FOREST ANIMAL DAMAGE CONTROL

As a nation we have gained world recognition for our ability to utilize our resources. In forestry our greatest accomplishments have been in the mechanization of harvest methods and in improvements in forest products. The renewal of this resource has been our greatest neglect. Though the end of the 19th Century marked the beginning of the conservation movement, it was not until a half century later that the force of economics through the demands of a growing population made forest re-establishment more than just a desire. Conservation in itself is a Utopian concept which requires other motivating forces to make it a reality. In the post-war years, and as late as the early 195O's, stocked land in the Pacific Northwest could be purchased for less than the cost of planting; the economic incentive was lacking. Only with sustained yield management and increased land values was there a balance in favor of true values. With greater effort placed on forest regeneration there was an increased need for methods of reducing losses to wildlife. The history of forest wildlife damage research, therefore, parallels that of forest land management; after rather austere beginnings, development became predominantly a response to economics. It was not until 1950 that the full time of one scientist was assigned to this important activity. The development of control methods for forest animal damage is a relatively new area of research. All animal life is dependent upon plants for its existence; forest wildlife is no exception. The removal of seed and foliage of undesirable plants often benefits the land managers; only when the losses or injuries are in conflict with man's interest is there damage involved. Unfortunately, the feeding activities of wildlife and the interests of the land managers are often in conflict. Few realize the breadth, scope, and subtilities associated with forest wildlife damage problems. There are not only numerous species of animals involved, but also a myriad of conditions, each combination possessing unique facets. It is a foregone conclusion that an understanding of the conditions is essential to facilitate a solution to any given problem. Though there are numerous methods of reducing animal damage, all of which have application under some situations, in this discussion emphasis will be placed on the role of chemicals and on western problems. Because of the broadness and complexity of the problem, generalizing is necessary and only brief coverage will be possible. However, an attempt will be made to discuss the use and limitations of various control methods.

Soil-mediated effects on potential Euterpe edulis (Arecaceae) fruit and palm heart sustainable management in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Euterpe edulis is an endangered species due to palm heart overharvesting, the most important non-timber forest product of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, and fruit exploitation has been introduced as a low impacting alternative. However, E. edulis is a keystone species for frugivores birds, and even the impact of fruit exploitation needs to be better investigated. Since this species occurs over contrasting habitats, the establishment of site-specific standards and limits for exploitation may also be essential to achieve truly sustainable management. In this context, we sought to investigate how soil chemical composition would potentially affect E. edulis (Arecaceae) palm heart and fruit exploitation considering current standards of management. We studied natural populations found in Restinga Forest and Atlantic Rainforest remnants established within Natural Reserves of Sao Paulo State, SE Brazil, where 10.24 ha permanent plots, composed of a grid of 256 subplots (20 m x 20 m), were located. In each of these subplots, we evaluated soil chemical composition and diameter at breast height of E. edulis individuals. Additionally, we evaluated fruit yield in 2008 and 2009 in 20 individuals per year. The Atlantic Rainforest population had a much higher proportion of larger diameter individuals than the population from the Restinga Forest, as a result of habitat-mediated effects, especially those related to soil. Sodium and potassium concentration in Restinga Forest soils, which have strong negative and positive effect on palm growth, respectively, played a key role in determining those differences. Overall, the number of fruits that could be exploited in the Atlantic Rainforest was four times higher than in Restinga Forest. If current rules for palm heart and fruit harvesting were followed without any restriction to different habitats, Restinga Forest populations are under severe threat, as this study shows that they are not suitable for sustainable management of both fruits and palm heart. Hence, a habitat-specific approach of sustainable management is needed for this species in order to respect the demographic and ecological dynamics of each population to be managed. These findings suggest that any effort to create general management standards of low impacting harvesting may be unsuccessful if the species of interest occur over a wide range of ecosystems. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Linking livelihood strategies with a regional level landscape mosaic to explore trade-offs between forest conservation and human wellbeing in a Madagascar biodiversity hotspot

The north-eastern escarpment of Madagascar contains the island’s last remaining large-scale humid forest massifs surrounded by diverse small-scale agricultural mosaics. There is high deforestation mainly caused by shifting cultivation practiced by local land users to produce upland rice for subsistence. Today, large protected areas restrict land users’ access to forests to collect wood and other forest products. Moreover, they are no more able to expand their cultivated land, which leads to shorter shifting cultivation cycles and decreasing plot sizes for irrigated rice and cash crop cultivation. Cash crop production of clove and vanilla is exposed to risks such as extreme inter-annual price fluctuations, pests and cyclones. In the absence of work opportunities, agricultural extension services and micro-finance schemes people are stuck in a poverty trap. New development strategies are needed to mitigate the trade-offs between forest conservation and human well-being. As landscape composition and livelihood strategies vary across the region, these strategies need to be spatially differentiated to avoid implementing generic solutions, which do not fit the local context. However, up to date, little is known about the spatial patterns of shifting cultivation and other land use systems at the regional level. This is mainly due to the high spatial and temporal dynamics inherent to shifting cultivation, which makes it difficult to monitor the dynamics of this land use system with remote sensing methods. Furthermore, knowledge about land users’ livelihood strategies and the risks and opportunities they face stems from very few local case studies. To overcome this challenge, firstly, we used remote sensing data and a landscape mosaic approach to delineate the main landscape types at the regional level. Secondly, we developed a land user typology based on socio-ecological data from household surveys in 45 villages spread throughout the region. Combining the land user typology with the landscape mosaic map allowed us to reveal spatial patterns of the interaction between landscapes and people and to better understand the trade-offs between forest conservation and local wellbeing. While shifting cultivation systems are being transformed into more intensive permanent agricultural systems in many countries around the globe, Madagascar seems to be an exception to this trend. Linking land cover information to human-environmental interactions over large areas is crucial to designing policies and to inform decision making for a more sustainable development of this resource-rich but poverty-prone context.

Agricultural, pastoral, and forest industries in Brazil.

"One of a series of reports on agricultural, pastoral, and forest industries in the American Republics."

U.S. Forest Service resource bulletin CS.

Mode of access: Internet.

The Japanese solid wood products market : profile and outlook /

"April 1989."

A Competitive assessment of the U.S. solid wood products industry /

Item 231-B-1

Pamphlets on products.

Title page and Table of contents type-written.

Pamphlets on forest utilization.

Binder's title: Forestry pamphlets. Utilization.

Georgia forest resources and industries /

Mode of access: Internet.

Northern Idaho forest resources and industries /

Mode of access: Internet.

North Carolina forest resources and industries /

Contribution from Forest Service.

South Carolina forest resources and industries /

"November 1944."

Products of American forests /

Cover title.

Products of American forests /

Mode of access: Internet.