Published in Forest Ecology and Management. Authors: R. Alec Giffen, Colleen M. Ryan, Frank Lowenstein, Robert T. Perschel, Mary L. Tyrrell.
Abstract
The concept of what constitutes sustainable forestry has evolved over time, as foresters and society have reconsidered our knowledge of forest ecosystems and exactly what should be sustained, where, when, and for whom.
Now, as humanity faces a climate emergency, we need a new definition of sustainable forestry that recognizes climate change explicitly, and new approaches to managing forest ecosystems. These new approaches need to be robust: that is, likely to succeed despite enormous uncertainty about the conditions forests will face in the future. Going forward, sustainable forestry must retain recognized values from past conceptions, such as maintaining ecosystem health and biodiversity over the long term, while also addressing the urgent challenge of climate change by increasing carbon stored in both forests and long-lived forest products.