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

In East Kalimantan, officials have been pursuing policy reforms and working with plantation and forestry companies to reduce forests destruction to protect habitat for orangutans. —Mary Nichols, The Conversation, 19 May 2025

The Climate Smart program is a Biden-era initiative to support practices that promote clean energy and climate resilience in farming, forestry and ranching through grant programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. —Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025

Dry weather and millions of trees knocked down by Hurricane Helene last year are creating a long and active fire season in the Carolinas, according to North Carolina State University forestry and environmental resources professor Robert Scheller. —Associated Press, Time, 26 Mar. 2025

Speaking of wildfire, some updates on Los Angeles County: Oregon forestry investigators have determined that power lines owned by Warren Buffett’s PacifiCorp utility didn’t cause a destructive 2020 wildfire. —Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 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