Dynamic Forest

The boreal forest is always changing: when disaster strikes — be it fire, moose, insects, or other perils — a forest that recovers on its own is forever changed, and often more resilient. Forester Malcolm F. Squires argues that, if we don’t change our views to fit this reality, we may be conditioning the boreal forest for future disaster.

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Nearing the end of a lifetime in the boreal forest, a retired forester writes a passionate plea for rational, science-based forest management.


The boreal forest is constantly changing, often dramatically. We like to picture it as a stable, balanced system. Really, it is anything but stable. The boreal forest is dynamic.


For over sixty years, forester Malcolm F. Squires has seen mature forests within protected areas devastated by insects, moose, wind, and wildfire. While the forests often return from this destruction, they are never quite the same. A naturally balanced boreal forest is a human notion that does not match the reality of nature. If we don’t soon recognize and accept that reality and stop making irrational demands that a forest be “protected” from change or human management, we may be dooming them to disaster.