Sustainable forestry: The basis of future management

The concept of sustainability has existed in forestry for almost 300 years. In his book "Sylvicultura oeconomica", the Saxon Berghauptmann (a high official) Hans Carl von Carlowitz first called, in 1713, for the sustainable exploitation of forests. All of Germany was almost entirely covered with forests at the beginning of the Common Era, with rock-beds and moorlands the only exception. The history of the forest and, with it, of forestry shows that humankind had to learn in the 18th century that uncontrolled felling of the forests threatened the foundations of life of the population. This was thought about in forestry already nearly three centuries ago and gave rise, with early approaches to sustainability, to the history of forest management orientated on the future. Sustainability in forestry was born of sheer necessity. Its consistent implementation, however, has been exemplary in Germany and central Europe, except in times of war. With the introduction of Agenda 21 in 1992, this successful guiding concept of forest management, sustainability, has generally become embedded at the core of political action. It signifies equal consideration of ecological and social aspects in decisions which previously were taken solely from an economic viewpoint.