Since the dawn of human civilization, forests have provided us with food, resources, and energy. The history of human development is also one of forest loss and transformation, and yet even in our increasingly urbanized societies we remain surprisingly dependent on forests for a wide range of goods and services. Moreover, forests still retain a remarkable hold on our environmental values. In an era of continuing tropical deforestation and temperate forest resurgence, and in the midst of uncertainties of climate and land use changes, it is more important than ever to understand what forests are, how they contribute to our livelihoods, and how they underpin our cultural histories and futures.

In this Very Short Introduction Jaboury Ghazoul explores our contrasting interactions with forests, as well as their origins, dynamics, and the range of goods and services they provide to human society. Ghazoul concludes with an examination of the recent history of deforestation, transitions to reforestation, and the future outlook for forests particularly in the context of expected climate change.

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Author: Jaboury Ghazoul
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 08/01/2015
Series: Very Short Introductions
Pages: 176
Weight: 0.25lbs
Size: 6.80h x 4.20w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780198706175

About the Author
Jaboury Ghazoul is a Professor of Ecosystem Management at ETH Zurich. He was Editor-in-Chief of the journal Biotropica from 2006 to 2013, and is President of the Association of Tropical Biology and Conservation in 2015. He is also author of Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation (OUP, 2010).