Plantation forests often have a negative image. They are typically assumed to be poor substitutes for natural forests, particularly in terms of biodiversity conservation, carbon storage, provision of clean drinking water and other non-timber goods and services. Often they are monocultures that do not appear to invite people for recreation and other direct uses. Yet as this book clearly shows, they can play a vital role in the provision of ecosystem services, when compared to agriculture and other forms of land use or when natural forests have been degraded. This is the first book to examine explicitly the non-timber goods and services provided by plantation forests, including soil, water and biodiversity conservation, as well as carbon sequestration and the provision of local livelihoods. The authors show that, if we require a higher provision of ecosystem goods and services from both temperate and tropical plantations, new approaches to their management are required. These include policies, methods for valuing the services, the practices of small landholders, landscape approaches to optimise delivery of goods and services, and technical issues about how to achieve suitable solutions at the scale of forest stands. While providing original theoretical insights, the book also gives guidance for plantation managers, policy-makers, conservation practitioners and community advocates, who seek to promote or strengthen the multiple-use of forest plantations for improved benefits for society. Published with CIFOR

This book describes the scientific principles that are used throughout the world to ensure the rapid, healthy growth of forest plantations. As the population of the world increases so does the amount of wood people use. Large areas of natural forests are being cleared every year and converted to other uses. Almost as large an area of plantation forests is being established annually to replace those lost natural forests. Eventually, plantations will produce a large proportion of the wood used around the world for firewood, building, the manufacture of paper and bioenergy. Forest plantations can also provide various environmental benefits including carbon storage, rehabilitation of degraded land, serving as disposal sites for various forms of industrial or agricultural waste and enhancing biodiversity in regions that have been largely cleared for agriculture. Whatever their motivation, plantation forest growers want their plantations to be healthy and grow rapidly to achieve their purpose as soon as possible. This book discusses how this is done. It is written for a worldwide audience, from forestry professionals and scientists through to small plantation growers, and describes how plantations may be grown responsibly and profitably.

A brief history of plantations. Environmental issues. Plantations and biodiversity. Water matters. Plantations and the soil. Pests: plantations' achilles' heel? Genetically modified trees: opportunity or treath? Plantations and global warming. Social issues. Employement: a contested balance sheet. Land tenure and conflict. Economic issues. Spiralling demand. Incentives and subsidies. Economies of scale. Costing the earth.

"The main objectives of this study are to examine three important aspects of forest plantation development, namely: the current status and future (medium-term) trends in forest plantation establishment; economic and policy issues associated with forest plantation establishment; and the outlook for potential wood supplies from forest plantations."--Page 3

Understand the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the development of forest plantationsand the conservation involved Controversy surrounds the question of how to best protect forests of high conservation value, while meeting the growing demands for wood and wood fiber-based products. Plantations and Protected Areas in Sustainable Forestry presents the views of a diverse group of conservationists and natural resource professionals who examine important social and economic as well as ecological aspects of the debate. The goal of sustainable forest management is kept at the forefront of the discussions, while alternative strategies to meet economic and social needs are explored in light of the need to conserve biological diversity and protect other important ecological services and environmental values in key forest areas. For developed nations, there is an ethical responsibility to consider sensible development as well as environmental conservation. Plantations and Protected Areas in Sustainable Forestry discusses many of the prominent issues that are raised when considering intensively managed forests (plantations) and/or strict protection of high conservation value forests (protected areas) in the United States and elsewhere. These issues include: the role of plantations and their management; forest management certification to ensure sustainability; job creation from plantations, the effects of intensive forest management on society and the environment; and the protection of biodiversity. This book provides a solid foundation on which to form a consensus that addresses the needs of economics and society as well as forest conservation. Topics in Plantations and Protected Areas in Sustainable Forestry include: the future of forest plantations forest management certification community benefits derived from intensively managed industrial roundwood plantations the extent to which intensive forest management practices on plantations prevent degradation of natural forests positive and negative impacts of plantations on environmental and social values alternative approaches for investment in wood production global policy perspectives on intensive forest production global strategies for biodiversity conservation Plantations and Protected Areas in Sustainable Forestry provides a diversity of perspectives on one of today’s most important developments in international forest policy and international trade in the forest sector. It is intended to contribute to better-informed decision-making, and is an important book for policymakers, forest resource management professionals, and business leaders working to develop practical and effective strategies for sustainable forest management.