Certified Organic Forests & Timber: the Hippocratic Opportunity

Organic farming was proposed in 1940 by Lord Northbourne as a response to chemical agriculture. Since then, organic agriculture has developed into an international A$50 billion industry with annual growth reported up to 30%. Currently it is one of the fastest growing food sectors with demand exceeding supply in many markets, and price premiums averaging 80% in Australia. With economic, and now environmental, incentives for planting trees, there is the opportunity, and even imperative, for a new silviculture category that embraces the precepts of organic agriculture. There are environmental, economic and ethical issues with carbon offset programmes that seek to reduce, or erase, the carbon footprint of an activity, while collaterally increasing the pesticide footprint; this may be a Faustian bargain. Certified Organic Forestry standards have made a tentative start with a modest uptake. Organic forestry offers a clean green, rather than a dirty green, option for carbon offsets, and can appeal to those inclined to a precautionary principle rather than a postcautionary principle approach. As consumers who are already familiar with the premises and promises of organic food and agriculture are attracted to carbon offsetting, this customer group has the potential to drive demand for Certified Organic Forestry. Moving beyond the current chemical forestry and silviculture standards to an organic silviculture presents a matrix of new opportunities, implications, impediments and even stakeholders

Poor performance of broadleaf plantations and possible remedial silvicultural systems - a review

Peer-reviewedOver the last two decades planting of broadleaves has been part of forest policy. In addition to the provision of a range of ecosystem services, it is intended that this resource will have a direct economic stimulus through the supply of quality hardwood. A number of challenges must be met in order to achieve this objective, particularly as current observations would indicate that many first rotation broadleaf plantations comprise a relatively high proportion of poor quality stems. A literature review has been carried out on the probable causes of poor performance in broadleaf crops. Silvicultural systems to rehabilitate poor quality stands are discussed. Subsequent papers will deal with these silvicultural systems in more detail.COFOR

International trade of the NWFP: any opportunity for the Italian forest sector?

open5siThe Italian forests, traditionally managed for wood production, need to tackle today a demand of good and services considered as secondary outputs by the forest manager. The Italian forest sector showed an increasing role of the of the non-wood forest products (NWFP), considered raw material in other sectors like food, floral green and chemical industries. The scarce attention to the production of non-wood forest products in the forest, the complex legal system linked to the harvesting rights and the increment of the use of such products by the industries, have pushed the companies to import raw materials from the international market with favourable quantities and prices. Moreover, in Italy, NWFP have been transformed in functional goods sold to the final users as recreational services inside the forest, instead of as commodities. Wild mushrooms, truffles, berries, nuts, resins, cork, tannins, and ornamental green are the most frequently traded NWFP toward and from Italy; country that covers a key role in the import and processing of several NWFP; the import and processing of the tannin for leather tanning, or cork for stopper and cork panel production or the processing of fresh and dried mushrooms for national and international market are examples of products that let Italy become a leader in the international market. The paper describes the economic volume and quantities of the more traded NWFP from and to Italy, calculated through the analysis of international trade data reported in COMTRADE.openVidale, Enrico; Da Re, Riccardo; Lovric, Marko; Corradini, Giulia; Pettenella, DavideVidale, Enrico; DA RE, Riccardo; Lovric, Marko; Corradini, Giulia; Pettenella, DAVIDE MATTE

The potential for using a free-growth system in the rehabilitation of poorly performing pole-stage broadleaf stands

peer-reviewedThis paper is a literature review of the free-growth system, which may have potential for the rehabilitation of some poorly-performing pole-stage broadleaf stands. It involves releasing of a selected number of good quality stems from crown competition as a basis for the final crop. Generally, only stems with crowns adjacent to the potential final crop trees are removed. The aim is to increase diameter growth of the selected stems and thereby shorten the rotation length needed to achieve a given diameter. The treatment may result in a greater incidence of epicormic shoots, particularly in oak (Quercus spp.). To maintain stem quality, epicormics may need to be removed, which may make the free-growth system uneconomic. There is, however, some evidence to believe that this may not be the case. In addition, the free-growth system may also be applicable in species less prone to epicormics, such as ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus L.). The free-growth system may prove to be a useful system for the rehabilitation of poorly performing pole-stage broadleaf stands and, with the advent of Chalara ash dieback (caused by Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus V. Queloz et al.) in Ireland, may gain greater use for its ability to reduce rotation lengths.COFOR

Clearcutting As A Management Practice in Maine Forests

Clearcutting As A Management Practice in Maine Forests : Report to the Maine Department of Conservation, Forests for the Future Program. by The Irland Group Maine Department of Conservation, Augusta, Maine. 1988. Contents:( Part I ) Introduction / What is Clearcutting? / Environmental Effects of Clearcutting / Conclusions / Recommendations Contents:(Part II) Introduction / Public Policy / Definition / Spruce-Fir Siviculture / Northern Hardwood Silviculture / White Pine Silviculture / Aspen-Birch Silviculture / Regeneration / The Brush Stage / Artificial Regeneration / Budworm / Aesthetics / Water Resources / Wildlife / Nutrients and Soil / Naturalistic Silviculture / Logging / Bibliographyhttps://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/me_collection/1174/thumbnail.jp

Safety attitudes in New Zealand forestry : a thesis presented to Massey University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology

This study examines the attitudes towards safety, held by workers, contractors, supervisors, and managers employed in the New Zealand forest industry. The study follows the framework offered by Purdham (1984, cited in Cox & Cox, 1991), which divides safety attitudes into safety hardware, safety software, people, and risk. After a review of the literature relating to these object areas, attitudes, and safety, a safety attitude questionnaire that was developed specifically for the study is described. The questionnaire was administered to 465 people working in the forest industry. The results suggested that the structure provided by Purdham, as well as Cox and Cox (1991) is not entirely apparent, however it can be used to evaluate safety attitudes. Attitudes towards safety hardware were very positive although a number of workers were unaware of the benefits of more recently developed personal protective equipment. Attitudes towards safety software were slightly negative. Many workers were unaware of safety policies and the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and were of the opinion that there was conflict between safety and other job demands. With regards to people, all groups surveyed had very good attitudes towards responsibility, and realised the importance of safety. Attitudes towards risk were reasonable, but knowledge of objective risk was poor. Results also suggested that the safety climate is rather negative, with many workers not believing that management or their work-mates were committed to safety. Management were also of the opinion that workers would not believe they were committed to safety. The survey found no relationship between individual attitudes and accident involvement. Training, education, and experience were also unrelated to accident involvement. Finally, management appear to be making attribution errors with regards to the cause of accidents. The implications of these findings for the forest industry, and safety research are discussed

Silviculture

Silviculture is integral for the perpetuity and sustainability of forest stands and their yields. It encompasses several methods and techniques that make the bridge between individual trees and the stand. This book focuses on sustainable forest management with chapters on such topics as afforestation, thinning, pest control, and mitigation of climate change, among others