The Meaning of Forests in a Perspective of Social and Political Development

Abstract

"Forests cover a large proportion of land on earth and show great variety. They represent an abundance of life, contain many possibilities for living beings and provide habitat for many forms of life. Abundance, growth and continuity are prominent features in mans perception of a forest. Some regions are covered by forests with interspersed settlements and fields. In others they form a mosaic amidst intensively populated areas, or are characteristic elements of the landscape following rivers or covering mountain ridges. The spatial distribution of forests, and the degree of their transformation by man are the result of physical conditions and of varying cultural patterns. This applies to forests that have been intensively used over centuries and show profound changes in vegetation."