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The Possibility of Plantations: Integrating Ecological Forestry into Plantation Systems
As you know, plantations systems increasingly make up a larger share of the world's wood fiber supply. This trend shows no sign of diminishing in the years ahead. Consequently, wood fiber plantations have, and will continue to have, a significant influence on the biodiversity of our landscapes and the quality of habitat for many wildlife species.
Our report looks closely at various plantation systems; in particular innovations in the U.S. and worldwide that demonstrate how such systems can be more than just "fiber farms". We hope to promote a more vigorous conversation about what is possible in plantation forestry, in terms of better integration of wildlife and biodiversity values.
In helping foster such a conversation, our report should not be construed however as either a broad endorsement of all plantation systems, nor suggest that the impacts of intensive plantation forestry can be adequately mitigated in each instance. We also acknowledge that plantation systems raise many social issues in different parts of the world over land claims, access rights, and community benefits. These are important issues, but they are beyond the scope of this report and our expertise.
The link address is:
http://www.nwf.org/wildlife/pdfs/plantations.pdf
The University of Georgia