ABSTRACT
Forests cover about 30% of the Earth’s terrestrial surface (FAO 2006), play a signiœcant role in the climate system, and are integral to numerous ecosystem, cultural, and economic services (Figure 20.1). As such, there is considerable interest in sustainable management to conserve forest resources, while balancing the competing interests for their use. Forest management is a multifaceted endeavor, deœned as the “application of biological, physical, quantitative, managerial, economic, social, and policy principles to the regeneration, management, utilization, and conservation of forests to meet speciœed goals and objectives while maintaining the productivity of the forest (Helms 1998, p. 71).” In practical terms, this often means some type of silviculture practice, protection activity, and/or forest regulation.
