Forests: A Very Short Introduction

Product Description

Since the dawn of human civilization forests have provided us with food resources & energy The history of human development is also one of forest loss & transformation & yet even in our increasingly urbanized societies we remain surprisingly dependent on forests for a wide range of goods & services Moreover forests still retain a remarkable hold on our environmental values In an era of continuing tropical deforestation & temperate forest resurgence & in the midst of uncertainties of climate & land use changes it is more important than ever to understand what forests are how they contribute to our livelihoods & how they underpin our cultural histories & futures In this Very Short Introduction Jaboury Ghazoul explores our contrasting interactions with forests as well as their origins dynamics & the range of goods & services they provide to human society Ghazoul concludes with an examination of the recent history of deforestation transitions to reforestation & the future outlook for forests particularly in the context of expected climate change ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable