Defenders' Experts
Habitat and Forests: Introduction
"Forests support approximately 65 percent of the world's
terrestrial [life forms]. They are the most species-rich environments on the
planet, not only for vertebrates, such as birds, but also for invertebrates and
microbes."
- Conserving Forest Biodiversity (Lindenmayer and Franklin,
2002)
Bursting with all that life, forests present immensely complex
challenges for biodiversity conservation. Our purpose with this section of the
website is simply to offer the visitor some of the concepts scientists are now
using to frame how we think about conservation of forest biodiversity.
We start with a general discussion of forest biodiversity, the ecological
processes that shape it, and the very small pieces that are so critical to how
forests work. A second section explores some of the issues and challenges
affecting forest habitats in the United States. The third major section
introduces key concepts underlying some examples of biodiversity management
strategies that have begun to emerge in recent years.
More about Forest
Biodiversity >
Habitat Loss and Biodiversity
One of the most obvious and dramatic causes of loss of forest biodiversity is
the conversion of forest land to other uses such as development or agriculture.
More about Habitat Loss and Degradation >
Biodiversity Management Strategies
The traditional approach to conservation of forest habitats and species has
focused on establishment of reserves, where timber harvest, road-building and
other human activities are prohibited or severely restricted. Many conservation
biologists are increasingly looking to the broader landscape for options to help
conserve forest biodiversity.
Learn more >
Links, Resources and Publications
View other Defenders reports about habitat and forestry, links to other programs and sources of further information.
Go to Resources >
Download a copy of this web report
Print and read report offline. Download >
Highlights from the Global Markets Forum
In June 2005, A diverse group of forest stakeholders met to form a common
understanding of the challenge of forest biodiversity conservation in
the United
States in the face of globalizing timber markets.
Learn more >
