Introduction to Forestry and Natural Resources, Second Edition - Preface

Introduction to Forestry and Natural Resources arose through a desire to produce an introductory text on forestry and natural resource management for first-year college students. However, anyone with an interest in learning about these wide-ranging professions for the first time may find this book enjoyable. Our professional experiences in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania provide us with regional, national, and global perspectives on forestry and natural resource management, and these experiences have guided us in the writing of this book. Throughout the book we have included numerous practical examples to help reinforce key concepts of the application of forestry and natural resource management in various locations around the world. One challenge encountered in writing a book of this scope is to adequately cover the vast array of biological, social, and economic factors affecting forests and their natural resources while creating it to be accessible for newly initiated and beginning practitioners. Along these lines, we made a concerted effort to balance the depth and scope of topics presented. We hope readers of this text will be inspired to delve more deeply into topics that interest or concern them, or into issues that they face in their daily lives. We apologize in advance for any omissions or errors found within the text. They are solely our own.