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Defining Forests

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Defining Forests Defining Forests HEN WE use the tree respectfully and “Weconomically, we have one of the greatest resources on the earth,” said Frank Lloyd Wright. Clearly Mr. Wright placed value on trees and had sustainability in mind when he said this. Objective: þ Describe forests and the uses of forests. Key Terms: Ñ canopy forestry pulpwood commercial forest hardwood regrowth forest commercial forestry log silviculture forest native forest softwood forest region old-growth forest tree farm What Is a Forest? A forest is a living, complexly interrelated community of trees and associated plants and animals. It is an ever-changing commu- nity. A forest has a high density of trees. It has a mostly closed can- opy. The canopy is the upper- most levels of a forest created by interlocking branches and foliage. About 30 percent of the land area on Earth is estimated to be FIGURE 1. The leaves in this canopy have begun to change colors because of autumn. E-unit: Defining Forests Page 1 u www.MyCAERT.com Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. E050024 covered by forests. Forests once covered much of the eastern half of North America. This vast natural resource promoted the growth of our nation. The study of forests and associated communities is known as forestry. Forests are a very important part of the environment. They contribute to the stability of nature and consequently benefit many forms of life, including human beings. The art and science of producing and tending a forest is called silviculture. It involves controlling the establishment, growth, com- position, health, and quality of forests to meet the diverse needs and values of people. TYPES OF FORESTS Different types of forests have been identified. They include native forests, tree farms, and commercial forests. Native Forests A native forest is one in which the species are voluntarily growing and are naturally pres- ent in the area. Native forests often have a variety of species and provide wildlife habitat. An uncut forest is known as an old-growth forest. Most old-growth forests are in the Pacific Coast states. National parks and national forests protect much of the remaining old- growth forest. Most of the forests east of the Rocky Mountains have been cut one or more times. An area allowed to become reforested is known as a regrowth forest. Some areas of this type regrow for approximately a quarter century between cuttings. Regrowth forests consist mostly of trees in the younger growth phase that are actively growing in height and diameter. Tree Farms A tree farm is an area that has been planted to select and improve tree species. Undesirable native species are not allowed to grow on tree farms. Practices are used to protect the trees and pro- mote rapid, desirable growth. Regular harvest schedules are fol- lowed and usually result in higher wood production. Commercial Forests A commercial forest is a forest from which the wood is marketed. Commercial for- FIGURE 2. This tree farm is intended for the production of high-quality estry involves caring for a forest Christmas trees. to improve the quality and quan- tity of wood to be marketed. E-unit: Defining Forests Page 2 u www.MyCAERT.com Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. E050024 FOREST USES Forests are valued for many purposes. The benefits obtained from forests are economic, environmental, and recreational. Economic Benefits Products from the trees that grow in forests are used in many ways. Economic benefits come from the commercial uses of forest products. A log is a segment of the main stem, or trunk, of a tree that is suitable for sawing into lumber. Pulpwood is the wood used to make paper and similar products. Forests provide a large number of other products, including fence posts, maple syrup, nuts, berries, and many specialty wood materials. Environmental Benefits Forests provide a number of important benefits to the environment. They influence local and global climate. Trees can cool small areas in warm weather and reduce wind movement throughout the year. Trees tie up carbon. (Carbon dioxide produced from the burning or rotting of trees contributes to global warming.) Forests conserve moisture. Trees reduce the loss of water to runoff and help retain snow as it is melt- ing, maintaining groundwater supplies and reducing the chance of flooding. Forests provide habitat for wildlife. Many trees produce nuts or berries used as food by wildlife. Some wildlife species use leaves, holes in trees, and other places as nesting or bedding areas. Forests can be used for pollutant removal and detection. Trees remove some pollutants from the air. They reduce particulate matter in the air by catching it on leaf surfaces. Trees are used for noise reduction. They are often planted along roads to reduce the noise from passing FIGURE 3. Because trees are next to this roadway, noise from passing vehicles is reduced. vehicles. Recreational