Soil Values
Soils are the biophysical foundation upon which forests thrive and grow. They contain and provide the nutrients, water, root-associated microbes (e.g. mycorrhizae and N-fixing symbionts), and support for tree growth. The productivity of forests is dependent upon the quality and health of the soils blanketing the landscape. Soils play a critical role in regulating water supplies which we depend on for recreation and drinking and irrigation water. The health and diversity of wildlife are affected indirectly by soil quality because of its relationship with plant-related habitat diversity, structure, and productivity and nutrition. Forest managers have direct control over silvicultural systems and harvesting operations which have the potential to directly affect soil quality in their forests. Conservation and improvement of soil resources are essential to sustainable forest management, and can only be done practically by landowners and foresters who have a working knowledge of the composition and functions of soils and how they are affected by forest management operations.
The objective of this section is to provide a basic understanding of soils and soil management which is essential to sustainably manage forests and harvesting operations.
Specific forest soils topics covered here include:
Encyclopedia ID: p1271
