MICHIGAN FORESTS FOREVER TEACHERS GUIDE
| FOREST MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
FOR MICHIGAN By the Michigan Society of American Foresters |
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FOREST HEALTH
A healthy tree is vigorous and disease free. Does this mean that a healthy forest includes only healthy trees? The answer is, "probably not". A healthy forest supports many different life forms, some of which require components of dead, dying and decaying trees.
How one defines forest health closely reflects the values and beliefs of the observer. To one person, a vigorously growing forest producing a renewable timber resource is ideal. To another, the presence of specific habitats for wildlife species is paramount. Yet another person would say that "letting nature take its course" is the ultimate in forest health. Which perspective is most valid? The answer is, "all in their place and time".
A forest resource manager, especially on public lands, must balance resource demands based on a wide array of perceived forest resource values. This requires an understanding and appreciation of all values, an ability to compromise, a comprehensive inventory of the forest resource, and a knowledge of limiting factors. Limiting factors being those forces such as age, fire, insects, and disease which change the forest over time. The goal of forest resource management is a resource which continues to meet the demands and expectations of the landowner and society.
One goal of a forest health program is to keep forest ecosystems functioning well over long periods of time to provide resilience to short-term stress and adaptation to long-term change. Forest health practices are conducted under two time frames. Under a long-term time frame, forest conditions and management activities are sought out and selected which discourage insect, disease, and other problems.
Under a short-term time frame,
current pest activity and forest conditions are closely monitored. The risk of potential
forest resource value loss is estimated. If this risk interferes with planned use(s) for
the forest resource, the benefits and costs of available alternatives are compared. Based
on this analysis, ecologically, socially, and economically sound alternatives are
recommended to minimize losses.
Forest health information is available from forest resource managers and forest health specialists with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University Extension.
SOME RULES OF
THUMB TO REMEMBER WHEN PLANTING TREES OR SELECTING TREES TO LEAVE ON YOUR PROPERTY:
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This website was developed and created by Michigan State University Extension for the teachers of the State of Michigan. The website is maintained by the Delta-Schoolcraft Independent School District in support of the Michigan Forests Forever CD-ROM from the Michigan Forest Resource Alliance. |
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