Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forest

Gregory J. Ettl, Director Associate Professor

University of Washington

Eatonville Fire 1926

Reforestation

Working ForestWorking Forest

•4300 acres4300 acres

•38 acres/year harvested38 acres/year harvested

•Revenue supports Pack Revenue supports Pack ForestForest

Vision for the Center for Sustainable Forestry Vision for the Center for Sustainable Forestry at Pack Forestat Pack Forest

• DemonstrationDemonstration—Pacific Northwest leader in demonstrating forestry —Pacific Northwest leader in demonstrating forestry practices that provide profits and biodiversity (Approach should be practices that provide profits and biodiversity (Approach should be experimental, innovative, providing diverse structures and species)experimental, innovative, providing diverse structures and species)

• EducationEducation– Outreach to provide technology transfer, certification training, community Outreach to provide technology transfer, certification training, community

based forestry organization and mediationbased forestry organization and mediation– Undergraduate, graduate, teacher training, and K-12 experiential opportunities Undergraduate, graduate, teacher training, and K-12 experiential opportunities

• Research—Research—Provide opportunities through diverse stand structures, Provide opportunities through diverse stand structures, freedom for experimental prescriptions, funding to support faculty research freedom for experimental prescriptions, funding to support faculty research

• CollaborationCollaboration—Provide a focal point for collaborative research—Provide a focal point for collaborative research• Advocate for Sustainable ForestryAdvocate for Sustainable Forestry—Promote sustainability at all levels —Promote sustainability at all levels

What is sustainable What is sustainable forestry?forestry?

•Non-diminishing timber productionNon-diminishing timber production

•Ecological IntegrityEcological Integrity

•Socially and economically sustainableSocially and economically sustainable??

• Naturalistic—humans integrated in the systemNaturalistic—humans integrated in the system• Anthropocentric—humans in control and management’s Anthropocentric—humans in control and management’s

only obligation is to humanity [Stewardship vs. Exploitation]only obligation is to humanity [Stewardship vs. Exploitation]– Market based economicsMarket based economics

• Ecocentric—management activities focus on maintaining Ecocentric—management activities focus on maintaining ecosystem integrity [Aldo Leopold, land ethic]ecosystem integrity [Aldo Leopold, land ethic]

• Biocentric—Organisms have intrinsic rights and therefore Biocentric—Organisms have intrinsic rights and therefore management should not harm organismsmanagement should not harm organisms

• Conservation—pragmatic resource use-Gifford PinchotConservation—pragmatic resource use-Gifford Pinchot• Preservation—minimize use-John MuirPreservation—minimize use-John Muir

Environmental World ViewsEnvironmental World Views

Sustainable Forestry DefinitionsSustainable Forestry Definitions

• Even flow—renewable forest products and proper Even flow—renewable forest products and proper management leads to a consistent non-degrading management leads to a consistent non-degrading even flow of woodeven flow of wood

• Ecological-based—Ecosystem Management Ecological-based—Ecosystem Management (Loftus), New Forestry (Franklin), Biodiversity (Loftus), New Forestry (Franklin), Biodiversity Pathways (Carey and Curtis)—variety of names all Pathways (Carey and Curtis)—variety of names all representing approaches with a greater focus on representing approaches with a greater focus on ecologyecology

• Perpetual Forest—no net loss in forest cover, nor Perpetual Forest—no net loss in forest cover, nor diminishing quality of forests (age and structure)diminishing quality of forests (age and structure)– Could mean no net loss spatiallyCould mean no net loss spatially– Could mean no loss in age, species composition and Could mean no loss in age, species composition and

structure at the stand levelstructure at the stand level

Aldo LeopoldAldo Leopold

• Conservation with an axeConservation with an axe• ““We seem ultimately always thrown back on We seem ultimately always thrown back on

individual ethics as the basis of conservation individual ethics as the basis of conservation policy. It is hard to make a (person), by pressure of policy. It is hard to make a (person), by pressure of law or money, do a thing which does not spring law or money, do a thing which does not spring naturally from (their) own personal sense of right naturally from (their) own personal sense of right and wrong.”and wrong.”– Conservationist in Mexico, American Forests, March 1937. Conservationist in Mexico, American Forests, March 1937.

• ““We shall never achieve harmony with land, any We shall never achieve harmony with land, any more than we shall achieve absolute justice or more than we shall achieve absolute justice or liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the liberty for people. In these higher aspirations, the important thing is not to achieve but to strive.”important thing is not to achieve but to strive.”– Round River, 1953Round River, 1953

Big HuckleberryBig Huckleberry

• Sustainable human use?Sustainable human use?

• Even flow of huckleberries?Even flow of huckleberries?

• Habitat loss or degradation?Habitat loss or degradation?

• What is the ecosystems fair share?What is the ecosystems fair share?