The ecological effects of clear-cutting

Clear-cutting is a controversial practice that is widely applied in forests managed for wood production in many parts of the world. This paper aims to provide an objective synthesis of the ecological effects of clear-cutting as a basis for more informed discussion of its merits and disadvantages. A definition of clear-cutting is put forward, and its place in modern productive forestry is described. Effects on microclimate, water, soil, nutrient cycling, and the diversity and composition of plant and animal species are reviewed. The effects of clear-cutting vary considerably depending on site conditions (such as climate, geology, and topography) and on the structure and composition of the forest, the extent and distribution of harvesting, the method used to extract the logs, and the length of time before the forest is removed again. However, it is evident that many of the ecological impacts commonly ascribed to clear-cutting, in fact, result from other stages of the wood-production process, such as the quality and intensity of roading, site preparation practices (such as mechanical disturbance or slash burning), and the intensity of control of noncrop vegetation. Situations where clear-cutting is inappropriate are described. It is argued that in the right situations, with appropriate safeguards, it is an environmentally sound practice that offers many advantages in terms of the production of wood fibre.