The following outline is provided as an overview of and guide to forestry:
Below is a structured list of topics in forestry.
Focus of forestry Tree – organism, whose species, age, vitality, growth, health, and size, are considered individually or more often, as part of a whole; Forest – defined as either a geographic area or delineated by the general composition of individuals; Biome – ecologically defined by its forest structure, leaf types, tree spacing, and climate General Forested Biomes Boreal Taiga Temperate Coniferous Broadleaf and mixed MediterraneanTropical/Subtropical Coniferous Moist broadleaf Dry broadleafWetlands Mangroves Bogs SwampsOther Urban Riparian
Branches of forestry Agroforestry – integration of forests into agricultural systems in order to optimize the production and positive effects within the system and minimize negative side effects of farming Boreal forestry – analyzes the particular challenges of forestry in the world's boreal regions Close to nature forestry – theory and practice that takes the forest as an ecosystem and manages it as such. It is based on reduced human intervention, that should be directed to accelerate the processes that nature would do by itself more slowly. Dendrology – involves the study and identification of economically useful tree species Forest ecology – studies the patterns and processes of a forest ecosystem Forest hydrology – embodies the effects of changes in forest land use on the movement, distribution, and quality of water in the ecosystem Forest pathology – study of diseases of woody plants, and of the interactions between trees and pathogens, pests, and other stressors that affect their health and function. Silviculture – is the art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet specific objectives Social forestry – addresses human-forest interactions, and the importance of community-based natural resource management Sustainable forestry – providing for the needs of society in the form of forest products while maintaining the health of forests and their mitigation of climate change and biodiversity loss through forestry practices that mimic natural patterns of disturbance and regeneration, such as balancing the numbers of trees by age, to provide a layered canopy and sustainable yield as an alternative to clear cutting. Sustaining natural forest habitats also involves preserving their water quality, and protecting them from wildfire, pests, and diseases. Tropical forestry – is particularly concerned with management and conservation of forests in the tropics Urban forestry – entails the care and management of urban tree populations for the purpose of improving the urban environment
Forest management Forest management – comprises the overall administrative, economic, legal, and social aspects of forest regulation Analog forestry – a management focus that seeks to establish a tree-dominated ecosystem that is similar in architectural structure and ecological function to the naturally occurring climax and sub-climax vegetation community Bamboo forestry – farming and harvesting bamboo for commercial purposes such as construction. Community forestry – combination of forest conservation with rural development and poverty reduction objectives, accomplished through instating a legal framework that favors profitable and sustainable forest management Continuous cover forestry Ecoforestry – emphasizes practices which strive to protect and restore ecosystems Forest economics – studies the impact of economics on forest management decisions Energy forestry – includes specifically managing for the production of energy from biomass or biofuel derived from a fast-growing species of tree or woody shrub Short rotation forestry – managing a forest that utilizes fast-growing species as a bio-based energy crop for use in power stations, alone or in combination with other fuels such as coal Short rotation coppice (SRC) – focus on species that are able to naturally regenerate through stump sprouts to maximize economic productivity Hardwood timber production – process of managing stands of deciduous trees to maximize woody output Tree breeding – method of genetically modifying/selecting forest stock for improved growth or vigor characteristics Forest inventory – incorporates quantitative measurements of the forest stand to determine stand timber volume and productivity/health, and provides a basis off which management decisions can be made Mycoforestry – ecological forest management system implemented to enhance forest ecosystems and plant communities through the introduction of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi Permaforestry – approach to the wildcrafting and harvesting of the forest biomass that uses cultivation to improve the natural harmonious systems. It is a relationship of interdependence between humans and the natural systems in which the amount of biomass available from the forest increases with the health of its natural systems. Sustainable forest management – emphasizes practices that maintain forest biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, and vitality, while continuing to fulfill relevant ecological, economic and social functions Tree farming – timber crop production in a privately owned forest or woodland Plantation forestry – industrial plantations are established to produce a high volume of wood in a short period of time. Some plantations are managed by state forestry authorities (for example, the Forestry Commission in Britain) and others by paper and wood companies (such as Weyerhaeuser, Rayonier and Plum Creek Timber in the United States, Asia Pulp & Paper in Indonesia).
