A Christian Ethic for Conservation and Use of Forests

1
A Christian Ethic for Conservation and Use of
Forests

• John Hussey
• Wheaton College Biology Department Wheaton IL
• 11/17/05

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Formulating a Christian Approach to Forest Use.

• Views must be based on scriptural evidence and
  sound doctrine
• Methods need to be practical
• Needs of both people and environment must be met
• Loggers, foresters, scientists, landowners, and
  public must all be involved in formulation and
  application of policy

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Theology of Creation

• The original world
• Gen 131 - God saw all that he had made, and it
  was very good (NIV).
• Creation was originally without disharmony,
  suffering, and death.
• Fact that God created material world to be good
  gives physical things, including forests
  intrinsic value.

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Theology of the Fall

• Death and sin entered the world through Adam and
  Eves disobedience to God
• Romans 512 - sin entered the world through one
  man, and death through sin, and in this way death
  came to all men, because all sinned (NIV)

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Effects of the Fall

• Earth and humans where cursed and subjected to
  suffering
• Romans 819 - The creation was subjected to
  frustration, not by its own choice, but by the
  will of the one who subjected it (NIV).
• Gen 319 For dust you are and to dust you will
  return (NIV).
• Gen 316-19 Individual curses for men and women

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The Human Position with Regard to Creation in the
OT

• Cultural mandate rule, subdue, procreate exc.
  (Gen 128-29)
• Provision for land under OT Law
• Sabbath rest for the land (Lev 252-5)
• Neglecting this duty resulted in exile, (2
  Chr 3620-21)

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Sin and Redemption of Creation

• Like humans, the creation is waiting for
  redemption and reconciliation to God
• Romans 820-21 For the creation was subjected
  to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the
  will of the one who subjected it, in hope that
  the creation itself will be liberated from its
  bondage to decay and brought into the glorious
  freedom of the children of God (NIV).

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The Value of Forests

• Before we can look at applications of the
  theology just discussed, we need to look at the
  forests themselves
• Forests are valuable because they reflect God
• Forests are valuable for their ecological role
• The value of forests is diminished by harmful
  forestry techniques

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Forests Reflect the Character of God

• Romans 120 For since the creation of the
  world God's invisible qualitieshis eternal power
  and divine naturehave been clearly seen, being
  understood from what has been made, so that men
  are without excuse (NIV).
• Power
• Majesty
• Wisdom
• Beauty
• Grace
• Redemption

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Forests provide a unique and important ecosystem

• Ecosystem - interaction of organisms and the
  environment they live in (Smith 2001).
• Organisms depend on healthy forests for survival
• Changes in ecosystem can have large effects on
  populations

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Example Ursus americanus Pallas North American
Black Bear

• North American black bears require
• Beech trees with many nuts
• Thick, aged hardwood forests to nest in
• Open travel corridors to move from shelter to
  food
• If bears are not supplied with these unique
  forest habitats they will not live in the area
  (McEvoy 2004).

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Protection of Forests

• For these reasons, forests need to be protected
• Christian stewardship and an appreciation for the
  creation merit a policy of strict environmental
  protection for forests

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Forest Destruction

• Most disturbances to forest ecosystems come form
  destructive logging techniques
• Destructive Large volume harvesting techniques
• Clear cutting
• Seed tree logging
• Shelter wood logging
• Destructive equipment and road building

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Clear Cutting
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Seed Tree Logging
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Shelter-Wood Logging
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Forestry Equipment
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Logging Roads
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People Need Wood

• Wood is used all over the world for
• Housing
• Heating
• Cooking fuel
• Wood supplies Sub-Saharan Africa with 60-90 of
  its total energy needs
• Consumption of softwood lumber in 1998 was over
  120 million cubic meters in the US alone

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Human Needs are Important

• Humans are made in the image of God
• The OT Law can be framed by the love of God and
  humans
• The physical needs of people, especially the
  poor, are specifically provided for under OT Law.

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Image of God

• A special act of creation that other life doesnt
  have (Gen 126-27).
• Places humans in a special position over the rest
  of creation
• Probably entails a combination of possessing
• A soul
• God given authority
• Deep relational nature

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The Golden Rule

• Christ was asked what the most important
  comandment was. He replied
• Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
  with all your soul and with all your mind. This
  is the first and greatest commandment. And the
  second is like it Love your neighbor as
  yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on
  these two commandments (NIV).
• He didnt answer protect the environment

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OT Law Provided Resources for the Needs of the
Poor

• Deuteronomy 199-10
• When you reap the harvest of your land, do not
  reap to the very edges of your field or gather
  the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over
  your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes
  that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the
  alien. I am the LORD your God (NIV).

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Practical Application

• Resources should be extracted and used by local
  workers, not outside forces to curb exploitation
• Forests should be harvested in a sustainable
  manner

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Local Control of Forest Products

• Case Study Hardwood Forestry in Pennsylvania.
• 80 of hardwood processing plants are 1-plant,
  1-owner firms with less than 50 employees.
• Plants produce local products using local workers
• Very successful businesses

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Sustainable Harvest

• Selective harvesting
• Only a few trees per acre are cut
• Higher quality timber produced
• Natural processes of forest imitated
• More expensive and dangerous However

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Sustainability
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Conclusions

• Protecting forests is important because of the
  biblical theology of stewardship
• God commands us to love and provide for other
  humans
• When a dispute between the needs of people and
  the needs of forests arises, humans must be
  favored because of their special status in
  creation.

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Works Cited

• Boyd, Gregory, and Paul Eddy. Across the
  Spectrum. Grand Rapids Baker Academic, 2002.
• Burton, Diana. Challenges for Forest Economics
  Valuing the Forest. Forests A Global
  Perspective. S.K. Majumdar. Easton
  Pennsylvania Academy of Science, 1996. 318-325
• Chadwick, Oliver. Global Development of Single
  and Mixed Species Forest Stands. Forests A
  Global Perspective. S.K. Majumdar. Easton
  Pennsylvania Academy of Science, 1996. 186-199.
• Deane-Drummond, Celia. Wisdom and Justice.
  Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics.
• (2002)65-74
• Finley, James. The Role of Forest Resources
  Ensuring Their Sustainability Forests A
  Global Perspective. S.K. Majumdar. Easton
  Pennsylvania Academy of Science, 1996. 328-339.
• Illegal export of endangered species continues
  Despite a government ban, mahogany exploitation
  continues in Brazil Greenpeace International,
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• Kimmins, Hamish. Balancing Act Enviromental
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• Kohm, Kathryn, and Jerry Franklin. Creating a
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  Ecosystem Management. Washington Island Press,
  1997.
• McEvoy, Thom. Positive Impact Forestry A
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  Washington Island Press, 2004
• Orr, David. Armageddon Versus Extinction.
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• Smith, Robert, and Thomas Smith. Ecology and
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• Stuart, Simon. Conservation Theology for
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• Trossero, Miguel. Survey of World Energy
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• Van Dyke, Fred. Between Heaven and Earth
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• Van Dyke, Fred. Conservation Biology, Values and
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