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Abstract
Prior to the 1990s, a primary focus of vegetation management on National Forest System (NFS) lands was commodity production. While the production of goods is still important, the last 20 years has seen an emphasis in the restoration of ecosystem function and resiliency. This is illustrated by a decline of more than 80% in NFS timber production since the late 1980s. The current Forest Service focus on ecological restoration reflects both changing public values, and the current ecological conditions on NFS lands. Ecological restoration is not restoring land to some predetermined point in time, but to create conditions within the ecosystem that restores its health and resiliency to natural forces and disturbances that affect it while meeting societal needs.
Parent Publication
Keywords
forest management,
forest planning,
growth and yield,
vegetation dynamics,
habitat modeling,
carbon inventory,
prognosis model,
landscape dynamics,
fire,
fuels,
climate change,
economics,
forest health
Citation
Newman, Corbin. 2008. Vegetation simulation and our changing world: Keynote address. In: Havis, Robert N.; Crookston, Nicholas L., comps. 2008. Third Forest Vegetation Simulator Conference; 2007 February 13–15; Fort Collins, CO. Proceedings RMRS-P-54. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 1
