Springer Old Growth Forests - Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Old-Growth Forests: Function, Fate and Value – an Overview Christian Wirth, Gerd Gleixner, and Martin Heimann Old-Growth Forest Perception Most of us, scientists and laymen alike, are deeply fascinated by old-growth forest. ˇ We travel to places like the Tongass National Forest1 in Alaska or the Biatowieza National Park2 in Poland to enjoy the sight of forests left to their own devices