FOREST PRODUCTION: CHARACTERISTICS, TYPES AND EXAMPLES - ENVIRONMENT - 2025

The forestry production is the scientific management of forests for the production of goods and services. From this practice, benefits related to tangible goods are obtained, such as wood, charcoal, food, among others; as well as the benefits for man and the environment derived from trees and forests.

Among these benefits are the production of oxygen, soil conservation, clean water, among others. The practice derived from this activity is commonly known as reforestation. However, reforestation refers to the action of repopulating areas with trees where, in a historical past, there were trees.

Therefore, it is necessary to point out that within forest production not only actions aimed at reforestation are included, but also afforestation, understood as the action of populating areas with trees that have never had a forest area.

characteristics

Some of the characteristics that must be taken into consideration when carrying out forestry production tasks are the following:

Weather

The climate is a fundamental element when it comes to establishing what type of trees can be planted in a certain region or area.

The choice of a species that is not able to withstand high temperatures to populate very hot regions may imply a failure in the intervention.

Precipitation index

The rains and humidity derived from these are another elementary factor. While there are trees that are capable of surviving in very humid environments, each species has its own needs in this regard.

Ground

The terrain is another aspect to consider when choosing the ideal tree species. Some trees are very versatile and have great adaptability to the terrain, while others only manage to adapt to areas with specific terrain.

Height

The height above sea level in which the region on which the intervention is to be carried out is located is also decisive when selecting one species or another. Each species has its own limit regarding the maximum height from which its survival is put at risk.

Solar exposition

Another important factor to consider, especially if there are already other specimens inhabiting the area, is light.

Trees compete with each other for sunlight; This competition results in some of the species that live in an area not being able to develop. On the other hand, excessive sun exposure can be fatal to some types of trees.

Population density

Related to the above, the population density and the distance that is established between one tree and another when they are introduced into an area is fundamental.

Excessive population density results in increased competition for sunlight and soil nutrients; therefore, it implies a greater risk of project failure.

Soil depth

Not all trees have the same roots, some develop very much on the surface and others need depth for their proper development.

That is why considering the root system of each type of tree is essential for the project to be carried out successfully.

Types

Depending on the purpose for which forest production is carried out, and according to the forest classification established by the National Commission of Agriculture in 1976, the following types of intervention can be established:

Protection and conservation purposes

This type refers to tree plantations that, due to erosion or special situations, are deforested or require some type of intervention to guarantee their survival over time.

If it is a reforestation - that is, there is already an arboreal species living in the place -, the intervention is carried out as a priority with native species.

If this is not possible, either due to the extinction of native species or because it is afforestation, it is necessary to consider the introduction of new species taking into account the characteristics of the environment and the requirements of the species in question.

On many occasions, to carry out a successful afforestation or reforestation project, it is necessary to accompany the planting of trees with soil conservation techniques.

When it responds to purely environmental and conservation purposes, this type of intervention is called forest protection.

Commercial or industrial purposes

Forestry production for commercial purposes aims to obtain the maximum production of wood, firewood and other commercial products in order to commercialize them.

Its objective is the production of raw material necessary for use in industry. Special attention is paid to production and costs, and there is less concern about the collateral effects of the intervention.

Social purposes

This type of practice aims to meet the basic needs of the population, in order to improve living conditions. Some of the needs that need to be covered from this type of forestry intervention are:

- Need for firewood, forage and small wood.

- Protection of agricultural fields against the wind.

- Create recreational areas.

- Maximize production and increase agricultural yield.

Examples

Some of the large afforestation or reforestation projects that have been developed in the world are:

The green wall

In 1978 and in view of the advance of the Gobi desert - located in northern China - the country's authorities decided to undertake one of the most impressive afforestation projects in history.

To stop the advance of the Gobi desert, which was gaining some 3,000 kilometers in area every year, it was decided to create a gigantic wall of trees that surrounded and limited the desert. This constitutes one of the most impressive afforestation programs in the world.

Philippines

During the first decade of the 21st century, the Philippine archipelago was losing forest mass at a rate of 47,000 hectares per year.

In 2011, the Philippine government decided to implement a reforestation program that aimed to plant 1.5 billion trees on 1.5 million hectares. This is considered one of the most extensive and remarkable afforestation programs on the planet.

References

1. The 7 most spectacular reforestation projects in history. Consulted from imagnet.xataka.com
2. Five NFF reforestation projects of 2015. Consulted from nationalforests.org.
3. Afforestation. (nd). On Wikipedia. Consulted on June 6,2018, from en.wikipedia.org.
4. Reforestation. (nd). On Wikipedia. Consulted on June 6,2018, from en.wikipedia.org.