ERS234 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Phloem, Sustainable Forest Management, Erosion Control

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Environment and Resource Studies
• Course: ERS234
• Professor: Maren Oelbermann

Document Summary

Course goals: evaluate the importance of forest & their resources on human livelihoods, outline flows of energy & nutrients, introduce the major biophysical factors affecting forest ecosystem integrity & productivity, to outline conventional & sustainable forest management practices. In the past: forest play an important role for humans: shelter, protection, products (food, medicine, fuel, construction materials). Not long ago wood was a primary source of fuel. Today over 10,000 different products are made from wood. Other benefits of the forest: erosion control, c sequestration, control of hydrology/flood prevention, aesthetic values, recreational activities, conservation. Forest managers must understand all views on forest management and develop plans: incorporate views from stakeholders. Management of forests (fire protection, disease outbreak protection/management, overall protection of forest environment). About 30% of the global surface is covered by forests. The forest is composed of many different tree species: dominated by two major groups: Gymnosperms arose 365 million years ago.