C HAPTER 13 FORESTS RETURNING TREES TO HAITI Repairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time

1. CHAPTER 13 FORESTSRETURNING TREES TO HAITIRepairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time

2. 13 RETURNING TREES TO HAITI Repairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time • At the end of this chapter you will know: • Characteristics of and structure for forest biomes. • How species are adapted to survival at each level. • Current state of and potential action to improve our forests. Learning Outcomes

3. 13 RETURNING TREES TO HAITI Repairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time The high economic value of forests must be balanced with management practices that allow us to harvest forest resources without destroying the ecosystem and its potential for sustainable resources. Main Concept

4. 13 RETURNING TREES TO HAITI Repairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time Case study: In less than a lifetime, parts of Haiti have gone from productive agriculture to barely subsistence farming. Without the protective qualities of forests, tropical storms hit harder and mudslides have become dangerously destructive. To counter the effects of lost forests, communities are coming together to plant trees, so ecosystem services can be restored. Efforts at solutions: With assistance from American ecologists, communities in Haiti are planting a mix of fruit and timber trees. Each member of the community has responsibility for their own saplings in anticipation of the day when sustainable forestry becomes the bridge between the needs of people and of nature.

5. 13 RETURNING TREES TO HAITI Repairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time Case study: In less than a lifetime, parts of Haiti have gone from productive agriculture to barely subsistence farming. Without the protective qualities of forests, tropical storms hit harder and mudslides have become dangerously destructive. To counter the effects of lost forests, communities are coming together to plant trees, so ecosystem services can be restored. Efforts at solutions: With assistance from American ecologists, communities in Haiti are planting a mix of fruit and timber trees. Each member of the community has responsibility for their own saplings in anticipation of the day when sustainable forestry becomes the bridge between the needs of people and of nature.

6. 11 RETURNING TREES TO HAITI Repairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time History: European settlers arrived 500 years ago. Each century, the formerly lush green forests were cleared for coffee and sugar plantations for sale to overseas markets, and to provide fuel for heating and cooking in Haiti. The impact over the years has been a 98% loss of original forests, loss of top soil, undrinkable water, and the creation through resource loss of one of the poorest countries in the world. Problems to be addressed: Forests provide so many services (food, energy, building materials, agricultural areas, etc.) that alternative sources for these materials and services must be found, so the forests have time to regenerate.

7. 13 RETURNING TREES TO HAITI Repairing a forest ecosystem one tree at a time History: European settlers arrived 500 years ago. Each century, the formerly lush green forests were cleared for coffee and sugar plantations for sale to overseas markets, and to provide fuel for heating and cooking in Haiti. The impact over the years has been a 98% loss of original forests, loss of top soil, undrinkable water, and the creation through resource loss of one of the poorest countries in the world. Problems to be addressed: Forests provide so many services (food, energy, building materials, agricultural areas, etc.) that alternative sources for these materials and services must be found, so the forests have time to regenerate.

8. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation TERMS TO KNOW: Deforestation Forests cover about 30% of Earth’s landmass and support more than 50% of the terrestrial life on the planet and more than 60% of our photosynthetic leaves.

9. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation Each type of forest biome has a slightly different range of temperature and precipitation. Boreal Forest (Taiga) Largest terrestrial biome, high elevations, low latitudes, short growing season, acidic soils, major trees are evergreens.

10. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation Each type of forest biome has a slightly different range of temperature and of precipitation. Temperate Forest Distinct seasons, fertile soil, rich and diverse plant life, trees are predominantly evergreens and deciduous.

11. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation Each type of forest biome has a slightly different range of temperature and of precipitation. Tropical Forest Distinct seasons, fertile soil, rich and diverse plant life, trees are predominantly evergreens and deciduous.

12. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation Volunteers planting 25,000 donated trees in Mahotiere, Haiti, to combat soil erosion. TERMS TO KNOW: Boreal forests Temperate forests Tropical forests Canopy Emergent Understory Forest floor Tropical Forest Distinct seasons, fertile soil, rich and diverse plant life, trees are predominantly evergreens and deciduous.

13. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation Forests have a distinctly layered structure: canopy—overlapping trees making up the ceiling of the forest; emergent—taller trees peeking out from the canopy; understory—shade-tolerant and possibly forming a second canopy; and floor—often nutrient-rich area of flowers and seedlings along with decomposing leaf litter.

14. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation Forests have a distinctly layered structure: canopy—overlapping trees making up the ceiling of the forest; emergent—taller trees peeking out from the canopy; understory—shade-tolerant and possibly forming a second canopy; and floor—often nutrient-rich area of flowers and seedlings along with decomposing leaf litter.

15. 13 Forest biomes are determined by temperature and precipitation Forests have a distinctly layered structure: canopy—overlapping trees making up the ceiling of the forest; emergent—taller trees peeking out from the canopy; understory—shade-tolerant and possibly forming a second canopy; and floor—often nutrient-rich area of flowers and seedlings along with decomposing leaf litter. .

16. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats One of the commercial uses of forestry in Haiti is production of charcoal that is used by villagers and also sent to the city as a major fuel source. Charcoal ignites more easily than wood and is used extensively. The Haitians themselves were destroying their habitat by slow cooking wood to make charcoal. They were also increasing their incidence of respiratory disease and contributing greenhouse gases through the processing and use of wood for charcoal. Charcoal sellers in the Carrefour Feuilles district of Port-au-Prince

17. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats Along with the economic potential of the trees themselves, other organisms at each level of the forest also provide critical services through chemical cycling. Barahona Coast, Dominican Republic Soil is formed by the forest as leaves and branches decay. The product of decomposition is a nutrient-rich forest floor that can support a wide variety of other plants that, in turn, support consumer diversity.

18. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats The soil created by the forest processes anchors plants to the ground. Plants held in place pick up, process, and store both nutrients and toxins. Rich plant life also pulls a large amount of CO2 from the atmosphere, using it for photosynthesis and storing it as potential energy. This is the energy we release when we burn wood.

19. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats TERMS TO KNOW: Runoff Carbon sinks Ecosystem services Economic value Sociocultural benefits Ecosystems contribute to the daily functioning of Earth’s natural services and to the well-being of humans and other animals. Calculations of ecosystem worth place it higher than the entire global economy.

20. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats TERMS TO KNOW: Runoff Carbon sinks Ecosystem services Economic value Sociocultural benefits Ecosystems contribute to the daily functioning of Earth’s natural services and to the well-being of humans and other animals. Calculations of ecosystem worth place it higher than the entire global economy.

21. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats TERMS TO KNOW: Runoff Carbon sinks Ecosystem services Economic value Sociocultural benefits Ecosystems contribute to the daily functioning of Earth’s natural services and to the well-being of humans and other animals. Calculations of ecosystem worth place it higher than the entire global economy.

22. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats TERMS TO KNOW: Runoff Carbon sinks Ecosystem services Economic value Sociocultural benefits Ecosystems contribute to the daily functioning of Earth’s natural services and to the well-being of humans and other animals. Calculations of ecosystem worth place it higher than the entire global economy.

23. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats TERMS TO KNOW: Runoff Carbon sinks Reasons for deforestation: Harvesting forests for wood and wood products Conversion of forests for agriculture Urbanization and energy needs in the city

24. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats Reasons for deforestation: Harvesting Conversion Urbanization

25. 13 Forests provide a range of goods and services and face a number of threats Reasons for deforestation: Harvesting Conversion Urbanization

26. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity History of forest management: Gilford Pinchot – Introduced the idea of sustainable forestry (1905). Maximum Sustainable Yield – Harvest only as much as can be sustainably produced or replaced. Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act – Mandates that national forests be managed to balance multiple (sometime conflicting) uses (1960). Forest Ecosystem Management (FEM) – Manage the ecosystem as a whole rather than focusing on timber yields (present). TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM)

27. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact.

28. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Technique – Clear-cutting

29. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Technique – Clear-cutting

30. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Strip harvesting

31. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Strip harvesting

32. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact.

33. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Select harvesting

34. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Select harvesting

35. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem Management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Shelterwood harvesting

36. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem Management (FEM) Ways to harvest trees from a forest – Each has trade-offs between economic realization and environmental impact. Shelterwood harvesting

37. 13 Forests can be managed to protect or enhance their ecological and economic productivity Trees planted during restoration included moringa (a fast-growing nitrogen fixer), mango, avocado, and citrus trees, followed last by plantings of slow-growing timber trees. TERMS TO KNOW: Hectares (ha) Maximum sustainable yield Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act Forest ecosystem management (FEM)

38. 13 There are several ways to protect forests, but each comes with trade-offs With reforestation under way, only part of the problem is addressed; people also still need a source of energy. One approach is to price the ecosystem service being lost as a component of the wood being harvested. Money from higher costs is returned to the landowners. Higher utility bills in the urban centers could generate funding that can be applied to maintaining the rainforest. For example, the rainforest purifies water. With each piece of the rainforest given over to agriculture, water purification is reduced. TERMS TO KNOW: Ecotourism

39. 13 There are several ways to protect forests, but each comes with trade-offs Applying the intrinsic value of nature, forests are being translated into income through tourism. TERMS TO KNOW: Ecotourism

40. PERSONAL CHOICES THAT HELP 13

41. UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE 13

42. UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE 13

43. ANALYZING THE SCIENCE 13

44. ANALYZING THE SCIENCE 13 Productive Functions of Forest Resources www.fao.org/dorep/013/757e/i1757e00.htm 299,378 . 7,000,000,000

45. EVALUATING NEW INFORMATION 13 Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) www.fsc.org

46. MAKING CONNECTIONS 13