Assess, protect, restore: better public policy is needed for our rural and urban trees.Trees and forests can provide social, economic, and ecological benefits if they are healthy and maintained. To ensure healthy forests, it is essential to first assess the extent and condition of the forests, then design policy goals and objectives to protect the forest values, and finally, develop and implement projects that take action to improve the health of those forests. At AMERICAN FORESTS American Forests is a nonprofit conservation organization that promotes healthy forests and urban tree planting. The organization was established in 1875 as the American Forestry Association, by physician/horticulturist John Aston Warder and a group of like-minded citizens we have gauged the health of our nation's federal public forests since the first forest reserves were set aside. The major issues have been insect infestations and disease outbreaks, catastrophic wildfires, and overuse overuse Health care The common use of a particular intervention even when the benefits of the intervention don't justify the potential harm or cost–eg, prescribing antibiotics for a probable viral URI. Cf Misuse, Underuse. or abuse. In our cities, urban forests are not appreciated for the tremendous value they provide to the quality of the environment and our quality of life. While these forests also suffer from insect and disease problems, the dramatic trend of less and less tree canopy is due mostly to tree loss from old age and development. The stresses of urban life also make life difficult for city trees. Fortunately, we have a unique agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture that can spot these ugly trends and do the necessary research to nip them in the bud. The U.S. National Arboretum arboretum: see botanical garden. arboretum Place where trees, shrubs, and sometimes herbaceous plants are cultivated for scientific and educational purposes. An arboretum may be a collection in its own right or a part of a botanical garden. , a great place to visit on your trip to the nation's capital, contains not only a fabulous collection of trees, but also a group of scientists and researchers seeking answers to forest health problems and breeding a new generation of cultivars, like a new American elm that can withstand Dutch elm disease Dutch elm disease: see diseases of plants; elm. Dutch elm disease Widespread disease that kills elms, caused by the fungus Ceratocystis ulmi. It was first identified in the U.S. . Both our urban and rural forests need better public policies to protect their ecosystem values for people. In our public forests, that means better management, sustainable practices, and less impact on the health of the forest ecosystem Forest ecosystem The entire assemblage of organisms (trees, shrubs, herbs, bacteria, fungi, and animals, including people) together with their environmental substrate (the surrounding air, soil, water, organic debris, and rocks), interacting inside a defined . Healthy forests can help people counteract the effects of pollution, but we must learn how forests are being affected by those same environmental challenges. Sugar maples in Virginia are a case in point (see Syrup Skips a Beat, page 33). In Highland County Highland County is the name of several counties in the United States:
In our cities, improving forest health means setting goals to protect and replace tree canopy. The second article in our look at the new environmentalism environmentalism, movement to protect the quality and continuity of life through conservation of natural resources, prevention of pollution, and control of land use. focuses on Central Florida, where people and groups concerned about the future participate in myregion.com. myregion.com is attempting to holistically integrate the social, economic, and ecological systems of an area to develop the most comprehensive plans for the region's healthy future (see In Central Florida, Committed to Consensus, page 26). Once we've decided what the problem is and set a goal, we have to take action to restore damaged forest ecosystems. Two great examples of citizen action are evident in these pages. Armed with AMERICAN FORESTS' Global ReLeaf grants, two organizations are working to save the endangered orangutan orangutan (ōrăng`  tăn), an ape, Pongo pygmaeus, found in swampy coastal forests of Borneo and Sumatra. in Borneo and Sumatra by planting native trees to restore their fragile habitat. The populations of these two magnificent primates have been reduced to a mere fraction of their original numbers. Forest loss from illegal logging and poaching poaching: see cooking. has dwindled the forest resource they depend upon. By working with locals, our Global ReLeaf partners can make a difference in the future of this important species. Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan who started the Green Belt Movement The Green Belt Movement is a grassroots non-governmental organization based in Kenya that takes an holistic approach to development by focusing on environmental conservation, community development and capacity building. and won a Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish and Norwegian: Nobels fredspris) is the name of one of five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. in 2004 knows the power of locals to change their environment. In an interview with contributing editor Jane Braxton Little (Earthkeepers, page 47), Maathai said, "The message is this: If we want a peaceful world, we have to manage our environment responsibly and sustainably," She and other women in the community turned planting lessons to life lessons, learning they could make real choices about other aspects of their lives as well. AMERICAN FORESTS' efforts to assess, protect, and restore forest ecosystems is reflected in our 2005 Annual Report. From ecosystem assessments and making better public policy for trees and forests, to action projects for restoration, the members of AMERICAN FORESTS are helping to ensure that we have healthy forests for all their social, economic, and ecological values. DEBORAH GANGLOFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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