This open access book explores a new conceptual framework for the sustainable management of the
boreal forest in the face of climate change. The boreal forest is the second-largest
terrestrial biome on Earth and covers a 14 million km2 belt representing about 25% of the
Earth's forest area. Two-thirds of this forest biome is managed and supplies 37% of global wood
production. These forests also provide a range of natural resources and ecosystem services
essential to humanity. However climate change is altering species distributions natural
disturbance regimes and forest ecosystem structure and functioning. Although sustainable
management is the main goal across the boreal biome a novel framework is required to adapt
forest strategies and practices to climate change. This collaborative effort draws upon 148
authors in summarizing the sustainable management of these forests and detailing the most
recent experimental and observational results collected from across the boreal biome. It
presents the state of sustainable management in boreal forests and highlights the critical
importance of this biome in a context of global change because of these forests' key role in a
range of natural processes including carbon sequestration nutrient cycling and the
maintaining of biodiversity. This book is an essential read for academics students and
practitioners involved in boreal forest management. It outlines the challenges facing
sustainable boreal forest management within the context of climate change and serves as a basis
for establishing new research avenues identifying future research trends and developing
climate-adapted forest management plans.
