The South's forestland - on the hot seat to provide more

Abstract

Forests of the Southern United States range from tropical/subtropical forests on the southern extremities of the region, oak savanna forests on the western fringe, to central hardwood forests, and high elevation boreal forests in the north. Upland and bottomland hardwood, southern pine, and mixed pine-hardwood forests are found on the more moderate sites between these extremes. The South’s forests have been and continue to be molded by a myriad of natural agents and human activities that affect forest values and functions, as well as the relative mix of forest benefits. The pressure on the region’s forests to provide more of everything is strong and escalating each year. Major contributors to this pressure include a growing and increasingly non-rural population and increased demand on the region’s forests to supply more of the wood products consumed by this Nation. Conflict over what southern forests should be and how they are managed highlight the need for a sound understanding of the current status of these forests. The authors provide an overview of the current status of southern forests, document changes that have taken place during the latter half of the 20th century, and offer some assessment of effects on forest wildlife communities.

Citation

Sheffield, Raymond M.; Dickson, James G. 1998. The South''s forestland - on the hot seat to provide more. Transactions of the 63rd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources conference; 1998 March 20-25; Orlando, FL. Washington, DC: Wildlife Management Institute: 316-331.