Definition:
Control of resources for a particular purpose e.g. conservation, recreation and landscape value. This may also involve the exploitation for industrial purposes e.g. raw material production.
Where the resources are managed for more than one purpose, this is known as multi-use management.
The Synoptic Unit involves discussing the management issues associated with the following ecosystems.
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
TROPICAL GRASSLANDS
TEMPERATE WOODLANDS
TROPICAL FORESTS
The Tropical Forests are the subject of a Case Study which forms the final part of my A2 teaching Scheme of Work.
TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS
These areas include the PRAIRIES of the North American mid-west, the STEPPES of Europe and Russia, and the PAMPAS of South America. The first 2 are examples of CLIMATIC CLIMAX communities. In other situations they are PLAGIO-climax: an interrupted climax community.
Poor land management can lead to soil erosion. This may be due to overgrazing, and a change in cultivation practises. They can be changed to arable land by the addition of irrigation.
Trampling by animals can create problems.
In areas around London, are the Chalk grasslands of the Downs. These have been managed for centuries (as have most British rural landscapes..)
TROPICAL GRASSLANDS
These are known as SAVANNAH grasslands, and can be found between the semi-desert areas and the first of the tropical forests areas. They vary in type, according to the relative humidity of the areas, which in turn affects the amount of woodland which is included in the area.
Fire is a problem, but grassland recovers quickly from such events.
TEMPERATE WOODLANDS
Main uses of temperate deciduous woodlands.
It must be remembered that certain tree species have certain uses e.g willow for cricket bats, oak for teachers' desks (well, mine anyway..)
Landscape: woods have tremendous scenic value - many areas are protected by preservation orders
Timber production - a particular concern of the Forestry Commission
Habitat for birds and animals: particular woods may harbour certain species and have SSSI and similar status
Game management e.g. Sandringham estate
Livestock grazing
Leisure pursuits - walking, mountain biking, birdwatching, off-road vehicles (a modern trend), paintballing
Shelter belts (see SOIL EROSION section)
There are access issues in certain woodlands, and often landowners have allowed access to certain areas
Management techniques that have been used for many years to gain extra income and productivity from areas of woodlands include:
Coppicing - this is a pruning technique which produces lots of new growth - it has been used in conjunction with the production of willow timber to feed power stations - a new idea for a renewable energy source which is environmentally sound. This development is known as ENERGY COPPICE.
Pollarding
Clearfelling
Shelterwood - it must be remembered that trees generally become 'wind firm' ie. their roots develop more strongly so as to protect them from being blown over from the winds they most often experience. If the trees around them are felled it can leave the vulnerable to being blown over, particular if they used to be in a stand of trees
Selection
TROPICAL FORESTS
Main Reasons for Clearance
Activities aimed at improving the forest for a particular use are called MANAGEMENT.
Examples include
Aim of management could be forest conservation, or perhaps the development of eco-tourism as can be found in Belize and other rainforest areas. Where possible the development should be SUSTAINABLE.
A particular influence on the success of some measures is POPULATION PRESSURE.
Logging is likely to be restricted to certain areas. There may also be restrictions on hunting certain animal species as some of the trees have a symbiotic relationship, and can be damaged by hunting animals rather than being logged.
In addition to any local management issues, we have to place tropical rainforests in the global context of concern over their protection and conservation by outside bodies and governments. For example, any Earth Summit or similar global environmental meeting is likely to have these areas on the agenda at some point.
How can timber production be sustainable ?
What are other examples of sustainable forest management ?
What are the main characteristics of eco-tourism ?
There are many management measures which can be used in such ecosystems. Once Tropical Rainforests have been appropriated by large scale agricultural concerns they may be converted into rangelands.
Go HERE for some useful information.
Try NATURE BUREAU for more information on managing various ecosystems.