But today, sustainable forestry is the name of the game. Not only is the wood supply continuing to increase, but foresters are concerned about more than just wood. Foresters consider many things when deciding what to do with a piece of forest. Wildlife habitat, water protection, recreation, how timber sales look, biodiversity, and fire protection are some of the considerations. Most important, foresters are concerned about regeneration and making sure our forests stay healthy and productive.
Forests are part of the ecosystem landscape and are managed with the big picture in mind.
Forest management systems have been developed over the last 75 years that take into account a lot of science and biology. These systems also account for changes in the way the public views land and forests. Using forests is unbelievably important to all of us, even though we might not think about it. Trees become part of over 5,000 different products in the United States. Each year, every person uses a tree 100 feet tall and about 16 inches in diameter.