Mature and old-growth forests are valued for many ecosystem services but defining such forests is complex and involves values, science, and management perspectives and may require multiple disciplines. Identification will likely require ground and remotely sensed measurements, local criteria, and use of social and traditional knowledge.
Learning Objectives:
Identify the different approaches commonly used to define the concepts of "mature and "old-growth" forest
Understand the basis for structural classifications of forests and how they vary among forest types across the U.S.
Identify the different approaches used to quantify mature and old-growth forests, and their strenghts and limitations
