Sustainable Forestry
FNR-182 Purdue University - Forestry and Natural Resources & Natural Re ry sou st rc re e o s F A Landowner’s Guide to Sustainable Forestry in Indiana PURDUE UNIVERSITY Part 3. Keeping the Forest Healthy and Productive Ron Rathfon, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University Lenny Farlee, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry Sustainable forest Environmental Factors Affecting management requires an Forest Growth and Development understanding of site productivity and heredi- • Climate tary factors that affect • Soil forest growth and devel- • Topography or lay of the land opment, as well as factors • Fungi, plant & animal interactions like climate, soil, topogra- phy or lay of the land, and • Disturbances how fungi, plants, and animals interact and help A remarkable variety of forests grow in Indiana. Over or harm each other. 100 different native species of trees intermingle in Ron Rathfon Sustainable forest various combinations. They flourish in swamps, anchor Deep soils and ample soil management also requires sand dunes, cling precariously to limestone precipices, moisture on this northeast- knowledge of each bind riverbanks against ravaging spring floods, and sink facing, upland site promote species’ unique needs and tap roots deep into rich, fertile loam. the growth of a lush adaptations, how a forest understory shrub layer and Trees, like all other green plants, require sunlight, heat, changes over time, and fast-growing, well-formed how it responds when water, nutrients, and space to thrive. Environment trees. determines the availability of essential requirements. disturbed by fire, insect Foresters refer to this availability as site productivity. outbreak, tornado, or timber harvesting.
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