Nearing the end of a lifetime in the boreal forest, a retired forester writes a passionate plea for rational, science-based forest management. The boreal forest is constantly changing, often dramatically. We like to picture it as a stable, balanced system. Really, it is anything but stable. The boreal forest is dynamic. For over sixty years, forester Malcolm F. Squires has seen mature forests within protected areas devastated by insects, moose, wind, and wildfire. While the forests often return from this destruction, they are never quite the same. A naturally balanced boreal forest is a human notion that does not match the reality of nature. If we don't soon recognize and accept that reality and stop making irrational demands that a forest be 'protected' from change or human management, we may be dooming them to disaster.
"This is solid stuff - a comprehensive, factual review of why the boreal forest, which covers much of Canada, northern Europe, and Russia, benefits more from clear cutting than from selection harvesting, a program favored by some. ... For anyone interested in the health of the forest, I urge you to read this book."
Michael R. Innes, former Vice-President Environment, Abitibi-Price
"Never been in the boreal forest, or even if you have, take this instructive tour through the eyes and mind of one of Canada's most perceptive and knowledgeable professional foresters."
