Ecology for tropical forest management

There is a considerable body of ecological information relevant to the management of tropical forests, but in practice, little of this is used. It is demonstrated how ecology helps to understand forests and forest change and argued that there is an urgent need for a wider appreciation and utilisatio...

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Autores principales: Sheil, Douglas, Heist, M. van
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2000
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18223
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author Sheil, Douglas
Heist, M. van
author_browse Heist, M. van
Sheil, Douglas
author_facet Sheil, Douglas
Heist, M. van
author_sort Sheil, Douglas
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description There is a considerable body of ecological information relevant to the management of tropical forests, but in practice, little of this is used. It is demonstrated how ecology helps to understand forests and forest change and argued that there is an urgent need for a wider appreciation and utilisation of current knowledge. Forest managers must take a holistic, long-term landscape-level view, and how change in itself is inevitable. Familiar concerns relating to silviculture and canopy disturbance are considered and then, the neglected biology of tree pollination and seed dispersal and the risks associated with animal loss. Increasing threats from fire, exotic species and habitat fragmentation are identified. Finally, the difficult balance between timber production and conservation related values is discussed. The ecological overview, with its mixture of common sense and more subtle insights, may be translated into beneficial actions. Considerable progress is attainable, but requires collaboration between ecologists and forest managers. Initiatives that seek to reform forest practices in the tropics require a sound ecological basis to better address the many challenges facing modern forestry in these regions - such a basis is, in large part, already available for wider use. Illustrations are given as to how management may be improved. Fundamental to these is the recognition that ecological knowledge is crucial to forestry but currently too often ignored, and that considerable and rapid progress is possible if ecologists, foresters and others can find ways to work together and address this directly.
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spelling CGSpace182232025-01-24T14:20:08Z Ecology for tropical forest management Sheil, Douglas Heist, M. van biodiversity nature conservation landscape ecology silviculture logging improvement fellings education There is a considerable body of ecological information relevant to the management of tropical forests, but in practice, little of this is used. It is demonstrated how ecology helps to understand forests and forest change and argued that there is an urgent need for a wider appreciation and utilisation of current knowledge. Forest managers must take a holistic, long-term landscape-level view, and how change in itself is inevitable. Familiar concerns relating to silviculture and canopy disturbance are considered and then, the neglected biology of tree pollination and seed dispersal and the risks associated with animal loss. Increasing threats from fire, exotic species and habitat fragmentation are identified. Finally, the difficult balance between timber production and conservation related values is discussed. The ecological overview, with its mixture of common sense and more subtle insights, may be translated into beneficial actions. Considerable progress is attainable, but requires collaboration between ecologists and forest managers. Initiatives that seek to reform forest practices in the tropics require a sound ecological basis to better address the many challenges facing modern forestry in these regions - such a basis is, in large part, already available for wider use. Illustrations are given as to how management may be improved. Fundamental to these is the recognition that ecological knowledge is crucial to forestry but currently too often ignored, and that considerable and rapid progress is possible if ecologists, foresters and others can find ways to work together and address this directly. 2000 2012-06-04T09:06:13Z 2012-06-04T09:06:13Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18223 en Open Access Sheil, D., van Heist, M. 2000. Ecology for tropical forest management . International Forestry Review 2 (4) :261-270. ISSN: 1465-5489.
spellingShingle biodiversity
nature conservation
landscape ecology
silviculture
logging
improvement fellings
education
Sheil, Douglas
Heist, M. van
Ecology for tropical forest management
title Ecology for tropical forest management
title_full Ecology for tropical forest management
title_fullStr Ecology for tropical forest management
title_full_unstemmed Ecology for tropical forest management
title_short Ecology for tropical forest management
title_sort ecology for tropical forest management
topic biodiversity
nature conservation
landscape ecology
silviculture
logging
improvement fellings
education
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18223
work_keys_str_mv AT sheildouglas ecologyfortropicalforestmanagement
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