Planning and implementing forest operations to achieve ... - Woodweb

SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY:
for board industry are typical demands that influence
EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE t tree selection and plantation policies.
by
PierreF. J. Abeels
Universit_ catholique de Louvain
Louvain la Neuve, Belgium
Nowadays, new social andecological requirements
induce other criticisms while economy does not always
support positively the necessary actions. Forest
conservation, sustainability and diversity in the
biological ecosystems lead to systematic innovations.
More schooling, more equipments or skilled man-
ABSTRACT: European forestry heritage is very rich power are requested and have heavy economic eonseand
each country in Europe is very proud of what the
quences that society is not yet ready to assume. The
foresters, biologists, silviculturists and production
past is very rich in experience and the transfer of data
managers have _ed for the benefit of soeiety, into computers may help the forester of the future.
Equilibrium between income from the market of
products and the costs for renewal of the forest has
Views about the fundamentals of silviculture will
been reached. New aims are given to the forest by
certainly not change but the applications must be
society. Recreation, air purification, protection of
managed in another way. Managed biodiversity means
water resource, smoothing of the landscape, and more more know how about plants and trees, about soils and
ecological contribution to the environment are new
their dynamics, about the relations between equipment
requirements or they are presented asnew objectives
and the environment, and between man and nature.
while foresters always did their work in accordance
with the biological requirements of the trees they had to Not only the assessments about the dramatic evolution
produce for society. However, if the forester must
of the tropical forests must motivate a renewal or a
follow the rules of mother nature, he must also adapt drastic change, but the general statements about air -
the management to "modem"and continuously renewed
economic and social considerations. In Europe some
soft - water and life implications must guide our society
for the next century. Foresters will look forward with a
new perspectives are established. Let us have a look at highly specialized competency because they are
those so-called "new views" that prepare the future,
accustomed to look perspicacious to the far future.
Key Words: European forestry, silviculture,
sustaiaability, biodiversity
EUROPEAN FOREST
Actual forest areas in the European countries
INTRODUCTION
following ELI statistics anddocuments mentioned in the
literature are:
The past of European silviculture is very rich in % ha/inhabit
experience. Mistakes and favorable results with the
introductionofforeign speciesto improve wood
North Europe
Denmark 12 0.09
production are observed in the course of time. Finland 58 4.19
However, considering the necessary period to Norway 26 1.59
recognize the facts over time when we know the growth Sweden 57 2.84
rate of trees in temperate climatic zones, it is quite
normal that the selections are slow.
Western and Central Europe
Austria 45 0.50
In other respects, severe censure has been introduced Belgium 21 0.07
about some silvicultural practices while they were France 25 0.28
practically induced by society itself due to typical Germany 30 0.12
demands or constraints from the users of wood. Fuel Ireland 7 0.09
wood, timber for building or for shipyards, pit-props, Italy 29 0.12
round woods for paper mills, chunks for energy, chips Luxemburg 32 0.24
Netherlands 8 0.02
Switzerland 24 0.13
'_
International
atfirejoint
Union
meaing
of Forest
of
Research
the Council
Organizations
on Forest Engineering
Subject Group
and United Kingdom 9,4 0.04
$3.04-00, Marquette, MI, July 29-August 1, 1996.
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