Need to Expand Markets for Ecosystem Services

摘要

Conservation is in trouble. One of its signature accomplishments was to halt the centuries-long decline of Americas forest estate. For almost a hundred years, the amount of forestland in the United States has remained stable, but now the trend is reversing: More than 44 million acres of private forestland could see substantial increases in housing density by 2030.rnThe U.S. Forest Service is concerned about another trend as well, the restructuring of the American forest products industry. Vertically integrated companies have long owned and protected about 9 percent of the nation's forestland, some of the best timberland in America. They have also provided milling and other capacity needed to sustainably manage forests in all ownerships, private and public. But companies are increasingly divesting parts of their businesses, raising doubts about America's long-term capacity to sustain its forests.