Deforestation rates are lowest in global regions with the highest rates of industrial wood harvest and forest products output, according to researchers at the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wis. The researchers also determined that forest carbon emissions, or changes in forest stock, are lowest in regions with high harvesting and product output.
"The historical data we examined in this study support the hypothesis that an economically vibrant industrial forest products sector has been key to forest policies and forestry practices that support sustainable timber supply and demand," said FPL Research Forester Peter Ince.
The latest findings are detailed in the recently released book, "Sustainable Development in the Forest Products Industry."
The FPL makes a distinction between deforestation and plantation harvesting, explaining that "deforestation" is the permanent removal of forests. FPL explained that true deforestation is often simply a matter of economics. If a forest is providing only low-value wood, such as fuel wood, there is less incentive for sustainable management, and those lands are often given to more profitable ventures, like agriculture, cattle grazing or development. These activities are closely tied to deforestation in South America, Africa and parts of Southeast Asia, the FPL said.
For more overview on the study, see the FPL's Summer newsletter.
