Science and the Management of Boreal Forest Biodiversity

The two most important consequences of modern large-scale forestry for biodiversity are the loss of habitats and the transformation of remaining habitats into homogenous and production intensive systems. In order to counteract these negative effects Fennoscandian forestry has introduced a number of biodiversity-oriented management practices, e.g., creation of artificial snags, green tree retention, prescribed burning, creation of corridors and buffer strips. Most, if not all, of the new silvicultural methods were introduced based only on scanty scientific evidence. In this paper background to the present situation in Fennoscandian boreal forestry is given in order to introduce papers presented at a Swedish/Finnish workshop on ''Science and the Management of Boreal Forest Biodiversity'' at Olofsfors, Sweden in September 1999. The fact that Fennoscandian forestry has practiced large-scale biodiversity management for more than a decade provides us with a unique opportunity to scientifically evaluate the accuracy of these methods. As we progress in scientific understanding modifications in management practices can be made and their outcomes evaluated both in term of biodiversity and timber production.