SUMMARY

~Presented by Whatcom County Farm Forestry Association

Have you learned something new about forest today? We hope you have learned that forests are dependant upon good soils, water, air, and a balanced living community of many plants, animals, and nutrient recyclers. We hope you know how important it is to protect and use forest lands wisely, so that healthy forests will be here forever.

Forest Protection:

Insects, animals, disease, and fire are all part of the natural forest ecosystem and can be both beneficial and harmful to trees and the forest. By understanding their role in the ecosystem, land managers can help maintain their balance to protect forest values. Wildfires have the greatest potential for widespread forest destruction and are often caused by our carelessness with fire.

Forest Life:

Forest life is dependant upon minerals, water, sunlight, and a balanced system of producers, consumers, and recyclers. Each has a role to play. Example: trees depend on fungi to transport nutrients to their roots and fungi gain sugars from the tree roots to survive. Competition and predation are very important in keeping life systems in balance.

Water:

Pure water is absolutely essential for all living things. Water is recycled through evaporation and precipitation. Water is stored in glaciers, snow packs, lakes, and soils. Rotting logs and humus on forest floors act as sponges, releasing water slowly during dry periods.

Soils:

Soils are the base of our food supply and forest growth. There are many types of soils. Some are better for farming, some for building homes, and a variety of soil types allow for a rich diversity of forest life. Soils are formed very slowly, but can be quickly eroded if we misuse the land.

Forest Recreation:

People enjoy forest in many ways - for scenery, studying wild plants and animals, hunting, fishing, hiking, and solitude. In using the forest for recreation we must respect the rights of other people and land owners. Some forest areas are in the Wilderness status, where there is no human development and natural systems come first.

Forest Regeneration:

Foresters seek ways to make harvestable trees grow better. Seeds selected from fast growing trees are spread on logged off areas or are raised in nurseries for two to five years and then planted by hand. Timber managers are now leaving selected seed trees on logged sites so natural seeding can take place.

Forest Stand Improvement:

Thinning and limbing is often done in crowded new plantations so trees can grow faster with fewer knots. Fertilizers are sometimes used to help trees get a better start.

Summary:

Forest lands and the watersheds they support have been a main source of human livelihood in the northwest throughout the ages. As forest land shrinks, it becomes all the more precious to us and the many wild forms which make a forest. We must understand what keeps a forest healthy and balanced so that we may harvest from it and enjoy it without destroying it. You are the future. Please do a good job!