forest
Let an agent handle forests by type, extent, ownership, management, protection and threats, with sourced data on cover and change.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent handle forests by type, extent, ownership, management, protection and threats, with sourced data on cover and change.
A large area dominated by trees, forming an ecosystem with its soils, plants, animals and fungi, and also a resource managed for timber, recreation and protection.
What it is for: Forests store carbon, shelter biodiversity, regulate water and provide timber and livelihoods.
It can be protect and restore it; manage and harvest it sustainably; visit and use it for recreation; monitor it, by satellite and inventory.
Distinguishing features
Dominated by trees, defined by cover and area thresholds
Ecosystem and resource at once
Natural, semi-natural and plantation forests differ greatly
Definitions vary between agencies
What it looks like
Dense stands of trees with a canopy, understorey and forest floor; types range from tropical rainforest to boreal and managed plantations; wood pastures are open forms.
Physical character
world forest area: about 4.06 billion hectares - about 31 percent of land, FAO 2020
canopy cover threshold: 10 percent - FAO definition, with trees over 5 m on more than 0.5 ha
How it is recognised
Tree canopy cover over a large area
Forest type from dominant species and climate
Satellite imagery shows cover and loss
Related models
is made of - dominant life form
is part of - land cover
provides - uses
is threatened by - drivers of loss
In practice
Families and kinds
tropical, temperate and boreal forests
evergreen and deciduous forests
primary and secondary forests
plantations
wood pastures and community forests such as satoyama
Identifiers
protected area id WDPA id protected forests
certification FSC or PEFC certificate code managed forests
Standards and regulation
EU Deforestation Regulation 2023/1115
National forest laws
FSC and PEFC certification
UN REDD+ framework
Failure modes and hazards
Deforestation and degradation
Wildfires
Inconsistent definitions giving conflicting figures
Illegal logging
Also called
+239
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.forest-object
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Extent and type What and how much.
Type and extent are basic facts.
Type
Biome and composition.
Type
Forest type.
- What type of forest is it, and what are its main species? definition
- Is it natural or planted? provenance
Extent
Area and change.
Extent
Area and trend.
- How large is it, according to which definition and source? measurement
- Is its area growing or shrinking? measurement
Ecology Life and services.
Forests are ecosystems first.
Biodiversity
Species.
Biodiversity
Species and habitats.
- Which notable species and habitats does it support? definition
- Which are threatened? boundary
Ecosystem services
Carbon and water.
Services
Services provided.
- How much carbon does it store? measurement
- What role does it play in water supply? definition
Management Ownership and use.
Management decides the forest future.
Ownership
Who owns it.
Ownership
Owner and tenure.
- Who owns and manages it? provenance
- What rights do local and indigenous communities hold? boundary
Harvest
Timber and certification.
Harvest
Harvesting and certification.
- Is it harvested, and is it certified? provenance
- Is the timber legal under import rules? boundary
Threats Loss and protection.
Threats drive protection priorities.
Drivers
Clearance, fire, pests.
Threats
Threats to the forest.
- What threatens this forest? boundary
- How is loss monitored? provenance
Protection
Designations.
Protection
Protection status.
- Is it protected, and how effectively? provenance
- How can people help? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should forest types be separate entries?
- Which forest definition should the registry adopt?
- How should named forests be linked as instances?