A public policy is no more than a statement of intent until, and unless, it is successfully implemented through often complex administrative processes. Chief among these is the budget process, through which a policy can be either promoted or suppressed. In the management of the national forests, as in many areas of federal policymaking, the budget process includes an array of organizations and suborganizations in both the executive and legislative branches, each with their own values, incentives, and agendas. The interplay of these powerful forces and its impact on the resources of our...

"Forest Conservation Policy: A Reference Handbook" chronicles the dramatic history, current status, and global influence of U.S. forest policy. Beginning with the foundations of early forest law during the colonial period through the rise of the Conservation Movement in the wake of 19th century massive forest exploitation, this reference also discusses the environmental challenges that have rewritten recent U.S. forest policy and explores future policy directions.

What are the effects of forest destruction on biological diversity? Has the sustainable forest management movement been...