Building a New Relationship with Forests

July 13th, 2009

April, 2003

Roald Gundersen writes for Tapestry Magazine to highlight the amazing properties of wood.  Tree cellulose is amazingly strong and available all around us.  If we adjust the way we think about using wood and make greater use of small local trees wherever construction is needed we can stop clearing the rainforest and reap a harvest of healthier forests both near and far.

“Forest farming, (different from mono-culture tree farming) could become a new sustainable and lucrative occupation capable of creating millions of new jobs.  Forestry and logging operations employed 83,800 people in 2001.  Forest farming could increase this employment by nearly a hundred times.  If an average forest farmer managed 100 acres, over 7 million jobs could theoretically be created in the US, generating $350 billion from pole sales alone each year.”

Gundersen, Roald.  2003.  “Building a New Relationship with Forests.”   The Tapestry.  April, 33-35. For a link to the article click here.

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