theyalso know more about the forests’ health anddemand for trees. However, leaving issueslike forestry to individual states has manypotential problems. If neighboring states havedrastically different standards, the forest healthof one could affect the adjacent lands in theother state. Similarly, industries like papermills in one state might use wood fromsurrounding states, putting disproportionatepressure on the other forests. In addition,some states many not share the same level ofconcern for the sustainability of the forests.SF 4SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:7Forestry Option 11: Ban clear cuttingas a means of harvesting trees, thereby forcinglandowners to choose other options. Forsome businesses, this approach would makeit easier to deal with the public and dobusiness. The ban would also preventunscrupulous companies from poormanagement practices that result in erosion,impaired water quality, or habitat destruction.However, banning clear cutting would raisethe cost of timber by reducing the supply,increase harvesting costs, limit the productivityof working forests, and leave forestsunmanaged in case of disease or insectinfestation. Option 33: Institute educationalprograms to make the public aware of forestissues and the value of forests. Mediacoverage of environmental issuesrarely addresses forestryissues. Many Americansare unaware of timbersupply concerns. Some feelthat if more peopleunderstood what goes on inthe forests and how muchsociety depends on the use offorest products, the public woulddemand the practice of sustainable forestry.However, others think that a public educationprogram is not enough to ensure that the jobgets done. The public can be fickle—one daythey are excited and interested in an issue andthe next day they have forgotten it.
Wood Products Case Study:ForestryForest Management Option 4: Allow industry to manage the natural resource in a sustainablemanner because they depend on a supply ofwood to stay in business and survive. TheAmerican Forest and Paper Association, a tradeorganization, has created the SustainableForestry Initiativethat requirescompanies toadhere to a set ofprinciples designedto manage today’sforests for futuregenerations, orthey lose theirmembership. Some companies require thattheir loggers complete education seminars andtraining workshops. More than one-third ofthe United States is forested. Timber companies in the U.S. point out that there are moreacres of forests today than there were 100years ago, proving that they can manage thisrenewable resource in a responsible andsustainable way.SF 5SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:8However, many people are skepticalabout the industry’s claims of improving theenvironment, pointing out the environmentaldestruction that some companies have doneto the nation’s forests. They wonder if theindustry can achieve a genuine change inAmerica’s commercial forestry practices thatwill have a positive effect on the future ofAmerica’s forests.Option 5: Come up with your Optionown idea on how to manage and maintain asustainable forest while meeting the demandssociety has for wood products.Each option has its benefits,costs and social consequences.
Wood Products Case Study:Forest Management OptionsDiscuss within your group the various positive and negative consequences of the five actions:OptionsEnvironmental EffectsPositiveNegativeSocial EffectsPositiveNegativeEconomic EffectsPositiveNegativeForestryBan Clear CuttingStates developindividual forestplansEducationalProgramsIndustry ManagesForestsAlternativeIdeaSF 6SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:9
Hardwood Tree Farm Case Study:Forestry BackgroundForestryIn Virginia, there are 16 million acres offorest land. 300,000 privatelandowners own almostthree-quarters of the forestland.State and federal governmentsown 12 percent of the forestland.Forest industries own 13 percentof the forestland. The numberone manufacturing industry inVirginia is the forest industry.One out of every sevenmanufacturing jobs is forestrelated. Each year over 60million pine seedlings areplanted in Virginia to reforestthe land. Forest resourcescontribute 7.4 billion annuallyto Virginia’s economy (VirginiaResource-Use EducationCouncil).An acre of working forestsmust be cared for by itsowner for 25 to 50 yearsbefore it can be used fortimber. During that time theforest provides many othersthings humans value, such asclean air, water, wildlifehabitat, recreation andnatural beauty. However, ifafter 25 to 50 years thetrees become diseased,damaged or die and are nolonger valuable as timber,landowners might have tofind more profitable uses of theirproperty. Many farms are beingconverted to non-forest use,such as developments,recreational areas, andshopping centers. It isimportant that landowners know the benefitsof managing their own land and practiceSF 7SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:12sustainable forestry. Private forest ownershave economic incentive to manage theirforests effectively. Trees are a highlyprofitable commercial crop. Poorlymanaged land tends to lose value. Ifproperly managed, even small forestscan help supply today’s world withwood-based products andrecreational opportunities, whilemeeting the same needs of futuregenerations. Managing a forest formultiple use requires expertise andproductive resources.MarketingThe market price of wood isdetermined by supply anddemand. If the market price islow, then wood producers knowthere is more supply (woodavailable for sale) than demand(people wanting to buy thewood). In this type of market,the tree farmer would put fewerproductive resources into woodproduction. A high market pricefor wood tells producers thatwood is scarce in relationship todemand. In other words, thereis not enough wood for sale tomeet the demand for all thoseneeding to buy it at the time.In this type of market,consumers want moreproductive resources devotedto wood production. Timberproducers cannot set the price; theymust accept the price that isdetermined by the market.Tree farmers try to lowertheir unit costs in order toincrease profits. If the market price goes up,profits usually will too. Farmers can also
increase profits with cost-effective productionmethods. However, if production costsincrease and market price decreases, profitswill be reduced.ForestryManagementManaging a tree farm requires expertiseand many productive resources (natural,human and capital). Managing a tree farm forthe timber value and maintaining opportunitiesfor recreation are part of protecting theecosystem’s structure and function. Forexample, when a tree farmer chooses to cutdown trees to clear an area to provide anopening to benefit wildlife, it means that somebirds and plants that live in the existing forestenvironments will be affected. Eachmanagement choice favors some species andenhances some processes at the expense ofothers. Responsible forest managementincludes managing an ecosystem in which thefuture of every element in the systemdepends on carefully considering the future ofevery other element.SF 8SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:13
