2 Liebniz was wrong when, referring to the uncertainties remaining in Enlightenment theories of Nature, he said God is not a clumsy watchmaker. These fault lines in the philosophic basis for forestry have widened into a chasm not easily bridged. Adaptive management seems to make sense, but proponents can cite no successful examples in forestry. Ecosystem management has a euphonious ring, but no one, credible definition can be found. Everything you own is either farmed, mined or logged.
Milk comes from the store.
Practicing foresters caught in the crossfire as you try simply to do your jobs cannot stand down and wait for a comprehensive resolution of these dilemmas. At the same time, these fault lines define many of our land-management controversies. 3 Foresters generally accept these obligations, although we do not describe them as such. Embracing these obligations conspicuously and articulating them as part of the profession might help move us a step closer to a demonstrably sustainable future, and a step closer to strong societal support for the practice of forestry. This essay is based on some insightful comments by Prof. Bart van der Kamp.