Forestry

forestry, the management of forested land, together with associated waters and wasteland, primarily for harvesting timber. To a large degree, modern forestry has evolved in parallel with natural resource management. As a consequence, professional foresters have increasingly become involved in activities related to the conservation of soil, water, and wildlife resources and to recreation.

This article traces the history of forestry from its origin in ancient practices to its development as a scientific profession in the modern world, and it discusses the kinds and distribution of forests as well as the principal techniques and methods of modern forest management in detail.