forestry

noun

for·​est·​ry ˈfȯr-ə-strē 

ˈfär-

1

: forestland

2

a

: the science of developing, caring for, or cultivating forests

b

: the management of growing timber

Did you know?

This is the management of forested land, along with associated waters and wasteland, primarily for harvesting timber, but also for conservation and recreation purposes. The harvesting and replanting of timber are the primary activities of forestry, and the main objective is to maintain a continuous supply of timber through carefully planned harvest and replacement. The forest manager is also responsible for the application of other land controls, including the protection of wildlife and the protection of forests from weeds, insects, fungal diseases, erosion, and fire. The planned management of forests originated in early medieval Europe, where laws regulated the felling of timber and the use of forests for hunting. In 1891 the US government authorized its first reserves of forested land.

Examples of forestry in a Sentence

She studied forestry in college.

Recent Examples on the Web

Teams of students also completed a field test to assess their technical forestry knowledge and data collecting skills. —Magda Liszewska, Orange County Register, 24 Feb. 2025

Cal Fire said the Office of the State Fire Marshal would support the state’s forestry board to recommend regulations at the board’s meeting next month. —Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2025

Tatsuya Ueda, the owner of this operation, gets felled trees from local forestry cooperatives, and from gardeners and maintenance crews. —Hannah Kirshner, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2025

This would put it just behind a deal Microsoft struck with Brazilian investment bank BTG Pactual's forestry arm for 8 million carbon offset credits, which ranked as the largest such purchase to that date. —Andrew Freedman, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for forestry

• agroforestry

Kids Definition

forestry

noun

for·​est·​ry ˈfȯr-ə-strē 

ˈfär-

: the science and practice of caring for forests