Types of trees and forests Types of trees List of trees and shrubs by taxonomic family List of tree species by shade tolerance – tree grouped by shade tolerance, a determinant in successional status List of woods – commonly used in the timber and lumber trade Types of forests By ecological factors (climate, composition, etc.) Boreal forests (taiga) – occupy the subarctic zone and are generally evergreen and coniferous Coniferous forests Temperate forests – forests in temperate zones Broadleaf forests, for example: Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Evergreen coniferous forests, for example: Temperate coniferous forests Temperate rainforests Broadleaf evergreen forests – supported in warm temperate zones. Examples include: Laurel forests Tropical and subtropical forests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests By physical structure or developmental stage Old growth forest Secondary forest By dominant tree species, for example Ponderosa pine forests Douglas-fir forests List of types of formally designated forests – various institutionally designated types of forest areas, generally classified by use or ownership
Geography of forests
List of countries by forest area – using data from the CIA's World Factbook, presents the total area in km2 and the percentage of land covered by forests Lists of forests List of old growth forests – by continent, country, province; with various descriptive information
Map of biomes
List of life zones by region
Occupations in forestry Arborist – professional responsible for the maintenance of individual trees in an urban forest also called a tree surgeon. Donkey puncher was the operator of a small steam donkey, a machine used in logging in the 19th and 20th centuries. Fire lookout – person assigned to spot for fires/smoke atop a fire lookout tower Forest ecologist – studies patterns, processes, flora and fauna in forest ecosystems Forest economist – model and analyze economic aspects of forest growth, utilization, and conservation Forest engineer – civil engineer specializing in all aspects of timber and forest operations, including road-building, railways, log transport, etc. Forest ranger – responsible for managing and policing human use of the forest; sometimes also acts as educator and interpreter Forest sociologist – applied social scientist working with a wide variety of stakeholders interested in forests Forest technician – individual primarily responsible for the marking of timber sales and on-ground land management, often requires a two-year Associate of Science degree Forester – professional chiefly responsible for the management of forests, requires a Bachelor of Science degree in most countries Master forester – forestry expert responsible for forest management and training Hotshot crew/Handcrew – a group of wildland firefighters specialized in fire suppression tactics Lumberjack – the typical feller of trees and harvester of the lumber, duties can also include: Log bucking – delimbing and partitioning of trees into logs Log driving – transportation of logs on a river or lake downstream to the mill Log scaling – measurement of felled trees to determine the volume of wood going to the manufacturer Resin extractor – laborer who extracts resin from pine trees Rubber tapper – laborer who extracts natural rubber from tropical rubber trees Smokejumper – firefighters who parachute into remote areas to fight wildland fires Timber cruiser – responsible for assessing forest growth, health, and valuation Tree planters – help reestablish forests after logging, fires, and other events and circumstances
Silvicultural methods
Silviculture – practice of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests to meet diverse needs and values. Silviculture also focuses on making sure that the treatment(s) of forest stands are used to preserve and to better their productivity.
Site preparation Controlled burn – use of fire in order to eliminate weeds, brush, or slash, or to release on-site seeds of fire-dependent species Stump harvesting – removal of tree stumps either for biomass or to free up space in the soil Drum chopping – knocking down small trees and brush to clear the ground for planting Planting Broadcast seeding – scattering of seed either by hand or mechanically over a relatively large area Aerial seeding – dispersing of seed from an aircraft, used especially in mountainous areas Treeplanting – transplanting of juvenile seedlings into the ground at a predetermined spacing Intermediate treatments Weeding – removal or reduction of herbaceous or woody species around seedlings Cleaning – removal of competing saplings of similar age in order to favor saplings of desirable growth characteristics Liberation cutting – removal of older and established overtopping trees from desirable saplings Thinning – removal of trees to favor the growth of select trees in order to maximize timber production Ecological thinning – removal of trees to favor the growth of select trees in order to favor the development of wildlife habitat Pruning – removal of the lateral branches on the trees in order to improve wood quality Pollarding – annual removal of lateral branches or main stem in order to encourage growth of branches to provide for firewood, or fruit production Harvest rotations Even-aged timber management Clearcutting – harvesting of all stems in a given area regardless of species and size Coppicing – cutting vigorous juvenile trees near the ground, regeneration comes from new shoots coming up from the stump Seed-tree – cutting of all trees save widely spaced residual trees, which will provide natural seedstock for the following generation and are later cut Uneven-aged timber management Selection – harvesting of selected trees in a stand, removing either merchantable timber or to favor the growth of desirable individuals (a thinning) Shelterwood – removal of merchantable trees in succession, establishing a multiaged stand