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Forest
Myth-
conceptions? | | |
 FORESTS
There is currently much polemic
about the role of trees and forests in supporting
people’s livelihoods, the environment, and national development.
A lot of statements are half truths which,
when questioned,
need to be clarified with
“yes - but..”,
“sometimes” or
“it depends…”.
Some statements simply have to be countered with
“not true!”
Here are some commonly held views,
implied or stated in discussions,
which require qualification.
 Tropical forests
are rain-forests?
Much of forest clearance in temperate regions has already happened,
and so discussion now centres on clearance in the tropics,
especially of the most attractive forests (to western eyes, at least)
- the so-called rainforests.
But remember that tropical forests are not all dense and moist.
There is a whole range of types, including
pine forest,
flooded forest,
dry savannah,
montane forests,
scrubland,
and mangroves
.
Using forests will
spoil them?
What do we mean by spoiling?
If we mean that
the natural structure, function and diversity of the forest will be changed,
then - yes.
But if the forest becomes more useful as a result,
then the answer is - no!
If people perceive that forests are not useful
and have no value,
then they are more likely to mis-use them.
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