Modern small-scale or community forestry values a broad range of forest 'services', primarily ecological but also including recreational, genetic, material and aesthetic. The guiding principle of small footprint forestry is that the forest remains, or is restored to a more functional forest, under the watchful eye of local stewards.
Small footprint forestry is not one prescription. Each forest differs in terms of natural historic range of spatial and temporal variability, and each will adapt to changes in climate. Given this variability, a forest will be able to sustainably support certain combinations of human uses. Good forest stewardship and conservation practice requires good understanding of forest ecology (interrelations between structures and processes), good spatial surveying and planning tools, and good communication with forest stakeholders (owners, community, government).
Successful stewardship must be founded in a deep appreciation of the forest, its origins, and the interrelationships of all its component parts.
MapsWest works with forest owners to fulfill this vision, providing:
- Forest inventories
- Management plans
- Maps and GIS databases
- Forest management web portals
