How Forests are Exploited

• In the old days (until 1970s)

– Lumberjacks cut down trees (30-40 per day)

– Logs were floated down the river to mills

• After the 1970s– Mechanization = machines do the work– Now a machine operator could cut down 1000

trees a day!

The Problem…

• These new tools led to too many trees being cut…

• CLEAR-CUTTING meant cutting away all the trees in an area, leaving NOTHING.

The Compromise: Sylviculture

• SYLVICULTURE is a way of working with the forest that…– Keeps PRODUCTION HIGH – they still take a lot of

trees.– Tries to SUSTAIN THE FOREST RESOURCES so that

the forests stay healthy and can keep producing wood.

– Uses many different techniques (see page 174)

To SUM it UP1. Forests are important resources for our

economy• Forest products bring MONEY to Quebec and

Canada• The forest industry creates JOBS

2. The way we use the forests has changeda) Old school – Lumberjacks and log-drivingb) Mechanization – Machines, clear-cuttingc) Sylviculture – Balance, tries to keep forest strong

AND still get lots of lumber (LOL)

Forest Territory: Global Issues

Reduction of the World’s Forests

• 8,000 years ago, forests covered 2/3 of the earth.

• Today, only 1/3 of the earth is forest.

Deforestation

• Deforestation is the reduction of forests.

• It happens because– People need wood (for

$ and for firewood)– People need to clear

forests to make farmland to grow food

• Since 1990, 13 million hectares of forest have disappeared every year– That’s like one football field every 2 seconds!!!

• This is slowing down as industrialized countries use SYLVICULTURE and PLANT TREES.

• DEFORESTATION IS STILL A BIG PROBLEM in tropical regions, where there are more developing countries.

Reasons for Deforestation in Developing Countries

1. Need for more firewood2. Exporting wood (selling it to other countries)3. Bad forestry techniques (ruin forests)4. Illegal exploitation (cutting down protected

forests)5. Urbanization (more people-> more cities->

more demand for food -> more farms = less forests)

Other causes of Deforestation:

1. Insects2. Forest fires3. Drought4. Acid Rain

Consequences of Deforestation

• Loss of jobs in the forest industry

• CO2 in the air

• Soil erosion

Some Solutions to Deforestation

1. REFORESTATION: Plant more trees!

2. Plantations & Sylviculture: forests grown for wood

3. Nature reserves -> Protected forests

4. Pressure groups and protests.

5. Transgenic Trees: Genetically modified trees made for wood production.