ABSTRACT
When foresters discuss the effect of long time periods on the resource, they focus on biological growth. They think about harvesting and then regeneration and management over the next full timber rotation, the period over which all elements of the forest are renewable. This coincides with the economist’s view of the long run as the period when all factors of production are variable—and the tree itself can be replaced. Both perspectives mean that the long run is a period associated with the age of a mature tree or forest stand, a tree or stand that is ready for harvest and replacement in the ground with new seedlings. This period can be as short as 3–5 years for a few fuelwood and agroforestry species although it is generally much longer, ranging from twenty to over 75 years for final harvests of many commercial timber species, and some forests require well over 100 years to attain the maturity required for certain unique varieties of biodiversity.
