Forest Management: Importance & Objectives

Forest management is the branch of forestry whose function is the organization of forest property for management and maintenance by ordering in time and place.

It includes the various options necessary for the conservation, protection, and improvement of the forest on one hand and controlled harvesting of the forest on the other.

Management of forests broadly involves three main tasks:

• control of composition and structure of growing stock
• harvesting and marketing of forest produce
• administration of forest property and personnel

Scope of Forest Management

1. Control of composition and structure of growing stock

• Site adaptation
• Choice of species
• Harvesting the produce
• Regeneration
• Protection

2. Distribution and Marketing of produce

• Logging plan
• Marketing
• Sale of produce
• Transportation and Communication

3. Administration of Forest personnel and property

• Forest organization
• Management of personnel
• Monitoring and control of works
• Labour management and welfare
• Financial control and economic efficiency
• Record for present and forest reference
• Fulfillment of social obligation

General objectives of Forest Management

1. Provision is the maximum benefit to the greatest number of people for all time
2. Promoting the protective effect of the forest, against hazards (soil erosion, avalanches, flood) and production of the physical factors (i.e. natural scenery, flora, and fauna)
3. Maintaining and raising the productive capacity of soil and pf the forest stands consistent with the maximum site potential.
4. Providing satisfaction to right-holders/owners or shareholders in respect of forest products and meeting the requirements of the local population
5. Execution of silvicultural operations and regulation of felling for the attainment of the normal forest.
6. Providing the maximum possible volume of forest resources to meet the market and industrial demands and securing the highest possible return.

Special Objective of Forest Management

1. Protection of badly eroded areas and hill slopes and regulation of water supply.
   • Protection, afforestation, soil and water conservation, the satisfaction of only the minimum social needs of the local population.
   • Ignoring consideration for market supplies and forest returns
2. Watershed Management
   • Maintenance of an undisputed protective vegetative cover around the watershed area,
3. Preserving natural scenic beauty
   1. In the forest area of natural scenic beauty, woodlands near urban habitation recreation often being the dominant object, timber felling, grazing, and even hunting will have to be entirely stopped.