Thursday, July 08, 2010

"Forests Forever: Their Ecology, Restoration, and Protection"

Can we use forests with restraint - sustainably - while still enjoying forest products and services?

"Yes." But how?


John J. Berger's newest book, "Forests Forever: Their Ecology, Restoration, and Protection," tackles this question. Astonishingly, it not only shows that generally we can extract a steady supply of timber from forests but that in many cases, when forests have previously been mismanaged and degraded, we can simultaneously improve both forest health and timber quality.

Co-published by Forests Forever Foundation and distributed by the University of Chicago, "Forests Forever" focuses first on basic principles of forest stewardship, including how to prevent forest destruction, restore damaged forests, and protect ecosystem integrity. Many forestry books address forest restoration in an ecological context. Most are concerned with lumber harvesting and timber management. "Forests Forever," however, demonstrates that forests can be saved and protected while still providing us with many valuable benefits and products in perpetuity. The book goes on to show that the better we understand forest ecology and resources and what threatens them, the greater the chance we have of saving them and using them sustainably.

The U.S. Forest Service and federal forest policy are given close scrutiny and issues of forest ecology, economics, history, management, law, and policy are prominently discussed with an emphasis on sustainable forest management. Key points are illustrated with stories of forest conservation from North America to the tropics, and the book has 82 color plates by some of the world’s leading wildlife photographers.

To purchase soft or hardcover copies of the book for personal use, contact the University of Chicago Press or Amazon.com. Discounts are available for bulk orders. Forests Forever (306 pages, hard and soft cover) is distributed by the University of Chicago Press, with an introduction by Charles Little. For more information, please see Dr. Berger's website. John J. Berger, Ph.D. 941 The Alameda – Suite 6 Berkeley, California 94707-2316

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