Foresters’ Role Is to Help Preserve Biological Diversity, Report Asserts

Professional foresters, in an awkward spot between environmentalists and the timber industry, should speak loudly in favor of conserving biological diversity in the world’s forests, according to a report released Tuesday.

“Foresters are in a difficult position. We are concerned about biological diversity, but we have a mandate to produce goods and services,” said Douglas C. Allen, chairman of a Society of American Foresters task force that prepared the report on biological diversity in forests.

“Some forest owners don’t listen to the advice of professional foresters very much,” said another task force member, Joe R. McBride, a UC Berkeley professor of forestry.

Dozens of dwindling animal and plant species are considered to be threatened, McBride said. “The conversion of old-growth forests to young growth, second-growth, will not support all species,” he said.

The report, presented at the group’s annual meeting, makes no specific recommendations on such things as federal regulations about forest land. McBride said it was meant “to provide guidance and reinforce the hard choices professional foresters will have to make in the future.”