Forests are a part of a living, dynamic community. Without them our world would cease to exist. Trees provide shelter, food, the oxygen we breathe and in the end become part of the ever-continuing cycle of life.

Management of forests is based on some important principles. One of the most important of these is to provide a “sustainable yield”. This means we need to be sure we replace any trees that are harvested to be used in other necessary products such as lumber for homes or the many types of paper we use everyday. We want to maintain a forest for many users, both animals and people. A multiple-use forest is available for recreation (hiking, hunting, fishing), as habitat for wild animals, it supports many ecosystems, and it also provides wood for forest products. Forest managers must follow sound, responsible environmental policies and practices to see that all these needs are met.

Trees in a forest begin with a seed that becomes a seedling and grows into a tree.

Here is how we produce our seed.

The Irving Forest Discovery Network's Woodwise PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) will show you the processes behind many forest products. One of the product processes you can find in the Woodwise PDA is pulping. You will also find information about forestry practices as well as career information for forestry related jobs.