Balancing Act: Environmental Issues in Forestry - Softcover

Kimmins, Hamish

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0774804262 ISBN 13: 9780774804264

Publisher: University of British Columbia Press, 1992

Synopsis

In the past decade, there has been much debate over the environmental impact of forestry. People are justifiably concerned about what is happening to the local and global forest environments. But they are also confused by the polarized rhetoric that has characterized both sides of the debate. In "Balancing Act", Hamish Kimmins calls for a balanced, more objective approach to forestry issues in order to bridge the gap between the most extreme opponents in the debate. He suggests that we need to begin with a common understanding of what forestry is about and how forest ecosystems work. He outlines the scientific and ecological aspects of the major environmental issues facing British Columbia and the world today, arguing that we need to disentangle the scientific from the value-based social aspects of these questions. He also contends that much of the current debate about forests and their management ignores the time dimension of ecosystems and he calls for a more dynamic view of current environmental issues in forestry -- one that accounts for change. "Balancing Act" is for those who are searching for an objective, accurate and readable evaluation of the issues at the heart of the forestry/environment debate. By emphasizing that forests are not static but change over time, Kimmins adds an important, often ignored, dimension to the discussion. Only by understanding all of the intricacies of the ecosystems can we learn to manage our forests in a sustainable fashion. Hamish Kimmins is a Professor of Forest Ecology in the Department of Forest Sciences at the University of British Columbia. He has spent thirty years visiting and studying forests both in British Columbia and around the world. He is past chairman of the BC Ecological Reserves Committee, current moderator of the National Forest Round Table, and a frequent consultant to governments and environmental groups on proposals for wilderness areas, parks and ecological reserves, and on a variety of environmental issues.

About this title

Review

Kimmins presents the scientific principles related to forest ecosystems in a well-written and easy-to-understand style and format. He also identifies the importance of the social factors contributing to the forestry debate. Balancing Act provides an excellent foundation and up-to-date resource for both the novice and those more directly involved in the forestry/environmental debate. - Environmental Review I know of no other book that addresses the array of issues discussed in Balancing Act ... The careful, comprehensive, cohesive, and authoritative arguments presented by the author on the environmental issues facing forestry at the present time represent an outstanding contribution to the debate. - Roy E. Sutton, Senior Scientist, Forestry Canada Kimmins has presented a clear and easily understood description of the challenges, complexities, and problems facing forestry in today's climate of environmental awareness and concern ... Balancing Act should be closely read by foresters, environmentalists, and anyone who is interested in the forestry/environment debate. - C.A. Lee, Global Biodiversity

From the Back Cover

In Balancing Act Hamish Kimmins calls for a balanced, more objective approach to forestry issues. He argues that these issues are too often debated without any common understanding of what forestry is really all about or about how forest ecosystems work. This new edition of the bestselling book has been revised to reflect new thinking about sustainable forestry and includes three completely new chapters. The new chapters look at the on-going debate over the meaning of 'sustainable forestry, ' 'respect for nature, ' 'ecosystem management, ' and ecosystem 'health and integrity.'. This new edition of Balancing Act goes further in clarifying the issues at the heart of the forestry/environment debate. Readers will gain a new understanding of how our forest ecosystems work and how they can be managed sustainably.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of British Columbia Press
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0774804262
• ISBN 13: 9780774804264
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 488