Von der Waldverwüstung zum naturnahen Wirtschaftswald - ein Gebot rationeller, ökonomisch sinnvoler Forstwirtschaft

The Transition from Forest Devastation to Near-natural Commercial Forests - The Principle of Rational, Economical Forestry

2000

12 Lit. Ang.

Unselbständiges Werk

4354

200069332

For generations, forest owners and foresters have reclaimed heaths, waste lands, defoliated and exploited forest remnants, transforming them into productive forests and new forest landscapes. We can gratefully build up and manage their past achievements. The demands made on forestry have evolved from the past priority of wood production to ensuring the sustainability of all forest functions. The economic environment is no longer based on agriculture, but on highly developed industries and service enterprises. Biotope and species erosion in to counteract. Social awareness is subject to rapid change and distance itself from natural processes - the farther daily life is removed from nature, together with increased spare time, the greater is the conscience of the importance of forests as near-natural recreation areas. In this economic and social environment, and in a densely populated country such as Germany, forestry's answer cannot be intensive production sites on the one hand and nature reserves on the other. The former would no longer be accepted, and the latter would not provide the raw material "timber", which is also indispensable for environmental reasons. The answer is much more to be found in multifunctional forestry, which combines all benefits on the same area. Thus, forestry self-confidently positions itself within the process of "Sustainable Development and Use", as defined in the '92 Rio conventions. The practice of near-natural forestry ensures a cost-effective and balanced use of all forest functions, which is in accordance with economic principles. Therefore, near-natural forestry in Central Europe is a reasonable principle.