Introduction

Throughout the world, forest ecosystems and their management are the focus of much human interest and concern. The traditional uses, as sources of food, shelter, construction materials and fuel, are as critical today as they ever were, while other values—such as havens for human relaxation and recreation, as wildlife habitats, and as maintainers of water supplies— have gained greater importance in many regions since the Industrial Revolution. But, as the 20th century draws to a close, additional values of global significance are increasingly being attributed to forests. One such attribute of the global forest resource is its ability to sequester atmospheric carbon. Examining the importance of this attribute and how it is influenced by human activities is, broadly speaking, the subject of this book.