Systems analysis in forestry has continued to advance in sophistication and diversity of application over the last few decades. The papers in this volume were presented at the eighth symposium in the foremost conference series worldwide in this subject area. Techniques presented include optimization and simulation modelling, decision support systems, alternative planning techniques, and spatial analysis. Over 30 papers and extended abstracts are grouped into the topical areas of (1) fire and fuels; (2) networks and transportation; (3) forest and landscape planning; (4) ecological modeling, biodiversity, and wildlife; and (5) forest resource applications. This collection will be of interest to forest planners and researchers who work in quantitative methods in forestry.

The 2003 symposium of systems analysis in forest resources brought together researchers and practitioners who apply methods of optimization, simulation, management science, and systems analysis to forestry problems. This was the 10th symposium in the series, with previous conferences held in 1975, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2002. The forty-two papers in these proceedings are organized into five application areas: (1) sustainability, criteria and indicators, and assessment; (2) techniques and decision support for forest planning; (3) forest assessment and planning case studies; (4) fire suppression, fire planning, and fuels management; (5) harvest scheduling; and (6) mill supply and forest product markets.

This book outlines a system that subdivides the Earth into a hierarchy of increasingly finer-scale ecosystems that can serve as a consistent framework for ecological analysis and management. The system consists of a three-part, nested hierarchy of ecosystem units and associated mapping criteria. This new edition has been updated throughout with new text, figures, diagrams, photographs, and tables.