Off-site benefits influence prescriptions

This paper discusses the past thirty years of forestry practices and predicts trend for the next thirty years. According to the author, seven million acres of commercial forest land has been converted to other uses. However, much of the selective cutting in hardwood stands constituted high grade wood, and the volume of growing stock increased 76 percent. Forestry practices were intensified on industrial and public lands, but changed very little on private lands. The author predicts that in the future, computer software programs will assist foresters with multiple use prescriptions. In addition, forest owners will be more affluent, forest lands will be more fragmented, and wood production will be secondary to esthetics. In spite of this, agroforestry will improve forest production and increase biomass for energy.