ABSTRACT
Forests are the most widespread terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Forests provide fuel, fibre, and food to human communities. Forests are also a source of aesthetic, cultural, and spiritual values to people. Globally there are diverse forest types, different ownership patterns and governance regimes that influence access and use of forests. But, there is commonality in forest resource management, where approaches have focused either on timber values (production) or preservation (conservation and restoration). However, with a shift towards Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) the importance and value of forest ecosystem services are increasingly being integrated and oftentimes quantified into forest resource management decisions.
