About Ecoforestry

The primary goal of ecoforestry is to protect, maintain and, where necessary, restore a fully functioning forest ecosystem while harvesting timber and non-timber forest goods on a sustainable basis.

To achieve this goal, we need a view throughout space and time that focuses firstly on what to leave and, only then, on what we can take. An ecosystem-based management plan considers forest cycles far beyond our own lifetimes and accepts nature’s design of healthy systems. The following practices are a step toward needed change:

• Acknowledge older traditions and aboriginal knowledge as sources of wisdom.
• Forest materials dependably available to local businesses to promote local value-added processing, local employment and economic benefit.
• Thorough plans that avoid cutting in ecologically sensitive or unique areas, wildlife corridors, riparian zones and unstable slopes.
• Reduction of cut, removing less than the forest's growth rate.
• Full cycle trees (mature trees never to be removed from the forest) to provide forest structures such as standing and downed dead trees.
• Variation in forest canopy, age distribution and species to represent as closely as possible, the natural biodiversity and complexity as is found in healthy forests.
• Low impact removal methods with minimal roads.
• In-forest milling and slash left to decay and restore topsoil fertility
• Maintaining the sense of the sacred and the mysterious that feeds the human spirit.

Learn More...

For further in-depth reading, the Silva Forest Foundation has developed 7 interdependent principles in their eco-system based planning, which we have found to summarize both wisdom and science clearly. Please visit: http://www.silvafor.org/ebp/principles.htm
A limited number of copies of Ecoforestry: The Art and Science of Sustainable Use by Drengson and Taylor, eds. are still available at CES’ office or at our table at the Farmer’s Market. Contact us to place your order.

• Silva Forest Foundation
  Works with communities to develop ecosystem-based plans that maintain the forest, the community, and the economy. Provides education and training in ecosystem-based planning and ecologically responsible forestry. Works as an accredited certifier under the Forest Stewardship Council. CES greatly appreciates Silva Forest Foundation's work, which was instrumental in creating our vision.
• Forest Stewardship Council
  An international non-profit organization supporting environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.
• Ecoforestry Institute Society
  The Ecoforestry Institute Society is dedicated to promoting ecologically, socially and economically responsible forest use that maintains and restores the complexity and diversity of our forests.