Hardwood Tree Farm Case Study:Harvesting MethodsForestryClear CuttingSelective CuttingShelter Wood CuttingSF 9SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:14
Tree Farm Student WorksheetForestry1. Managing a tree farm for timber and other multiple uses like wildlife habitat,recreation, scenic landscapes, and watershed protection requires manyproductive resources. It takes a combination of natural, human and capitalresources. For example, a productive, healthy tree farm requires adequatemoney (capital) and knowledgeable managers (human). Complete the chartbelow by listing five productive resources in each category.Natural Resources(Environmental)Human Resources(Social)Capital Resources(Economic)11.1.2.2.2.3.3.3.4.4.4.5.5.5.2. The price of hardwood timber is not fixed. It changes every day based on factors such as howmuch wood is for sale and how many people are willing to buy it. These changes in the price derivefrom supply and demand and affect whether the market price will go up or down. In the chart below,circle your decision about whether the market price will go up or down for each situation.Market PPricericeSituation1. The demand for wood stays the same, but the supply of wood decreasesIncreaseDecrease2. The supply of wood stays the same, but demand increasesIncreaseDecrease3. The demand for wood stays the same, but the supply increasesIncreaseDecrease4. The supply of wood stays the same, but demand decreasesIncreaseDecrease5. The supply increases, and the demand increasesIncreaseNot Enough Info6. The supply decreases, and the demand increasesIncreaseDecreaseSF 10SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:16
Tree Farm Student Worksheet (cont.)3. In each of the six situations what will happen to the tree farmer’s profits if he must sell at that time?Circle your decision and give a reason for your #5IncreaseNot Enough Info#6IncreaseDecreaseForestry#14. You have reached a point in the management of your tree farm where you have to make somedifficult decisions. You have no more trees ready to be harvested. The market price for your timberis frozen and you cannot get a higher price. Profit is the amount of money left from sales revenuesafter all of the costs of production have been paid. In this situation, what is the only way to increaseyour profits and what are some of the ways you can achieve this? How might you use the land thathas only small seedlings? How do you plan to preserve recreational activities such as hiking,camping, hunting, or mountain biking? Develop a plan for how you will manage the 600 acres ofyour tree farm so that you can meet all of these goals.SF 11SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:17
Hardwood Tree FarmYDescriptionForestryou have just inherited 100 acres of forestland. You mustcreate a management plan for the property, harvesting forprofit but also protecting wildlife habitats (including thewatershed) and preserving recreational activities. The land is flatin some areas and hilly in others, although none of it is so steepthat it is unsuitable for harvesting timber. There is a large pond inthe northeast corner of the property.The land is forested by mostly Yellow Poplar – a light andeasily worked wood. It is commonly used as lumber for interiorand exterior trim, veneers, turnery and furniture. Yellow Poplarreproduces quickly and is profitable. It comprises 85% of thetrees on your land.White Oak trees make up about 5% of the trees. A heavy, strong, and tough closegrained wood, it is often used for construction, furniture, interior finish, flooring and fuel. WhiteOak is valuable but is very slow growing.Another 5% of the trees are Black Walnut. Heavy, strong and hard, this dark browncolored wood is of superior quality and high value. Black Walnut is highly sought after because itdoes not warp; it is used for furniture, cabinetwork, gunstocks and airplane propellers. Smallyounger trees are not as useful because they are not as durable and lack the dark color. BlackWalnut reproduces relatively well, provided the soil is hearty. The remaining 5% of trees on yourfarm are a mix of hardwood and softwood trees.Your management plan may be a one use plan or multiple uses plan, however, if youchose multiple uses, these uses must be compatible with one another. Some suggestions include(but are not limited to): hiking and biking trails, primitive camping sites, a catch and release fishingpond, harvest festivals, photography, bird watching events and other moneymaking events. Theonly restriction you have is that at least 25 percent of the land must be used for tree farming.Remember that management plans must consider the present and future needs of the tree farmoperation. After drafting your management plan, complete the Hardwood Tree Farm EvaluationsChart, assessing the economic, environmental and social consequences of your decisions.SF 12SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:18
Hardwood Tree FarmManagement EvaluationsPositiveForestryDiscuss the effects of your management decisions for the Hardwood Tree Farm. What are theconsequences of the management techniques you chose?NegativeEnvironmental EffectsSocial EffectsEconomic EffectsSF 13SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:19
Political Profile:Wilma SaveitForestryRepresentative from
trees faster than they can be replenished. There is a desperate need for education in sustainability, and what burning forest today means for future generations to come. However, it is imperative to realize that deforestation occurs often because people are struggling to meet their basic human needs. Wood Products Case Study: Forestry .
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wood (see Section "Role of wood moisture content on corrosion"). 3. Wood preservatives Wood preservatives are chemicals that are injected into the wood to help the wood resist attack by decay fungi, mold, and/or termites. Waterborne wood preservatives are commonly used when the wood may be in contact with humans or will be painted.
3 Key Advantages of Wood-based Fuels 1.1 Wood energy is widely used and renewable 1.2 Sustainable wood production safeguards forest functions 1.3 Wood energy is available locally 1.4 Wood energy provides employment and income 1.5 Wood energy supports domestic economies 1.6 Wood energy is modern and leads to innovation 1.7 Wood energy can make a country independent of energy imports
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