Benefits Forests provide recreational activities. People enjoy hiking in forests and observing tree growth and wildlife associated with forests. E-unit: Defining Forests Page 3 u www.MyCAERT.com Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. E050024 MAJOR FOREST REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES Forest industries often develop around the type of forest in an area. Some industries are based on hardwoods. A hardwood is a broad-leafed angiosperm tree, such as maple, oak, or cherry. Other industries are founded on softwood tree species. The term softwood refers to conifers, such as pine, fir, and spruce. A forest region is an area with a predominance of related tree species present. Regions are also based on the climate that promotes the forest growth. Moisture, temperature, and soil influence the types of tree species that grow in a region. Forest regions vary within and between states. The United States can be divided into six major forest regions. Northern Forest Region The Northern Forest Region is the largest of the six forest regions. The northern portion of this region produces small-size trees. The primary species are black and white spruce, balsam fir, larch, paper birch, aspen balsam, poplar, and willows. The southern portion of this region is characterized by highly valuable timber species, such as spruce, birches, beech, basswood, maples, and red oak. Southern Forest Region The Southern Forest Region is one of the most important timber-producing areas in North America. This region produces seven species of pine, along with baldcypress, black tupelo, sweetgum, beech, ashes, elms, oaks, hickories, and others. Central Hardwood Region Oaks are the dominant species in the Central Hardwood Region. Other important species include hickories, ashes, elms, maples, beech, yellow poplar, walnut, cot- tonwood, sycamore, and dogwood. Tropical Forest Region The Tropical Forest Region contains trees that are small and often lack commercial value. Palms, ebony, and mesquite are FIGURE 4. Oak trees are dominant in the Central Hardwood Region. typical. E-unit: Defining Forests Page 4 u www.MyCAERT.com Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. E050024 Rocky Mountain Forest Region The primary tree species in the Rocky Mountain Forest Region are spruce, lodgepole pine, aspen, poplar, ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, oaks, pinyon pine, junipers, and cottonwood. Pacific Coast Forest Region The Pacific Coast Forest Region supports the largest and tallest trees in the world. The sin- gle most important timber species in the world is Douglas-fir, and it is found in this region. Other important species are the Sitka spruce, western hemlock, red- wood, and western redcedar. FIGURE 5. The Douglas fir is an extremely important tree. Summary: 2 A forest is a living, complexly interrelated community of trees and associated plants and animals. The study of forests and associated communities is known as forestry. Three types of forests are native forests, tree farms, and commercial forests. A native forest is one in which the species are voluntarily growing and are naturally present in the area. A tree farm is an area that has been planted to select and improve tree species. A commercial forest is a forest from which the wood is mar- keted. Commercial forestry is caring for a forest to improve the quality and quantity of wood when it is marketed. Forests are valued for many purposes. The benefits obtained from forests are eco- nomic, environmental, and recreational. A forest region is an area with a predominance of related tree species present. The United States can be divided into six major forest regions: the Northern Forest Region, Southern Forest Region, Central Hardwood Region, Tropical Forest Region, Rocky Mountain Forest Region, and Pacific Coast Forest Region. Checking Your Knowledge: ´ 1. What is a forest? 2. What are three major types of forests? 3. How do old-growth and regrowth forests differ? E-unit: Defining Forests Page 5 u www.MyCAERT.com Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. E050024 4. What benefits are derived from forests? 5. What are the six predominant forest regions of the United States? Expanding Your Knowledge: L Determine the type of forest that grows in your region of the country. Research the characteristics of that type of forest. Web Links: : The Forest Biome http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibits/biomes/forests.php Forest http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest Forest Types http://library.thinkquest.org/17456/types1.html Forest Regions of North America http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:aLeXor4RCDIJ:www.vsu.edu/include/ bryant/forestregionsofnajohnson.doc+commercially+important+forest+ trees&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=29&gl=us E-unit: Defining Forests Page 6 u www.MyCAERT.com Copyright © by CAERT, Inc. — Reproduction by subscription only. E050024.
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