Forest management is the branch of forestry concerned with the overall administrative, economic, legal, and social aspects and with the essentially scientific and technical aspects, especially silviculture, protection, and forest regulation. This includes management for aesthetics, fish, recreation, urban values, water, wilderness, wildlife, wood products, forest genetic resources and other forest resource values.[1] Management can be based on conservation, economics, or a mixture of the two. Techniques include timber extraction, planting and replanting of various species, cutting roads and pathways through forests, and preventing fire.
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There has been an increased public awareness of natural resource policy, including forest management. Public concern regarding forest management may have shifted from the extraction of timber to the preservation of additional forest resources, including wildlife and old growth forest, protecting biodiversity, watershed management, and recreation. Increased environmental awareness may contribute to an increased public mistrust of forest management professionals.[2]
Many tools like GIS modelling have been developed to improve forest inventory and management planning.[3]
The abundance and diversity of birds, mammals, amphibians and other wildlife are affected by strategies and types of forest management.[4]
Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal,run by Ministry of Environment and Forest, India offers two years Post Graduate Diploma in Forestry Management, which deals with various technical, managerial aspects of Forestry, Environment, Natural Resources and Social Development.