What do you think of when you › extension › ee › foresthealth...What do you think of when you hear, “forest”? A place with trees A place where I hunt . For many people, trees
Ask your students the question and have them respond out loud. Then go to the next slide for some probable responses.
What do you think of when you hear, “forest”?
A place with trees
A place where I hunt
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For many people, trees in a natural area come to mind and images of wildlife such as bears, squirrels, and raccoons. Others may think about what they do in a forest, like hunt, hike, camp, and bike.
Defining a Forest • Forests vary in size, composition, and function
•People use forests in many ways too so their definition of what is a forest can all be different
•The people who use a forest and who value it are called stakeholders
•Defining a forest when they look so different and when there are many stakeholders can be hard
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Composition is the make up a forest, or the characteristics of it. These characteristics can include what types of trees are in that forest, how old the trees are, what environmental conditions are there (such as the type of soil, water, and elevation, etc) and what people or animals live there. People can use forests for many things such as to get wood from them, or for wildlife habitat, or to use them for research, hunting and camping, etc. How people perceive a forest will affect how they define a forest. The people who use a forest or care about it are called stakeholders and they can all have different values for the same forest.
Defining a Forest •The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) says that a forest is land
-that is a little bigger than 1 acre in size
-where the trees cover at least 10% of it
-and the trees can grow to be at least 16 feet tall
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The FAO definition says that the forested land has to be at least 0.5 hectares and the trees should be able to grow to at least 5 meters tall. 0.5 hectares is = to about 1.2 acres or 1,140 square yards. So, just slightly smaller than the size of a football field. 5 meters is equal to 16.48 or 16.5 feet.
Defining a Forest
•But the FAO definition of a forest isn’t complete
•What else is in a forest other than just trees?
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Ask this question with your students and have them say their answers out loud.
What else is in a forest other than trees?
Shrubs
Wildlife
Decomposers
People Soil
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The FAO definition did not mention the presence of shrubs and understory plants, like grass, flowers, or berry bushes. It also did not mention rotten logs, decomposers (such as fungi), birds, reptiles, mammals or people, who are also part of most forests. Some forests also have roads and buildings and are used to obtain products from them, like wood or fruit.
• Forests can be categorized by their environmental conditions - ex. climate, elevation, soil, amount of water
• Or by what lives in the forest- ex. types of trees, birds, fungi, mammals, people, insects
• And by how they’re used – ex. for timber, to get food from, for recreation, or for wildlife
Categorizing Forests
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For more advanced classes you may define the nonliving environmental conditions as being abiotic factors, and the living conditions as being biotic factors in the forest
• Despite differences in the environmental conditions in a forest, what lives in a forest, and how it is used, all forests provide services that you and I benefit from everyday.
• Can you think of any good things forests do?
Benefits Forests Provide
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Ask the students if they can think of any good things forests do and have them give their answers out loud
• Forests provide shade, clean air for us to breath, clean water for us to drink, return nutrients to the soil, and provide habitat for other plants and wildlife
• These things forests provide are called ecosystem services
• All forest types provide ecosystem services!
Benefits Forests Provide
Now that we know what makes up a forest and what they do for us, let’s explore the different forest types …
• These types of forests are usually conservation areas for wildlife, ecosystem services and wildlife
• Sometimes trees in natural forests are harvested but young trees will grow from seeds left on the ground and take their place
• Natural forests provide green areas for many people to enjoy
• Have you ever visited a natural forest?
Natural Forests
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For a list of national forests by state go to http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml For a list of Florida state forests go to http://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/
An Example of a Natural Forest
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This forest in particular is a pine flatwood characterized by saw palmetto and pine trees
• These are forest that are specifically planted to make products people use
• Examples of products include paper, wood, fuel, oranges, and pecans
• Plantations are usually planted in rows for easy access and are privately owned
• Plantations are usually less diverse than natural forests
Plantations
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If your students ask what is meant by “diverse” a simple explanation would be that that plantations usually have fewer species of plants and animals than natural forests do.
An Example of a Plantation
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Here we have a typical Florida orange grove
• These forests are planted or left standing in developed areas such as in neighborhoods or cities
• Human benefits are the primary purpose of urban forests
• These benefits include providing cool shade, beauty, and taking up water after it rains
• Is there an urban forest near your school or where you live?
Urban Forests
An Example of an Urban Forest
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Image courtesy of the UF IFAS Urban and Community Forestry Program http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/urbanforestry/
Now let’s review what you’ve learned by playing a quick game!
Name the Forest Type!
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Natural Forest
Name the Forest Type!
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Plantation – the rows shouldgive it away
Name the Forest Type!
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Urban Forest
Name the Forest Type! Here is a harder one
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This Arizona landscape extends far on the horizon but the shrubbery is very short. This would not be a forest according to FAO Photo by Howard Schwartz Bugwood.com
Name the Forest Type! Here is a harder one
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This is a Natural Forest type ecosystem. In particular it is an image of a Cypress Swamp. Although under water now, these swamps do occasionally drain. Remember the FAO defintion of a forest does not specify the type of soil a forest must be in. This forest seems to posses the other requirements to be considered a forest – tall trees that cover at least 10% of a 1 acre area.
• You are now prepared to do a fun activity to explore forests and apply what you learned
• Be ready to share your pictures of forests that you brought to class with your friends
Excellent Job Naming those Forest Types!
Strengthening the pulse of Florida’s forests, together
