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

Marx also discussed forestry as another example illustrating the same process. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026

Private, non-industrial landowners make up at least 10 million acres of forest across the state as of 2016, according to a forestry inventory and analysis. — Chloe Bennett-Steele, StateImpact, 20 July 2026

As smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to drift across parts of the United States, forestry experts say Canada could reduce the severity of some fires through more aggressive forest management. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026

All of the Connecticut firefighters are part of the agency’s forestry division. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026

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