Discover new approaches to promote a viable forest industry while protecting non-timber values!Frontiers of Forest Biology: Proceedings of the 1998 Joint Meeting of the North American Forest Biology Workshop and the Western Forest Genetics Association gives you significant new insights on current initiatives in forest biology. Because the field is changing rapidly, you need to keep aware of current trends, as the emphasis in forest research shifts from productivity-based goals to sustainable development of forest resources. In this volume, you will find a comprehensive summary of the state of the art of forest science in North America. Whether your focus is on genetics or on the environmental aspects of forest science, plant physiology, or silviculture, you will find helpful chapters by practitioners as well as cutting-edge research by scientists. This integrated approach is unique in the field. Based on the 1998 Joint Meeting of the North American Forest Biology Workshop and the Western Forest Genetics Association, Frontiers of Forest Biology addresses changing priorities in forest resource management. This important book contains fascinating research studies, complete with tables and diagrams, on topics such as biodiversity research, the productivity of commercial species, conserving adaptive variation in forest ecosystems, and the effect of harvesting trees on nutrient leaching.The book maps the frontiers of this fast-changing science with chapters on: the social, biological, and industrial context of forest biology new directions for research into genetics, physiology, plant silviculture, and conservation the impact of genetics on sustainable forestry the effects of cold and disease on plant physiology regeneration of various species after logging new species adapted for agroforestry the impact and management of exotic weeds Frontiers of Forest Biology offers solid information on a broad spectrum of topics and suggests fresh avenues for your investigations in all aspects of forest biology.

Develop accurate computer models to determine wildfire risks and controlled-burn benefits! Although scientists now recognize that fire is essential to many ecosystems, the ecological and political issues of managing wildfire continue to be vexing. Mapping Wildfire Hazards and Risks offers multiple perspectives on using a Geographic Information System (GIS) for more effective wildfire management. This innovative technology is the ideal tool to organize and display all the information available, so authorities can make informed judgments based on all the facts. Because the authors are not merely theorizing but discussing the GIS they are actually building and using, Mapping Wildfire Hazards and Risks offers practical ideas and perspectives, including: specific information on the modeling approach and kinds of data utilized valuable discussions of the social and environmental factors included in the model techniques for predicting the effects of wildfire on neighborhoods, soil erosion, sedimentation, and air quality predictions of long-term ecosystem recovery given wildfires of different sizes and intensities maps, charts, tables, and formulas to make the process of building a GIS understandable and accessible Mapping Wildfire Hazards and Risks is a compilation of the ideas of federal and state agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations on how to rank and prioritize forested watershed areas that are in need of prescribed fire. This book provides the essential information for deciding how to set priorities for wildfire management that might reduce risks or lower future damages.

Conserve biodiversity with effective forest management practices! This valuable book examines integrated forest management in the Americas. Climate Change and Forest Management in the Western Hemisphere takes a close look at such important international issues as global warming and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. It offers tested suggestions for combining productive economic use of forest products with sustainable, ecologically sound management practices. Here you will find case studies from representative forests in North, Central, and South America. This solidly researched book explores the barriers to integrating environmental and economic approaches to forest management. It also offers practical suggestions for overcoming those barriers, including economic incentives for sustainable use and the conservation of biodiversity. Climate Change and Forest Management in the Western Hemisphere also explores: the role of the Brazilian rainforest in the global carbon cycle sustainable use of rainforests the valuation of forests for carbon sequestration plant biodiversity in managed timber forests issues of deforestation and reforestation and much more! Climate Change and Forest Management in the Western Hemisphere offers a comprehensive overview of a vital subject. It is an essential resource for forestry specialists, environmental economists, and anyone interested in climate change or sustainable agriculture.

Forest tree breeding has been ongoing for more than 70 years across Europe. It has successfully generated improved varieties for the major economical forest tree species. They are part of the present European forestry landscape and largely contribute to intensive wood production and other forest activities. In this book, we describe the state-of-art of breeding for the main forest tree species. We provide a comprehensive, unique and up-to-date overview of the major scientific results and breeding achievements gathered from the many programmes scattered across Europe. The book is divided into 10 chapters, each as a monograph corresponding to a species or group of species Abies spp., (Larix spp., Picea abies, Picea sitchensis, Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Mediterranean pines; Acer pseudoplatanus, Fraxinus excelsior, and Prunus avium). Each of them is written by a group of experts and focuses on the distribution and economical importance of the species; motivation for breeding and breeding objectives; intraspecific genetic variability, breeding populations and breeding strategy; forest reproductive material deployment including mass-propagation and, prospects and perspectives for joint research and breeding. The book is a unique and up-dated source of information for students, researchers and professionals interested in the genetics and domestication of forest tree species.