Figures

Tables

Abbreviations

Preface

Foreword

1. Forests in Northeastern Life

Forests: Growing Importance, Changing Meanings

Waves of Land Use Change

The Northeast's Five Forests

The Northeastern Region

Metaphors about the Forest: Concerns and Policies for the Coming Century

2. Forest Landscapes of the Northeast

Forests of the Mountains: New York and Northern New England

Forests of the Lowlands: Northern New England and New York

Coastal Forests

Forests of the Lowlands: Southern New England to Southeastern Pennsylvania

Forests of the Ridges and Valleys and the Allegheny Plateau

Planted Forests

Connections

3. Northeastern Forest Dynamics, Past and Future

Introduction

Broadening Concepts for Measuring the Forest, 1630-1993

Disturbance Patterns and Forest Dynamics: Presettlement Forests

Current Impacts of Disturbances

History of Human Disturbances

Forest Management and Harvesting as Disturbance Factors, 1990-2040

Wildlife in the Northeastern Forest

A Habitat Generalist: White-tailed Deer

Land and Water

Songbirds: Indicators of Regional Biodiversity

A Recovering Top Carnivore: The Bald Eagle in Maine

Landscapes for Wildness

Ecosystem Management

Overview

4. A Damp and Intricate Wilderness: The Industrial Forest

History of the Industrial Forest

Pennsylvania's Industrial Forest: A Sketch

Harvesting the Timber: Technology and the Forest

Cutting and Growing Trees: Debate Over Forest Practices

Conflict on the Fringes

Working in the Woods

The Spruce Budworm

A Paper Plantation?

Overview and Themes

5. Rockwood's Pasture: New England's Suburban Forest

Suburbanization

Farm, Forest, and Suburbia in New Jersey

Changing Landscape

Suburbs and Forests in Connecticut

Growth and Cut of Connecticut Forests

Forest Industries Since World War II

Policy Conflicts

Historic Perspective

The Future of the Northeast's Suburban Forest

Challenge for the Future

6. Stone Walls in the Woods: The Rural Forest

Farm Expansion and Retreat

Habitat Fragmentation--The Eagle's Eye View

Public Access to the Rural Forest

Forestry in the Rural Forest

Changes Needed in Forestry Assistance Programs

Overview

7. A Place In The Country: The Recreational Forest

Changing Land Uses in Vermont

Vermont's 1970s Recreation Boom: Trends, Impact, and Community Response

The Land Boom in Dover and Wilmington, Vermont

The 1980s Northeastern Land Boom

Economic and Social Impact

Response: Social Innovation in Planning

Impacts of Wildland Subdivisions

Reflections

8. The Northeast's Wild Forest

Services and Values of the Wild Forest

Recreation in the Wild Forest

Adirondack Wilderness

Baxter State Park

Federal Wilderness

State and Local Wild Areas

Wild and Scenic Rivers

Recreation on Private Lands

Outlook

9. Forest Landownership

Early Forest Landowners

Current Patterns of Forest Landownership

Land, Farm, and Timber Booms

Industrial Ownership in the Forest

The Public Forest Estate

Nonindustrial Private Owners

Private Ownership and Public Uses

Nongovernmental, Nonprofit Organizations

Foreign Ownership

Policy Themes

10. The Northeast's Timber Budget

Colonial Times to 1920

Regional Surveys, 1910-1976

Turnaround at Mid-Century

The Timber Budget: Quantity

The Quality Problem

Third-Party Certification

Fuelwood: Economic Demands and Environmental Issues

Tree Mortality, Forest Health, and the Global Commons

Summary

11. Wood Products and the Northeastern Economy

Vanished Industries

Sawmilling and Logging

Panel Products

Pulp and Paper

Importance to the Northeastern Economy

Economic Development: Revival of an Old Concern

Outlook for Output and Employment

Northeastern Wood and the World Economy: Log Exports

Recycling: A New Resource Base

Can the Northeastern Forests Meet Growing Demands?

Impacts of Higher Harvest Level

12. Forest Policy: Themes, Challenges, and New Directions

Changing Forest Policy Themes

Challenges of the Coming Half-Century

What Can Be Done?

A Case for Laissez-Faire?

A Case for Expanded Subsidies?

A Case for Government Regulation of Forest Practice?

Landscape Management Areas: What Will the Eagles See?

Conserving Wildness

What Role for the Federal Government?

A Program in Brief

13. Northeastern Forests: Past and Future

External Forces

Internal Forces

The Northeast's Future Forests

The Fate of the Forest Matters

Abiding Conditions

References

Index

Lloyd C. Irland is a forestry consultant in Maine and has written extensively on forests and natural resources issues.