Forest health: a crisis of human proportions

Two views of forest health have been articulated: utilitarian and ecosystem perspectives. Through the application of social theory, the causes and solutions of forest decline can be identified. The works of John Bennett are applied to examine the characteristics of the system, the interaction of participants within the system, and the resulting systematic behavior. Illustrations invoke relationships between forest management agencies, conservation organizations, the forest products industry, and individuals and forest ecosystems. Salvage logging is one such example of the manifestation of social systems in forest health.