Reasons for Concern Over Impacts of Harvesting

Abstract

There are a number of effects of forest harvesting that cause concern among various environmental groups and forest managers. These include effects on aesthetics, wildlife habitat, water quantity and quality, susceptibility to fire, and long-term site productivity. The subject of this volume is restricted to only one of these issues, namely, long-term site productivity. This by no means implies that long-term site productivity is the only harvesting effect worthy of consideration; indeed, forest harvesting practices in the western United States are under attack at this moment because of concerns over wildlife habitat. However, taking the assumption that harvesting will continue and likely even intensify in many commercial forests around the world, the topic of harvesting effects upon long-term site productivity is timely and will certainly fill this volume.