ABSTRACT
Forests, grasslands, deserts, and oceans play a major role in maintaining the “balance of nature” upon which all life on this planet is utterly dependent. Levels of stress are particularly related to technology and are severe because much of the area of temperate forest is within the borders of highly developed, technological countries. Mismanagement of forests or land surface caused by the pursuit of renewable and nonrenewable resources can markedly reduce the efficiency with which the temperate forest carries out its natural functions. The causes of the increasing use of energy in industrial societies are a complex mix of population growth, rising standards of living, and its profligate use. The use of energy is an index of the use of natural resources, and growth in energy-use indicates an increased utilization of other resources—for example, more mining and smelting and more timber harvesting.
