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PDF FILE - SUSTAINABILITY - Boxed Learning Exercise

A sustainable forest is a forest that is carefully managed so that as trees are felled they are replaced with seedlings that eventually grow into mature trees. This is a carefully and skilfully managed system. The forest is a working environment, producing wood products such as wood pulp for the paper / card industry and wood based materials for furniture manufacture and the construction industry. Great care is taken to ensure the safety of wildlife and to preserve the natural environment.
Sustainable forests are the result of a commonsense policy to replace trees that are felled so that forests continue to exist providing natural materials for us all.

A typical sustainable forest will contain trees of all ages and often different species of trees. As the trees mature they are felled and the natural wood is processed at saw mills. Felled trees are replaced with seedlings. In this way the forest is constantly renewed.

Sustainable forests are not only productive in terms of the wood products they provide but also they are regarded as places that can be exploited by the leisure industry. Sustainable forests add greatly to the look of the natural environment and consequently attract tourists such as walkers and hikers.
Sustainable forests can only survive if they make a profit and provide employment, often for local people. The type of employment available will include work related directly to managing and maintaining the forests but also jobs related to the tourist industry. This will include the hotel and catering industry.